Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 13:12

"The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." — Romans 13:12 (ASV)

The night. The word night, in the New Testament, is used to denote night literally (Matthew 2:14 and following); the starry heavens (Revelation 8:12); and then it denotes a state of ignorance and crime. It is synonymous with the word darkness, as such deeds are commonly committed in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:5).

In this place, it seems to denote our present imperfect and obscure condition in this world, contrasted with the pure light of heaven. The night—the time of comparative security and sin in which we live even under the gospel—is far gone in relation to us, and the pure splendours of heaven are at hand.

Is far spent. Literally, "is cut off." It is becoming short; it is hastening to a close.

The day. The full splendours and glory of redemption in heaven. Heaven is often thus represented as a place of pure and splendid day (Revelation 21:23, 25; Revelation 22:5).

The times of the gospel are represented as times of light (Isaiah 60:1, 2, 19, 20 and following); but the reference here seems to be rather to the still brighter glory and splendour of heaven, as the place of pure, unclouded, and eternal day.

Is at hand. Is near; or is drawing near. This is true respecting all Christians. The day is near, or the time when they will be admitted to heaven is not remote. This is the uniform representation of the New Testament (Hebrews 10:25; 1 Peter 4:7; James 5:8; Revelation 22:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–6; Philippians 4:5).

That the apostle did not mean, however, that the end of the world was near, or that the day of judgment would come soon, is clear from his own explanations. See 1 Thessalonians 5:2–6. Compare to 2 Thessalonians 2.

Let us therefore. As we are about to enter on the glories of that eternal day, we should be pure and holy. The expectation of it will teach us to seek purity; and a pure life alone will fit us to enter there (Hebrews 12:14).

Cast off. Lay aside, or put away.

The works of darkness. Dark, wicked deeds, such as are specified in the next verse. They are called works of darkness, because darkness in the Scriptures is an emblem of crime, as well as of ignorance, and because such deeds are commonly committed in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:7), They that be drunken, are drunken in the night. Compare to John 3:20; Ephesians 5:11–13.

Let us put on. Let us clothe ourselves with.

The armour of light. The word armour—(opla)—properly means arms, or instruments of war, including the helmet, sword, shield, etc. (Ephesians 6:11–17).

It is used in the New Testament to denote the aids which the Christian has, or the means of defence in his warfare, where he is represented as a soldier contending with his foes. This armour includes truth, righteousness, faith, hope, etc., as the instruments by which he is to gain his victories.

In 2 Corinthians 6:7, it is called the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. It is called armour of light, because it is not to accomplish any deeds of darkness or of crime; it is appropriate to one who is pure, and who is seeking a pure and noble object.

Christians are represented as the children of light (1 Thessalonians 5:5).

By the armour of light, therefore, the apostle means those graces which stand opposed to the deeds of darkness (Romans 13:13)—those graces of faith, hope, humility, etc., which are appropriate for those who are the children of the day and which serve as their defence in their struggles with their spiritual foes.

See the description in full in Ephesians 6:11-17.