Troublesome Topic: Jesus is Our Peace Offering

1: “in the highest”

The Jewish reader would most likely have sensed that the word “heavens” should be inserted here, making the phrase read “in the highest heavens.” If heaven is unreachable and unattainable to us in our own efforts, the highest portions of the heavens are even more unreachable to us. This is saying that God deserves glory in ways that are far, far beyond our understanding.

2: “on earth”

Note the contrast and comparison here between the heavens and the earth. It’s as if the angels were saying, “Here is what is going on in the highest reaches of heaven—God is being given the glory He deserves. But what about the earth? What is happening there? Good things are happening there too.” The contrast needed no explanation, for everyone knows that there is no evil, no violence, no death in heaven. But the main emphasis of the announcement, with its loud confirmation, was that a bit of heaven was coming down to earth. Some of that glory, some of that wonder, some of that purity which characterizes heaven, was now residing on earth. Likewise, there is a contrast between God and men. So we have heaven and earth, God and men, and Jesus is the one who can bring the two extremes together. He was born to provide reconciliation for the broken relationship between God and man, to offer the opportunity to unite heaven and earth.

Although it does not say “in all the earth,” that may be the intended meaning. Often this type of phrase using “the earth,” whether the world “all” is used or not, implies the whole earth, or all mankind. This was an announcement that the Prince of Peace had come to offer peace to the whole world. All of mankind are the recipients of God’s good and kindly intentions, but not all have appropriated them into their lives.

3

When you see the word “peace” in Scripture, remember that it meant much more than the absence of violence. It meant wholeness and wellbeing of a physical, emotional, relational, societal, and especially spiritual kind. This announcement showed that a new level of wholeness and wellbeing had just arrived on earth. True peace was available in a way that it never was before. All people are the objects of God’s kind purpose, yet not all men appropriate it to their lives.

4: “God’s kind intentions”

The key word at the end of that sentence can mean “pleasure, good purpose, favor, good will, kind intentions, something that produced happiness, satisfaction or delight.” Its focus is on a purpose or intent that is pleasing to the recipient and the giver alike.

5

When we hear the word “healed” we think of physical healing for physical ailments, but the context of this statement is clearly about the problem of separation from God due to sin. So the healing in mind is the healing of spiritual sickness, not physical.

6

The word I have rendered as “approved” is a combination of the words “good” and “to think,”  i.e. “to think well of, to approve, to like, to be pleased with.”

7

The text only says “all fullness” but it can rightly be assumed that it is referring to all the fullness of God.

8

The Greek text uses the phrase “by Him” twice, causing a quandary when one tries to communicate it in English. It seems like the intent was to say the first part all over again in order to emphasize that nothing stood outside the reach of His reconciliatory work, but it was made shorter by leaving out most of it except the words “by Him.” It was expected that the reader would be able to assume the part that was left out. I have reflected that intent in the translation column on the left with the assumed part in brackets. Most translations clean it up by only expressing the idea once and leaving out the second occurrence of the words “by Him.” In my paraphrase column on the right I have cleaned it up for English, but also expanded it to show the full meaning.

9

I treat this sentence as one unit for the purpose of symbolism, hence this footnote will deal with several aspects of this sentence.

“stand” – The verb form for “stand” is perfect, meaning he has done this many times in the past.

“to your door” – See the full comment after the verse to read why coming all the way to the door demonstrated that something was wrong.

“pounding” – The verb form of the word “pounding” is present, meaning he continually does this or is continuing to do this, despite the offensive rejections he has suffered in the past. See the full comment after the verse for more details.

10

“Come into him” is a quasi-symbol: It is not that “come in” means to reveal or manifest one’s self, but rather that is the purpose.

11: "eat with"

In those days people did not dine with someone unless they were in good fellowship together. To extend an invitation to eat together was an invitation to a closer relationship. It was more about the relationship than it was the food.