The Shield of Faith

By Dwaine E. Dunning

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     "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16)."..That I may be comforted together by the mutual faith both of you and me" (Romans 1:12).

     In understanding Scripture it is desirable to know exactly what the speaker or writer said or wrote. To do this it is helpful to understand whatever social implications lay behind the terms he used, that is, what the terms meant in the Mediterranean world of the first century A. D. Several times the Scriptures compare the Christian life to service in the army of the King of kings, and the Christian as a soldier. The apostle tells his young friend, Timothy, to "endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:3), and Archippus, a member of the household of Philemon is greeted as Paul's fellowsoldier.

     In the sixth chapter of Ephesians the apostle gives a detailed description of the armor worn by the Christian soldier, sketching a picture which was obviously drawn from a sight very familiar to Christians of the first generation--the Roman legionary.

     A comprehensive study of the Roman soldier as a prototype of the Christian soldier is very rewarding. In personal character, rigor of training, devotion to his military ideals, and in submergence of individual self to the destiny of the Legion, the Roman soldier presents an attractive example of the traits the Christian soldier needs in order to win the world for Christ as the Roman soldier won the world for his Empire.

     The typical Roman soldier enlisted for twenty years. At that period of history this was equivalent to enlistment for life. He was permitted no home or family for this would decrease his mobility and effectiveness as a soldier. The Legion was his life! He was trained to an esprit de corps which made him feel superior to a half dozen enemy soldiers, and usually he was. He was versatile, skilled as combat infantryman, engineer, as well as political administrator and policeman. If he was at times tough and disagreeable, he had to be. History may cause us to dislike the Roman legionary because we unconsciously sympathize with the "underdog," and the Roman soldier fought and conquered most of the "underdogs" of ancient history. But a man who could win the world for the political system under whose banners he fought, is one to be studied with the admiration we give to those whose work has been attended with success despite impressive odds--and the Roman legionary despised odds of less than six to one.

     Though the legionary was trained in the use of many weapons, including effective "heavy artillery," it was the gladius, or Roman short sword, which made him the master of the world. This weapon, which serves in the Pauline analogy as the prototype of the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, was a simple tool of

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conquest. It was not a rapier or scimitar for duelling or slashing. It allowed no fancy swordplay. It was held before the face of the soldier, and thus served him as protection as well as offensive weapon, while he thrust it. Thus the word of God "pierces even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." It is obvious that the soldiers of Christ have not used the sword of the Spirit as the legionary did the gladius, the short sword. Is this why the armies of Christ have not conquered the world?

     Despite many other fascinating illustrations of Christian principles which are afforded by a detailed study of the Roman soldier, we confine our attention here to only one, the soldier's shield, faith. The shield of faith is capable of "quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked," says the apostle.

     In my youth I took training as an Air Raid Warden. At the time this seemed a truly worthwhile patriotic duty. Retrospect causes one to wonder at the reasoning of those who apparently believed that the German Junkers Ju-88 bombers had the flying range to endanger Lincoln, Nebraska; and the conviction that one had invested time fruitlessly inspires with the determination to forget the whole episode as rapidly as possible. To a considerable extent this has been done.

     However, one day some Air Raid Warden instructions on how to deal with various nasty incendiary bombs followed some work on a sermon on "the Christian armor." I realized that I was using Air Raid Warden tactics on the "fiery darts of the wicked." Time spent in dealing with all of the flaming arrows of wickedness individually and specifically, when the whole world is literally full of them, could lead only to frustration and failure. Further, it is contrary to the explicit orders of the Captain of our salvation. He has designed the shield of faith to quench all of the fiery darts! Where they go when they bounce harmlessly off the shield of faith is of no real concern to the Christian soldier. It is enough to know this is exactly what will happen.

     From that time on I determined to strengthen faith rather than trying fruitlessly to quench the inexhaustible supply of Satan's flaming arrows. The shield of faith is not intended to be merely a protection for the individual Christian soldier who bears it. The shield of each one is also a protection for every other Christian.

     The Roman legionary was equipped with a large shield, tall enough to protect him from helmet to greaves, and curved to give some protection from the sides. When a volley of arrows or spears was anticipated, or when a legion fell into an ambush, the centurions gave the order to form the testudo ("tortoise"). The soldiers on the outside of the formation locked their shields together, while soldiers within locked their shields together over their heads, to form an unbreakable wall around and above the entire company or century. It was almost literally impossible to penetrate this protection. Despite its strength the century remained mobile. It could advance in any direction and cover uneven terrain without surrendering the protection of its mutual shield in the slightest degree, as enemies of Rome found to their sorrow. Not every army has been able to go on the defensive and still maintain its march toward victory at the same time!

     The testudo thus takes its place with the gladius as symbolic of the power which made the legion go forth "conquering and to conquer." Not for the Roman soldier the individualistic bravery and military fame of such Greek heroes as Achilles and Paris. The idea of personal combat was foreign to the disposition and training of the legionary. Though when circumstances required the Roman soldier could fight bravely alone, he was at his considerable best in company with his comrades. He could advance into battle, secure in the knowledge that he was part of an outfit in which every man was as brave, as well-trained and devoted as himself. This gave the century an invisible testudo which was as valuable as the literal wall of shields ordered by the centurion when danger threatened.

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     The greatest lesson to be drawn from this illustration is the responsibility of each Christian to see himself, not as an individual champion defending the truth, but as a common soldier in the army of the King of kings. Since the army of the Lord is capably led by the Captain of our salvation, it should be evident that no individualistic performance is really necessary. Though leaders on the level of whatever the Romans called corporals or sergeants are desirable (my research has failed to come up with the Latin terms) the Christian's strategy and tactics both need to be left in the capable hands of the One who was "born to command."

     The officer, when the testudo formation was commanded, stood on the shields of his men. Though exposed to far greater danger he could give intelligent orders to his troops and guide them to victory. It is thrilling to think of our united faith supporting Christ, in His work as the Captain of our salvation.

     It is also thrilling and challenging to remember that, as the apostle wrote the Roman church, "the mutual faith both of you and me" is "comforting." Admirable as may be the courage of the Greek warriors at Thermopylae, who in commenting on the anticipated clouds of arrows of the Persian bowmen, could say, "Good, then we shall have our battle in the shade," it may be observed that Leonidas and his heroic Spartans died to the last man. The Greek concept of individuality destroyed them (even the highly-disciplined Spartans) as much as the Persian arrows. A few hundred Roman soldiers would have challenged the might of an army of a million and in all likelihood would have won. The Roman shield would have been the difference between heroic death and glorious victory.

     The Christian owes as much to the faith of his brothers in Christ as he owes to his own. Shall we stop thinking of faith as though it were something to parcel out to each Christian for his own personal and exclusive use? It is not. It never has been. It is the faith. It is "the mutual faith of both you and me," the overall protective shield for all Christians, for which we are to "contend earnestly," not the individual "faiths" of particular Christians. Too often faith has been treated as something to wear on our sleeves, or as a chip on the shoulder, something to be waved about and flaunted as a challenge to battle on our own accounts. Let us put this extremely important piece of equipment back into its proper place, not something for Christians to fight about, but in comradeship to fight under, and for.

     Dwaine Dunning is a Professor in the Department of Church History, Platte Valley Bible College, Scottsbluff, Nebraska.