Are we Christians today still faithful to the New Testament understanding of peace?
During the period of the Second Temple, ancient Jewish letters began with the greeting, “Peace!”—Shalom in Hebrew, Eirênê in Greek—in whatever language they were using. But “peace” did not mean the same thing to Greeks as it did to Jews.
The Greek word normally just meant “no war.” But when Jews wrote in Greek, it was natural for them to think of all the richness of meaning in the word shalom, that is, everything that makes for well-being, including good relationships with people and with God. Such peace, they felt, could only be the gift of God to His people. Perfect peace would come only in the time of the Messiah.
Paul, the Jewish Christian apostle to the Gentiles, had the custom of beginning his letters, after the address, with the greeting, “Grace to you and peace.” He commonly expanded this greeting to “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (thus 2 Thessalonians 1:2 and most of his other epistles).* When Paul said “peace,” what did he mean?
“Peace” is a favorite word in the early Christian writings collected together in what is called the New Testament. It always carries the Jewish meaning, even in writings to Gentiles, but adds some extra twists that are peculiarly Christian. After all, these were people who believed that the peace-giver had come.
The New Testament understanding of peace goes back to Jesus Himself. When He used the conventional greetings “Go in peace” (Mark 5:34) or “Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21), He meant that He was actually offering peace. He told His disciples that when they offered peace but the offer was refused, then the peace returned to the one who offered it: “As you enter the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you” (Matthew 10:12, 13). Jesus and His followers were meant to be peace-givers, but not all are peace-receivers. In fact, the controversy that the young movement created prompted Jesus to say, metaphorically, “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).
One of Jesus’ most famous sayings is the beatitude, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). But the peace they are to make does not depend on outward circumstances, nor is it frustrated because most people are not interested in peace. The very next beatitude says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (verse 10). Peace within, peace with God, and even love for enemies do not depend on how other people respond to your overtures. “Bless those who persecute you,” echoed Paul, “bless and do not curse them. If possible, in so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:14, 18).
The peace that Jesus said He was giving (John 14:27) comes from God, as Paul’s salutations express it. It is a gift from above, as James put it: “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:17, 18).
It was expected that this peace would have some very practical results. One result was reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14-17), between husband and wife (1 Corinthians 7:15), and between Christian believers who hold differing opinions (Romans 14:19). It included what we now call “peace of mind.” As Paul put it, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15). Above all, the peace that is preached in the New Testament is peace with God, made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah, who died not so much to placate an angry God as to pay sin’s price for us and to soften the hearts of alienated human beings. “Since we are justified by faith,” proclaimed Paul, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ... For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:1, 10).
Two things are clear today: Most Christians have grossly departed from their founders’ vision of peace, but that vision has animated and inspired many others to a kind of peace that is heroic.
*All biblical quotations are from the Revised Standard Version.
Robert M. Johnston, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins