The Helmet of Deliverance

D The Helmet of Deliverance A Salvation Scientist Log (SSL) 1.0 [Disclaimer: SSL posts are descriptive not prescriptive. I am describing my process to discover and approve the things that are excellent. I am not prescribing that you use the same process. Rather, I want you to know that it is important for you to develop your own process! I encourage you to figure out what works for you and stick to it until it bears fruit in your life.] The first stage in salvation science is examination. Important elements to consider include grammar, semantics, and context. Personally, I love to construct a sentence diagram of verses (grammar) to visually reveal how sentences relate to each other. I also use the Greek and Hebrew dictionaries on BHC (biblehub.com) to consider alternate connotations (semantics) that might fit the context better. Finally, I do word research to see what other verses throughout the bible have to say about the same subject (context). Context is paramount when you need to confirm meaning. But ‘context’ can cover a great many elements, from the whole Bible to the individual book to the passage itself. Furthermore, it can also refer to the historical and cultural setting of the listeners. So, discovering the context will often transition into the second stage of salvation science: research. Here are some of my findings that will impact my interpretation of the meaning of the Greek word ‘soterios’ (‘salvation’) in Ephesians 6:17.  The Ephesian theme (the book context) of “on earth as it is in heaven,” with its emphasis on our right to experience all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, leads me to conclude that the helmet of salvation is one of these blessings. However, its conjunction with the “stand” of verses 14-16 (the passage context) also leads me to believe that there are prerequisites (embracing the realities of truth, righteousness, peace, and faithfulness) that need to be met to fully enjoy this particular blessing. I also need to bear in mind that the helmet, as a figure of speech, illustrates some facet of the nature of ‘soterios.’ Thus, I learn that the helmet was a piece of armor supplied by the emperor (historical context). It was designed to protect the head of the wearer from sword slashes and projectiles that escaped the expanse of the shield. Some helmets included plumes (social context) to indicate rank and to identify the chain of command in the chaos of battle (c.f. “Why Did Roman Soldiers Wear Feathers on Their Helmets?” on YouTube).   In the midst of my research, I also learn that a Roman soldier was not constantly in battle (cultural context). A daily schedule was communicated during the morning parades. In times of peace a soldier could be assigned roles such as watchman or patrolman for the night or day shift. They would also be involved in chores for the garrison, training exercises, mock battles, and construction projects (c.f. “The Daily Routine of a Roman Soldier” on YouTube). Now, since the context affirms that we receive the helmet “through all prayer and petition, praying in every opportunity,” this leads me to believe that the reception of the helmet is a dynamic process. The reception is not a ‘one-and-done' experience, but rather a repetitive experience dependent on our prayers and on our opportunities. Thus, my initial hypothesis is that the helmet represents our appointment as a soldier in the army of God and our role on a daily basis. The reception of the helmet would then be equivalent to receiving our ‘marching orders’ for the day. In conclusion, an important clue in determining the connotation of ‘soterios’ in the context of this passage, is that the reception of the helmet is an event or experience that occurs in the midst of prayer and can occur in every opportunity (i.e. repeatedly). In my future SSL posts I will examine the impact that this exerts on the different connotations of ‘salvation,’ ‘deliverance,’ and ‘preservation,’ and how that impacts our empowerment for spiritual warfare.