The Belt of Truth

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth…” – Ephesians 6:14

In Greek, “having fastened on the belt of truth” is only two words, perizonnymi alethia, which means “girded with truth.” The word “belt” actually isn’t there, but it’s the closest modern corollary. In those times, the girdle on a Roman soldier was a “breech-like apron which hung under the armor, which was made of sewn leather for protecting the thighs, fastening articles of clothing, tucking in long skirts of a robe for greater freedom of movement.” It was fastened around the waist with a belt which held the sword; sometimes two belts were worn crossed, one for a sword and one for a dagger.

The belt and apron were the most intimate articles of armor: closest to the body, largely unseen. they had to be put on first. They functioned less for their own sake than to help provide scaffolding for the other parts of the armor: a place to store weapons, to fasten or tuck in clothing.

Isaiah 11 says in reference to Jesus: “He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor… Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” Here, the belt indicates qualities that are most inherent to, most centered in, the character of Jesus; the qualities by which he sees and judges the world around him.

Truth is like that for us. We fight against the schemes of the devil, the father of lies; the first thing we must do is be centered in the truth. We must see and judge the world by that truth, not by what our eyes necessarily see, or our ears necessarily hear. Truth is the place from whence we can draw our offensive weapons. Truth is what gives us freedom of movement; “the truth will set you free” (John 8). You probably couldn’t tell by outward glance whether a soldier had on his girdle and belt: but as soon as the fighting started, you could tell by the weapons he drew, by his nimbleness of movement, whether he had remembered to fasten those inner layers. So it is with us: we must begin by fastening on the belt of truth.