What Is the Peace that Jesus Gave to Us?
By Jonathan Mitchell

In John 14:27, Jesus said,

"I am continuously sending off (releasing away; hurling off) Joining Peace to (or: for; by; in; with) you people. My Peace (or: Joining) I am constantly giving to you (or: in, by, for, you folks). I, Myself, am not giving [it] to you the way (or: according as) the System (the world of religion, politics and culture; this domination system) continually gives [it]..."

The Greek word for "peace" comes from the verb that means, "to join." In this study, we will focus on the meaning of the "joining" - which gives us "peace." So, what was this Peace, the Joining? Is it a just a good feeling, and internal calm, or something more?

Paul laid this out for us, in Rom. 5:1,

"Therefore, being folks that were eschatologically delivered, rectified and rightwised (placed in the right relationship of covenantal solidarity in the Way pointed out and made fair, equitable, just, free from guilt and turned in the right direction) from the midst of [His] faithfulness, out of trust, and from conviction, we continuously hold and progressively have [other MSS: let us (or: we can and should) habitually retain and enjoy] Peace and a Joining, face to face with God (or: a harmonious joining with God; a joining peace [directing and conducting us] toward God), through our Owner and Lord, Jesus Christ (or: Master, [the] Anointed Jesus)," [cf Col. 1:20; 3:15]

This Joining is among ourselves, and with God. The joining among ourselves created the Body of Christ. Paul explains to us the sphere in which we are joined with God, in 1 Cor. 6:17,

"Now the person continually joining himself (or: being habitually glued in intimate union; in himself being continuously welded) to (or: in; with) the Lord exists being one spirit (or: one Breath-effect; one Attitude; one Spirit)."

So then, there is a "joining" to, in and with the Lord which makes us "one spirit" with the Lord. Now that will obviously result in inner "peace." This brings to mind Phil. 4:7, which informs us:

"Now then, God's Peace of the Joining (or: this [shalom] from God; or: the harmonious joining, which is God), which is continuously having a hold over (habitually having sway over; or: constantly being superior and excelling over) all mind and inner sense (or: every intellect; all power of comprehension; or: all process of thinking), will continue garrisoning (guarding; keeping watch over; protecting; maintaining) your hearts and the results from directing your minds (or: the effects of your perceptions, concepts, thoughts, reasonings and understandings; or: the dispositions, designs and purposes from you folks; [p16 adds: and bodies]) - in, resident in the midst of, centered within, in union with, and in the sphere of, Christ Jesus [p46: {the} Lord Jesus]."

Thus, we receive personal benefits from the gift of Joining and Peace which Jesus gives.

Paul gives us another picture of the broader results of His Gift, which speaks of the realm (or: reign; kingdom; sovereign influences and activities) in which the Joining is a constituent part:

"for you see, God's Realm and Kingdom (or: the reign-and-dominion which is God; the expression, influence and activity of and from God's Empire and Sovereignty) is not (or: does not exist being) solid food and drink, but rather (or: to the contrary), [it is] Eschatological Deliverance flowing together in fair and equitable dealing which brings justice and right relationship, in the Way pointed out (or: being Turned in the right direction; Rightwisedness; also = covenant inclusion and participation), Peace and harmony from the Joining (= shalom), and Joy (or: happiness; rejoicing) within the midst of a set-apart Breath-effect (or: centered in union with dedicated spirit and sacred attitude; or: in the sphere of Holy Spirit)" (Rom. 14:17).

And thus,

"Now the God Who is The Peace (Yet the God Who is This Joining; But the God whose character is Harmony, and Who binds together that which was separated) will progressively rub together, or trample, even crush, the adversary (beat this opponent to jelly; shatter this satan) under your feet swiftly (or: soon)!" (Rom. 16:20a)

Now right before this, in 16:19b, Paul had said, "yet I am wanting you folks, on the one hand, to be wise [leading] into the midst of The Good, yet, on the other hand, unmixed into the bad (mixtureless as to the worthless, evil and ugly)."

Was all this bad "the adversary" of which he spoke in vs. 20? Does not that which is bad or worthless derive from a person seeing himself as separate other folks, so as to become an enemy via ill treatment of them? If we do not see ourselves as joined with another, it is easy to envy them, or to want what they have. Or, we fear them, since we view them as being different, and separated from us. But what if we view them as being joined to us, in God's eyes and in His new economy? What if we realize that they are no longer "outsiders" from our culture or ethnicity? What if we no longer know them, "after the flesh," as Paul instructed us, in 2 Cor. 5:16?

But there is another level within which God has joined us. In Eph. 2:11-12, we are instructed about God's economy under the old covenant. In those days, there were two groups that composed all of mankind: the circumcision and the uncircumcision, the latter being termed "Gentiles," or, "the nations," or, "the ethnic multitudes." The Gentiles were "in time past" (vs. 11) separated from Israel (the circumcision). We read in vs. 12,

"that (or: because) you were, and continued on being for that season (or: in that appointed situation), apart from Christ ([the] Anointed One): people having been alienated from the state of being a citizen (or: estranged from citizenship in the commonwealth and society; [cf Col. 1:21]) of, and which is, Israel, and [being] strangers pertaining to the arrangements of (or: foreigners from covenants and testamentary dispositions whose origin is) The Promise and the pledged assurance, continually having no expectation (or: hope), and [were] folks without God (or: godless) within the ordered System (centered in the world of culture, religion and governments; or: in union with the aggregate of humanity)." [cf Gal. 4:8]

Christ changed all that, as we see by reading on, in Eph. 2:

13. But NOW, within, in union with, and centered in, Christ Jesus, you - the folks once being (continuously existing) far off (or: at a distance) - came to be (were birthed; are generated; are suddenly become) near, immersed within, and centered in union with, the blood of the Christ (or: from the Anointed One [= the Messiah]). [cf Gal. 3:28]

14. You see, He Himself is our Peace (or: continuously exists being our JOINING and harmony [of Israel with the Gentiles]) - the One making (forming; constructing; creating; producing) The Both [to be] one, and within His flesh (= physical being; or: = system-caused crucifixion) is instantly destroying (unbinding; unfastening; loosing; causing to collapse) the middle wall of the fenced enclosure (or: of the partition; which was the barrier): the enmity (cause of hate, alienation, discord and hostility; characteristics of an enemy),

15. rendering useless and inoperative (nullifying; rendering down in accord with inactivity and unemployment; abolishing) the Law (or: the custom; = the Torah) of the implanted goals (or: concerning impartations of the finished product within; from commandments; which was inward directives) consisting in decrees (or: prescribed ordinances and dogmas which are the results of opinions and perceptions of what seems right or good), to the end that He may frame (create; found and settle from a state of wildness and disorder) The Two into One qualitatively New and Different [p46 & others: common] Humanity centered within the midst of, and in union with, Himself, continuously making (progressively creating, constructing and forming) Peace by a Joining; [2 Cor. 5:17; note: these verses, may fit John Milbank's phrase, "an ontology of peace"]

16. and then should fully transfer, from a certain state to another which is quite different, The Both - centered in, and within the midst of, One Body in God (or: make completely other, while moving away from what had existed, and fully reconcile The Both, in one Body, by, to, with and for God), through the cross (execution stake) - while, in the midst of Himself, killing the enmity and discordant hatred (or: killing-off the characteristics of enemies within it). [cf Rom. 6:6; 1 Cor. 10:17; Eph. 4:4; Col. 3:15]

17. And so upon coming, He brings goodness and proclaims as good news (or: as a message of ease and well-being), Peace and a Joining to you, the folks far off, and Peace from the Joining, to the people nearby, [cf Isa. 57:19; Zech. 9:10]

THIS is the Peace that Jesus gave to us. HE is our joining, our peace. In God's new economy (the new creation), there are no longer these two groups (Jew/Gentile; circumcision/uncircumcision). Before God there is only "One New and Different Humanity" (vs. 15, above). Meditate upon the instruction given in those verses.

It is important to keep this awareness in focus as we walk through our days, either thinking about, or interacting with, other people (or people groups). We are given this admonition in Col. 3:15,

"Furthermore, let the Peace of, and the Joining from, the Christ (belonging to and originating in the [Messiah]; the harmony which is the Anointing [other MSS: God]) continuously umpire (act as a judge in the games; [thus, presuming a previous environment of conflict]) within your hearts (= in union with the core of your being) - into which [peace and joining] you folks are called (were called; were invited), within one body."

We find another admonition in a passage which describes the aspects of the Oneness which Christ has brought to humanity, as we read from Eph. 4:2b-6,

"[be] continuously holding one another up (or: bearing with each other with tolerance) within the sphere of, and in union with, Love (unqualified acceptance and the urge toward union), repeatedly hurrying to make every effort to constantly keep (watch over to guard and protect; maintain) the Spirit's oneness (or: the unity from the Breath-effect, and of spirit; the oneness which is the Spirit; or: = agreement of [your] attitude) within the Bond (the link, tie and connection that joins two things; the binding conjunction which results in union; [cf Col. 3:14]) of the Peace (or: which is from THE JOINING of that which is bound together), [making] ONE BODY and ONE SPIRIT (attitude and effect of the Breath), according as you folks were (or: are) also called (summoned) within the midst of ONE expectation (or: in union with one expectant hope) of your calling (or: from your summons; which is your invitation), [with] ONE LORD (or: Master; Owner), ONE FAITH (or: faithfulness, fidelity, loyalty, reliability, confidence, conviction, assurance, and trust), ONE effect of SUBMERSION and envelopment which brings absorption and permeation to the point of saturation (or: ONE placing into), ONE God and Father of all humans - the One upon all people and [moving] through all people, and within the midst of all humanity and in union with all people and all things." [cf Ps. 83:18 Mal. 2:10; Rom. 11:36; 12:5; 1 Cor. 8:6; 12:13]

And then, in Eph. 6:15,

"[be] sandaling (or: binding under) the feet centered in willing, zealous readiness with mental alacrity, and in union with immediate, brisk and cheerful preparedness, which come from, have the character of, and which belong to, the Good News (or: message of goodness, ease and well-being) of the Peace from this Joining (or: which is this Peace from that which has been Bound Together [K.S. Wuest])." [cf Isa. 52:7]

A similar echo is seen in the directive found in Heb. 12:14,

"You folks be continuously pursuing "Peace and Harmony of the Joining" with all people (or: a joining with all folks)," and this by, "the God who is the Joining resulting in Peace, the One at one point leading our Lord (Master; Owner) Jesus, the Shepherd of the sheep, the Great One..." (Heb. 13:20a).

Jesus again spoke about the Joining (Peace) in Jn. 17:33,

"I have spoken these things to you so that you may continuously have (hold; possess) Peace and a Joining centered in, within the midst of, and in union with, Me. Within the System (dominating and controlling world of culture, religion, economy and government; or: among and in union with the aggregate of humanity) you normally have pressure and stress (or: continually have squeezing; repeatedly have tribulation and oppression), but nonetheless, be confident and take courage! I, Myself, have overcome and conquered the System (dominating world; organized arrangement of religion and society; aggregate of humanity) so that it stands a completed victory!"

The verb in the last clause is in the perfect tense: it is a completed work. Paul echoes this in 1 Cor. 15:57,

"But Grace and joyous Favor [is] in God (or: by and with God) - the One presently and progressively (or: in the process of) giving this Victory (or: continuously bestowing the overcoming; [cf 1 Jn. 5:4; Rev. 2:13, et al]) to us, in us, and for us, through our Lord (Owner; Master), Jesus, [the] Christ!"

Consider the peace which we can feel when sitting by a mountain stream, or when walking along a beautiful seashore. We suggest that this peace is either a conscious, or an unconscious, awareness of our being joined to that experience - which is in fact (we suggest) a being existentially joined to God's creation, and to His Presence within His creation.

"For you see, within the midst of, and in union with, Him we continuously live (or, as a subjunctive: could be constantly living), and are constantly moved about and put into motion [the passive voice] and continue existing (experiencing Being)" (Acts 17:28a).

Paul said this to unbelievers, in Athens.

Jesus gave us a Joining with Himself and with the Father, as well as the awareness of the Joining which exists between all people and all of creation (which came from out of the midst of Him - Rom. 11:36). And one aspect of this Joining is His Peace - within us, and among us. This is also why Paul could say,

"And further, whether one member is continuing to experience the effect of something, or constantly undergoes suffering, all the members continually experience the effect or the suffering together with [it; her; him]; or if a member is being constantly glorified, normally given an assumed appearance, or is progressively receiving a good reputation, all the members are continuously rejoicing together with [him; her; it]" (1 Cor. 12:26).

Jonathan

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