The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Romans 13:12-14
Four things are here taught, as a Christian's directory for his day's work. When to awake; Now; and to awake out of the sleep of carnal security, sloth, and negligence; out of the sleep of spiritual death, and out of the sleep of spiritual deadness. Considering the time; a busy time; a perilous time. Also the salvation nigh at hand. Let us mind our way, and mend our pace, we are nearer our journey's end. Also to make ourselves ready. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; therefore it is time to dress ourselves. Observe what we must put off; clothes worn in the night. Cast off the sinful works of darkness. Observe what we must put on; how we should dress our souls. Put on the armour of light. A Christian must reckon himself undressed, if unarmed. The graces of the Spirit are this armour, to secure the soul from Satan's temptations, and the assaults of this present evil world. Put on Christ; that includes all. Put on righteousness of Christ, for justification. Put on the Spirit and grace of Christ, for sanctification. The Lord Jesus Christ must be put on as Lord to rule you as Jesus to save you; and in both, as Christ anointed and appointed by the Father to this ruling, saving work. And how to walk. When we are up and ready, we are not to sit still, but to appear abroad; let us walk. Christianity teaches us how to walk so as to please God, who ever sees us. Walk honestly as in the day; avoiding the works of darkness.
- taken from Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
I'm not familiar with Matthew Henry's work, but I'm curious ... it's clear that he sees darkness and light as spiritual metaphors (and appropriately so), but does he consider/address anywhere the implications of the cyclical nature of night and day?
ReplyDeleteIn one sense we put on Christ's robe of righteousness once, in another sense putting on Christ and the armor of light is something that must be renewed on a daily basis. I'm not sure about Henry's position at all, but Robert's comment got me thinking about the fact that both the "darkness and light" and "night is far gone, day is at hand" metaphors are cyclical. I would say that often the "darkness into light" metaphor stands for a one time event, (contextual interpretation being key) while the night and day metaphor in this passage seems to indicate a cycle calling for action. Good thoughts all around.
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