God’s word is a great thing in those who contemplate it diligently, and such people can get to know and overcome a great deal of the devil’s hatefulness with scripture. For that reason Saint Paul says, “For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4: 12) The apostle means that such clear words of God find everything out that is hidden in a person, such as thoughts and intentions. God’s word inquires into all of that–the nature of thoughts and intentions, what desires are born of and where they lead–because it sharply goes through all secrets. These words are fitting for those who want to take this spiritual sword. They hear its sharpness and how they can wound the devil from a great distance in his secret and cunning work when they would ask for true understanding from God in His word. But if they do not have the knowledge of God’s word within themselves, they hardly draw that sword when the devil reveals himself. The Lord God will give the abundance of His wisdom to whoever loves His word from the heart and asks for understanding. He would not give it confined like a sheathed sword but in the fullness of the light of truth. He gives it for the knowledge of all true things according to His riches so that we would have true judgment in everything, just as the light of truth shows us everything. What is more. He gives it so that we truly know ourselves, His ways, and the perils of the world in which we dwell. God’s word will be living and more piercing than any two-edged sword here, because it knows all secrets. That is why, when that hateful devil would slink around secretly wanting to ruin our homes as is fitting of a thief at night, the householder has many servants who watch over it (that is, true understanding). He is ready with that spiritual sword against his devilish enemy, who cleverly hands some pleasurable thing clothed with goodness, usefulness, necessity, or something clearly evil, just like the Savior pulled that sword out against him, resisting him with scripture in everything he commanded Him to do against scripture. Such cunning always works against us, allowing what is against scripture into our hearts. That is why it is necessary for us to faithfully understand scripture so that, when the devil cunningly approaches us himself or through his messengers and hands us something against scripture, we immediately oppose him with the wisdom of scripture so that he does not lead us astray. But, because the devil does not approach us in such a way that he is exposed, he does his hateful work secretly. When he sees that a person knows scripture but neglects it or does not understand it, the devil approaches him with it cunningly and hands him some pleasant desire hidden by that scripture. The person then grabs hold of it as if finding some useful truth and the devil deceives him, injuring him while his sword is sheathed. The devil pulls that out of the word, injures him, and leads him to violate scripture by it. That which should be have been life to him leads him into death, approaching him through scripture with the cherished things of his heart. That is why the sword of God’s word must be sharpened with God’s wisdom and spiritual understanding. Then it can penetrate through the devil’s cunning sheathing, lift the hood off him that conceals his eyes, discern his cunning shroud through the wisdom of God, recognize that it is the devil beneath it, and stand on the path of God’s wisdom.
That is why the apostle says, “Take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” It is not the sword of the flesh but of the Spirit. Therefore, the one who is alive according to the Spirit understands that sword and can fight with it against the cunning and spiritual devil. But blind and fleshly people cannot defend themselves against the devil in that battle because they do not see him, being in his darkness. The apostle is not preparing people here for physical battle. That is why he does not command them to take a physical sword. The apostle teaches the Romans that they should be subject to the pagan government, and the apostle says about Caesar’s sword that “he doesn’t bear the sword in vain.” (Romans 13: 4) Sometimes government fells many holy people’s heads with that sword, just as the Caesar’s sword cut off Saint Paul’s head. But it is not completely in vain, because God sometimes uses it in avenging
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