Jesus, or at least his birth, is often celebrated in terms of peace, joy and love.
Right at the start the whole earth is wished peace. You will know who he (Jesus) is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.” Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:
“Praise God in heaven!
Peace on earth to everyone
who pleases God.”
After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:12-15, CEV). I wonder how they found the correct "bed of hay" (manger)? Note the neglected qualification to the peace - how much peace is there where God is defied? God may be pleased. Cautious here - religion may flourish while God is rejected. (That is clear: from personal observation; from the findings of the child abuse Royal Commission; in Jesus' message to his day; in the records of Jesus' Old Testament predecessors.)
In his teaching, even where not easy to grasp, Jesus promoted peace amongst, and between, and for, his hearers. For everyone will be salted with fire.[a] Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” (Mark 9:49-50, ESV). It is fair to say living peacefully in community is a distinctive.
Jesus placed his value on the path of peace. God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children! (Matthew 5:9, CEV). We also find him saying, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[a] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God (Matthew 5:23-24, NLT). If it is possible, living peaceably with everyone has priority. The religious practice of the day was secondary, he said.
I want to avoid over-simplification. Jesus’ coming was for peace but peace may be lost. He represents a point of inevitable division; decisions are made for, or against him, with dire consequences.
But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to turn
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; (Matthew 10:33-35, CSB). We know that Jesus did not advocate spear and sword. His way does not require enmity or antagonism. He does not want this discord to be so. We know it does happen. We also know people can be changed!
Jesus so wanted people to have peace, even the external, non-destruction kind. Towards the end Jesus overlooked the capital city of “his” country: As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side (Luke 19:41-43, NIV). Note that Jesus laments the (then coming) loss of civil or political peace for his people, those to whom he had come. At the particular moment there was a kind of settled state which could have continued, had those men wanted it to be so and accepted what they could not change. (I do not know how much the women supported active resistance to the powers of their day.)
Those who follow Jesus have his promise of peace in the face of fearful circumstances.
The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:32-33, NRSV). Jesus' conquest makes the difference within and between those who are his. The world? It does not know it is conquered!
The coming loss of public peace called forth Jesus’ tears (see above). Jesus shed tears for the death of his friend, Lazarus: And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:34-36, ESV). There was apparently more to it, but Lazarus had gone through a fatal illness. Taking “grief” as an opposite of “joy”, Jesus knew that feeling.
In those final hours Jesus’ friends must have experienced a time of turbulent feelings, with an increasing level of concern. Jesus wanted them to be able to recover peace and joy.
So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name (John 16:22-23, NLT). This was so not very long later.
Soon after his execution, there came the overwhelming day of Jesus’ resurrection.
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what[a] he had said to her.
When it was evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord (John 20:18-20, CSB). We do not get many descriptions of their experiences in the days and years following, but Jesus’ words of peace for them are fulfilled. They can be joyful.
What then of the “joy”? There are numerous mentions of joy and rejoicing. They focus on God’s pro-human acts and people being saved. At the earliest time in the account of Jesus' coming we have his expectant mother giving expression to her joy at what God was doing. (This notwithstanding the struggles and adversities she inevitably faced.)
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, (Luke 1:46-48, NLT)
In the opening part of the account of Jesus we read of foreign travellers who discovered joy.
After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:9-11, ESV). Their discovery was - Jesus! The star phenomenon is puzzling and we might find a better English translation helpful, though at least one professional astronomer (M.J.Molnar) has carefully researched and posited an explanation.
In a confronting parable, Jesus asserted that God’s priority is the recovery (salvation) of people. There is no balancing of books once forgiveness is accepted; rather rejoicing or celebration. (This open-handedness seems contrary to our instincts, as was further shown in the rest of the parable.)
But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate (Luke 15:22-24, CEV). The earlier part of the parable shows the son as becoming a profligate wastrel.
On an occasion when Jesus’ actions brought healing to a sufferer and condemnation from the religious, we find him claiming the high moral ground and others sharing joy: And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him (Luke 13:16-17, ESV). Maybe the general response was to see Jesus as the popular hero at that time, even if the response was as transitory as political esteem. Nonetheless there were genuine good feelings shared during those heady days of Jesus’ work.
Jesus said that joy is not excluded by adversity, by experiences which do not appeal and should not be sought. There may not be tinsel but there are deeper considerations.
God will bless you when others hate you and won’t have anything to do with you. God will bless you when people insult you and say cruel things about you, all because you are a follower of the Son of Man. Long ago your own people did these same things to the prophets. So when this happens to you, be happy and jump for joy! You will have a great reward in heaven.
But you rich people are in for trouble.
You have already had an easy life! (Luke 6:22-24, CEV). Seems counter-instinctive to have "the feeling" (Oh what a ..) in such circumstances. Jesus' people may approach life in a different way.
Jesus expanded his promise and prepared his followers for what was to come. No denial of reality or pulling wool over eyes.
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete (John 16:21-24, NIV). In the midst of all, in the midst of real suffering, an enduring joy, independent of happiness or pleasure.
Love is prominent in the account, as I discussed in a previous post (and I anticipate more on that noun and verb). For now, I recall the “test” asked by Jesus and put to him, perhaps many times - did he endorse the answer? - Yes! He (the lawyer) answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27, NRSV). It was far from new but it was valid! We are to love God. God is what we are about. Emotion not excluded but emotion surely not everything.
God exemplified to us the love God calls for: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life (John 3:16, NRSV). Love in unimaginable action which can be received with joy for peace. (Sadly, it can also be seen as hateful and repugnant!)
Considerably more is said in the report of the final hours before Jesus’ execution. So, we find him saying: “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command (John 15:9-14, NLT). The life laid down freely and willingly was - his. Jesus is for his friends. How numerous were those women and men (friends) I wonder? How numerous are we today? Not all our curiosity can be satisfied yet. However, for sure, there is room for more! More friends, that is.
May peace, joy and love be yours! Jesus makes it possible; he makes the way. In him we find hope.
Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Scripture quotations marked (CSB) are from the Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Note: I retain in the publishers' text where they occur the references to footnotes, but usually not the notes. You can check them out by viewing the text on-line. Often they are replicated in different translations.
Bible passages accessed via BibleGateway.com
Image sourced from Holylandphotos.org. See the website for more information on that very ancient Megiddo archaeological site. The building which contained the "manger" is long gone now.
 |
| Manger and hitching post, Meggido; about 3,700 years or more old - an aretfact from those times |
“Praise God in heaven!
Peace on earth to everyone
who pleases God.”
After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:12-15, CEV). I wonder how they found the correct "bed of hay" (manger)? Note the neglected qualification to the peace - how much peace is there where God is defied? God may be pleased. Cautious here - religion may flourish while God is rejected. (That is clear: from personal observation; from the findings of the child abuse Royal Commission; in Jesus' message to his day; in the records of Jesus' Old Testament predecessors.)
In his teaching, even where not easy to grasp, Jesus promoted peace amongst, and between, and for, his hearers. For everyone will be salted with fire.[a] Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” (Mark 9:49-50, ESV). It is fair to say living peacefully in community is a distinctive.
Jesus placed his value on the path of peace. God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children! (Matthew 5:9, CEV). We also find him saying, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[a] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God (Matthew 5:23-24, NLT). If it is possible, living peaceably with everyone has priority. The religious practice of the day was secondary, he said.
I want to avoid over-simplification. Jesus’ coming was for peace but peace may be lost. He represents a point of inevitable division; decisions are made for, or against him, with dire consequences.
But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to turn
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; (Matthew 10:33-35, CSB). We know that Jesus did not advocate spear and sword. His way does not require enmity or antagonism. He does not want this discord to be so. We know it does happen. We also know people can be changed!
Jesus so wanted people to have peace, even the external, non-destruction kind. Towards the end Jesus overlooked the capital city of “his” country: As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side (Luke 19:41-43, NIV). Note that Jesus laments the (then coming) loss of civil or political peace for his people, those to whom he had come. At the particular moment there was a kind of settled state which could have continued, had those men wanted it to be so and accepted what they could not change. (I do not know how much the women supported active resistance to the powers of their day.)
Those who follow Jesus have his promise of peace in the face of fearful circumstances.
The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:32-33, NRSV). Jesus' conquest makes the difference within and between those who are his. The world? It does not know it is conquered!
The coming loss of public peace called forth Jesus’ tears (see above). Jesus shed tears for the death of his friend, Lazarus: And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:34-36, ESV). There was apparently more to it, but Lazarus had gone through a fatal illness. Taking “grief” as an opposite of “joy”, Jesus knew that feeling.
In those final hours Jesus’ friends must have experienced a time of turbulent feelings, with an increasing level of concern. Jesus wanted them to be able to recover peace and joy.
So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name (John 16:22-23, NLT). This was so not very long later.
Soon after his execution, there came the overwhelming day of Jesus’ resurrection.
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what[a] he had said to her.
When it was evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord (John 20:18-20, CSB). We do not get many descriptions of their experiences in the days and years following, but Jesus’ words of peace for them are fulfilled. They can be joyful.
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, (Luke 1:46-48, NLT)
In the opening part of the account of Jesus we read of foreign travellers who discovered joy.
After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:9-11, ESV). Their discovery was - Jesus! The star phenomenon is puzzling and we might find a better English translation helpful, though at least one professional astronomer (M.J.Molnar) has carefully researched and posited an explanation.
In a confronting parable, Jesus asserted that God’s priority is the recovery (salvation) of people. There is no balancing of books once forgiveness is accepted; rather rejoicing or celebration. (This open-handedness seems contrary to our instincts, as was further shown in the rest of the parable.)
But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate (Luke 15:22-24, CEV). The earlier part of the parable shows the son as becoming a profligate wastrel.
On an occasion when Jesus’ actions brought healing to a sufferer and condemnation from the religious, we find him claiming the high moral ground and others sharing joy: And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him (Luke 13:16-17, ESV). Maybe the general response was to see Jesus as the popular hero at that time, even if the response was as transitory as political esteem. Nonetheless there were genuine good feelings shared during those heady days of Jesus’ work.
Jesus said that joy is not excluded by adversity, by experiences which do not appeal and should not be sought. There may not be tinsel but there are deeper considerations.
God will bless you when others hate you and won’t have anything to do with you. God will bless you when people insult you and say cruel things about you, all because you are a follower of the Son of Man. Long ago your own people did these same things to the prophets. So when this happens to you, be happy and jump for joy! You will have a great reward in heaven.
But you rich people are in for trouble.
You have already had an easy life! (Luke 6:22-24, CEV). Seems counter-instinctive to have "the feeling" (Oh what a ..) in such circumstances. Jesus' people may approach life in a different way.
Jesus expanded his promise and prepared his followers for what was to come. No denial of reality or pulling wool over eyes.
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete (John 16:21-24, NIV). In the midst of all, in the midst of real suffering, an enduring joy, independent of happiness or pleasure.
Love is prominent in the account, as I discussed in a previous post (and I anticipate more on that noun and verb). For now, I recall the “test” asked by Jesus and put to him, perhaps many times - did he endorse the answer? - Yes! He (the lawyer) answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27, NRSV). It was far from new but it was valid! We are to love God. God is what we are about. Emotion not excluded but emotion surely not everything.
God exemplified to us the love God calls for: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life (John 3:16, NRSV). Love in unimaginable action which can be received with joy for peace. (Sadly, it can also be seen as hateful and repugnant!)
Considerably more is said in the report of the final hours before Jesus’ execution. So, we find him saying: “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command (John 15:9-14, NLT). The life laid down freely and willingly was - his. Jesus is for his friends. How numerous were those women and men (friends) I wonder? How numerous are we today? Not all our curiosity can be satisfied yet. However, for sure, there is room for more! More friends, that is.
May peace, joy and love be yours! Jesus makes it possible; he makes the way. In him we find hope.
Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Scripture quotations marked (CSB) are from the Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Note: I retain in the publishers' text where they occur the references to footnotes, but usually not the notes. You can check them out by viewing the text on-line. Often they are replicated in different translations.
Bible passages accessed via BibleGateway.com
Image sourced from Holylandphotos.org. See the website for more information on that very ancient Megiddo archaeological site. The building which contained the "manger" is long gone now.
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