---

1. The Bible was not made by one man, and one man cannot make a sword. Moses, we may say, made the handle; Joshua, Samuel, David, the prophets, etc., made the blade; and the evangelists and apostles made the sharp edge and point, without which, the rest would not be of much use.

2. The Bible is like a sword because it took a long time to make it complete and fit for use. It was intended to last.

3. As a sword is used by a soldier in battle to kill his enemies, so the Bible is able to kill sin, which is everybody's greatest enemy. How does the Bible kill sin? By telling about God's love to us.

4. Why does St. Paul here call the Bible the sword of the Spirit?

(1) Because the Holy Spirit taught men to write it. If you were a sword merchant, and knew how to prepare the iron and make it into steel fit for a sword, you would not make the swords with your own hands, but you would tell the workmen what to do, and they would make the swords. But when the swords were made, they would be called after your name.

(2) Because the Holy Spirit must teach us how to use it rightly.Concluding lessons:

1. Remember that God has given you this sword to use. The Bible is a fighting sword. It is given to you that you may kill sin with it. Otherwise sin will kill you.

2. If this sword of the Spirit was used by everybody there would be no need to have other swords. The more the Bible is used to kill sin, the less fighting there will be.

(W. Harris.)

---

---

KJV: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

WEB: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;