PEACE BE UNTO YOU by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 24, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 17.

“PEACE BE UNTO YOU.”

By G.

As far as custom goes, the nearest approach that we of to-day have to the time of Christ is found among the Arabs. The Rechabites, mentioned in Jeremiah 35 as total abstainers from strong drink, are represented in that country to-day. So the salutation of Christ to His disciples, “Peace be unto you,” is common in Arabia at the present time. But the mission of Christ to the earth was not one of custom, of mere formality; it was a mission of peace in reality, peace with God. Thru the entrance of sin into the world, man had become estranged from God. “The carnal mind is enmity with God.” Rom. 8:7. Carnal means fleshly, actuated by the lusts of the flesh. The mission and sacrifice of Christ was to take away the enmity and make peace. Eph. 2:8–15.

At the birth of Christ the song of the angels was, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men.” And altho His chosen people had rejected Him, one of His select companions had betrayed Him, and the most forward one of them all had denied Him; altho His professed disciples had forsaken Him, and those whom He came to save had crucified Him, His purpose had not changed,—it was still a mission of peace.

The price of peace with God had been incalculable. To us, the beneficiaries, it was free,—without money and without price,—but to Him who made the purchase it was a sacrifice beyond our comprehension. It was a “chastisement” that justly belonged to us. “The chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” Isa. 53:5. “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ.” 1 Peter 1:18, 19. After making the sacrifice, after paying the price that He alone could pay, He greets His disciples, who are still “faithless and unbelieving,” with the merciful salutation, “Peace be unto you.”

At the last meeting with these same disciples, before His betrayal, Jesus told them of His contemplated departure from earth, and said to them, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.” John 14:27. Thus it was designed that the whole Gospel dispensation should be a time for the proclamation of peace. Even tho the disciples were to be scattered (ch. 16:32, 33), they were assured that in Him they should have peace. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is “the Gospel of peace.” Eph. 6:15. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God thru our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5:1. This peace with God gives us “access by faith into His grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Verse 2.

Amid all the alluring and deceptive obstacles that beset the pathway of human beings, there is nothing so fraught with real encouragement as the possibility of peace with God; and when that condition is assured by Him thru whom alone it can be gained, it is indeed a hope that should cause rejoicing. To fully appreciate the significance of this salutation of Christ to His disciples, this reassurance of peace after His resurrection, we must consider the efforts of the adversary to destroy Him who is our peace. Immediately after the enunciation, “On earth peace,” at His birth, the effort was made thru King Herod to put Christ to death. Then, after His baptism, Satan endeavored to lure Him from His mission by subtle temptations. Failing in this, the enemy of souls stirred up the church to hinder the work of the anointed One, to reject His claims to the Messiahship, and finally to put Him to death. So the victory of the resurrection, and the continuation of His original purpose, could find no more forcible expression than in this first salutation

to the assembled brethren, “Peace be unto you.” It was a repetition of the former watchword, “On earth peace.”

The peace of God “passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7), because it is a spiritual peace. It is based on principles unknown to human experience and incomprehensible to the human mind. It is a peace made possible between the Ruler of the universe and a race condemned to death by an unchangeable law which makes no provision for pardon. It is a peace which could be made lawful only by the death of the Ruler’s own innocent Son, in order that the unchangeable law might be satisfied. The desired purpose could not be effected by law. Rom. 8:3; Gal. 3:21. And the suggestion of this peace came not by petition from the condemned parties, but had its initiative in the council of the Ruler and His Son. It was based in love, infinite love; a love that would give an only Son to die as a substitute for the lives of condemned criminals; a love that would voluntarily lay down an innocent life in behalf of a culpable enemy, in order to save that enemy’s life. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.” John 3:16. And Christ “hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God.” Eph. 5:2; also Gal. 1:3, 4, and Titus 2:13, 14. And all this was done, not because the fallen race surrendered themselves to God and desired conditions of peace; but it was done for us while we were yet enemies. Rom. 5:8.

God and His Son did not say to us, If you will return to your allegiance, and be obedient, we will make the necessary sacrifice for your redemption. No, that would have been the human way of making peace; but they made the sacrifice first, unconditionally, making it possible for the sinner to repent and to accept the terms of peace. The human way would have been for the offended party to hold aloof till the offender should sue for reconciliation; but in such case the sinner would surely have been lost; for there must first be a way provided by which he could repent, and by which he could be pardoned without doing violence to the perfect, immutable law. The heavenly council first provided the way, and then sent ambassadors with the invitation, “We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” Such condescending love and such a treaty of peace pass all understanding.

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, thru the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, thru Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Heb. 13:20, 21.

The treaty of peace with God which He Himself has devised was offered to us in a love that “spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all;” and, to be effective, it must be accepted in a “faith that works by love.” G.