‘Peace On Earth’?

On the night when Christ was born the angelic host declared to the small group of shepherds, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” If this is what they said, then where is the peace? All over the world, not least in the vicinity of Bethlehem, there is repeated evidence of the absence of peace on earth.

A Viet Nam Moratorium Committee leader has announced plans to use the phrase “Peace on Earth” as a rallying point for this month’s activities. We have two comments. First, we need to be careful to observe the angelic order. If all men were concerned with glorifying God, then there would indeed be peace. Second, we need to recognize that the King James Version is based at this point on a very dubious alternative reading among the surviving Greek manuscripts. The better translation is something like “peace among men (who are) well pleasing (to God).” Those who are well pleasing to God are the ones who believe the good news that on that night long ago in the city of David was born the Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.

Obviously there is not peace on earth. Indeed, Christ himself later asked his disciples if they thought he came to bring peace on earth and to their surprise answered, “No, I tell you, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two …” (Luke 12:51, 52). However, those of us who have received Christ as Saviour can testify that we have indeed found peace—peace with God. And as we allow Christ to have dominion in our lives there is also a peace with ourselves and a peace in the midst of the troubling circumstances of life. On earth there will be wars and rumors of wars until Christ returns. But also on earth, men who believe in Christ can find the angelic announcement of peace a glorious experience in the present.

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