AND LET THE
PEACE OF CHRIST: hê eirênê tou Christou:
(Ps 29:11;
Isa 26:3;
27:5;
57:15,19;
Jn 14:27;
16:33;
Ro 5:1;
14:17;
15:13;
2 Co 5:19-21;
Ep 2:12-18;
5:1;
Php 4:7)
The peace
that Christ gives.
Peace
(1515)(eirene
from
verb eiro = to join or bind
together that which has been separated)
(Click
word study)
literally pictures the
binding or joining together again of that which had been separated or
divided and thus setting at one again, a meaning convey by the common
expression of one “having it all together”. It follows that peace
is the opposite of division or dissension. Peace as a state of
concord and harmony is the opposite of war.
In this present verse peace is that which Christ gives. So
instead of division there is to be a unity or oneness. If you don't
feel that peace in a local body, then it may be because the umpire
(see "rule" below) is saying that you are "out of bounds" so to speak.
The psalmist promises
that...
The LORD will give strength to
His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. (Ps 29:11
-
Spurgeon's note)
Isaiah writes...
"The steadfast of mind Thou
wilt keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in Thee. (Isaiah 26:3)
Before Jesus left this earth He
promised His disciples a peace unlike any other declaring...
Peace I leave with you;
My (His very own personal) peace () I give to you; not as the
world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let
it be fearful. (Jn 14:27)
(see
commentary notes)
The peace of Christ, the peace He
gives is not only peace we experience when there is no conflict, but
like the Hebrew counterpart (see
study of shalom)
gives us a sense of wholeness and well-being, completeness and
totality. And ultimately, the peace of Christ is even more for it is
in its essence the very presence of Christ. (See study on
Seven "thieves" that can steal your peace)
And all believers share this same
peace Paul writing...
Therefore having been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, (see note on
Romans 5:1)
John MacArthur writes that eirene...
"includes both the
concept of an agreement, pact, treaty, or bond, and that of an
attitude of rest or security. Both aspects are in view here."
(MacArthur, J. Colossians. Chicago: Moody Press)
Johnson (Bib Sac, Jan, 64) writes...
I remember reading somewhere in F. B. Meyer’s writings a story of a
man crossing the channel towards a continental port on a dark starless
night. One of the passengers was chatting with the captain over the
difficulty of making port under such circumstances. The captain
pointed to the distant shore and said: “Do you see the three lights
shining faintly ahead on land? Well, I steer our ship until the three
lights merge into one, and then I head straight into port with the
light ahead of me. I know that course is the right course.” In similar
fashion the believer may trust the united witness of the Word of God,
the witness of the Spirit, and the peace of Christ. When the three
agree in a course of action, or approve a particular decision, the
believer may have strong assurance of the will of God and head
straight in.
RULE
IN YOUR HEARTS: brabeuetô (3SPAM) en tais kardiais humon:
Rule
(1018)
(brabeuo) means literally to award the prize is a cognate to
the word "prize" in (1Co 9:24; see
note
Philippians 3:14). In later Greek brabeuo
was frequently used in the sense of rule because a conspicuous part of
a ruler’s work was to pronounce decisions in matters open to question.
The picture is
that of an umpire deciding the outcome of an athletic contest. To act
as an umpire would mean to preside as at the games and distribute the
prizes. It pictures the peace of Christ arbitrating, deciding in any
argument, and thereby restraining the passions of the
flesh nature
that might threaten to disrupt the peace. The peace of Christ would
settle any friction and strife so the believers could remain strong
and unified (in one body).
Brabeuo
is
present imperative
calling for this to
be one's continual attitude. Thus this verse can be rephrased...
"let the peace of Christ
continually decide as umpire or arbitrate in your hearts."
The peace of
Christ should act as our umpire when anger, envy, and other such
passions arise in our hearts. Let the peace of Christ be the umpire in
your heart amidst the conflicts of life helping you decide what is
right (but see discussion below)
Kent Hughes
applies this very practically asking...
How much misery we would avoid if
we permitted “the peace of Christ” to umpire in our hearts. How many
words we would hold back if he were the arbitrator in our lives. How
many sleepless nights we would forego if we did that. How the Church
needs this too, “since as members of one body you were called to
peace.” (Hughes,
R. K.: Colossians and Philemon: The Supremacy of Christ. Preaching the
Word. Westchester, Ill.: Crossway Books)
The KJV Study
Bible writes that Paul's intent is that
when believers are at odds with
each other, whatever course of action best maintains peace and fosters
harmony is the course to be taken. (KJV
Study Bible. Nelson)
In secular
Greek, brabeuo meant to be a brabeús, an umpire,
director or arbiter in public Greek games. He would assign a prize in
the public games. He was to be a judge and award the prize.
Paul uses a
derivative on brabeuo in Colossians 2:18 writing...
Let no one
keep defrauding
(katabrabeuo =
present imperative
= with a negative means to stop
letting this happen) you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement
and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has
seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind...
Paul is using
the well known illustration of a the judge at athletic games (brabeus)
who would disqualify any athlete from competition if they had broken
the rules of the games (see discussion of ancient athletics in context
of
2 Timothy 2:5). They would not be
awarded the prize (Greek = brabeion). In ancient Greece although the
athlete might be disqualified from competition, they would not cease
to be citizens of the country they belonged to but they would forfeit
the glory and honor that was associated with wining at the Olympic
games. What Paul is saying in
Colossians 2:18 (note) is that some men were
coming in and saying to the Christians who failed to keep all there
man made rules (self abasement, etc) would lose their reward.
Calvin
explains rule in your hearts writing that Paul...
employs, however, a very
appropriate metaphor (Ed note: "rule" or "umpire"); for as among
wrestlers, he who has vanquished all the others carries off the palm
(Ed note: the prize, for the leaf of a palm was a symbol of victory),
so he would have the peace of God be superior to all carnal
affections, which often hurry us on to contentions, disagreements,
quarrels, secret grudges. He accordingly prohibits us from giving
loose reins to corrupt affections of this kind. As, however it is
difficult to restrain them, he points out also the remedy, that the
peace of God may carry the victory, because it must be a bridle, by
which carnal affections may be restrained. Hence he says, in our
hearts; because we constantly feel there great conflicts, while the
flesh lusteth against the Spirit. (see note
Galatians 5:17) The clause, to
which ye are called, intimates what manner of peace this is — that
unity which Christ has consecrated among us under his own direction.
For God has reconciled us to himself in Christ, (2 Corinthians 5:18)
with this view, that we may live in entire harmony among ourselves.
Although this
verse is often applied to discern the will of God (eg, if I don't
experience the "peace of Christ" then the "umpire" is saying I am out
of bounds, so to speak). The idea is that when a believer loses his
peace, he can know that he has in some way disobeyed God (or as
someone has said “Darkness about going is light about staying.”).
There is no question that when a believer obeys the will of God, they
will (or should) experience God's peace; and when they disobey
intentionally or unintentionally they forfeit His peace. Although
certainly peace in our heart is part of discerning God's will, the
context speaks more to the interpersonal relationships of those in the
body of Christ. Paul's point is that if we have peace, we will
certainly be more likely to experience peace in the church. If we are
not experiencing peace individually, we are more likely to contribute
to discord and disharmony in the church.
Tyndale
Concise Bible Commentary writes that...
Christ’s rule of peace pulls
believers together in unity (cf. see notes
Colossians 1:15;
16;
17;
18). When differences
threaten the unity of the body, the peace of Christ must be accepted
as arbitrator. (Hughes,
R. B., Laney, J. C., & Hughes, R. B. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary.
Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers).
Matthew Henry
explains that this peace is...
God’s being at peace with you, and
the comfortable sense of his acceptance and favour: or, a disposition
to peace among yourselves, a peaceable spirit, that keeps the peace,
and makes peace...We are called to this peace, to peace with God as
our privilege and peace with our brethren as our duty. Being united in
one body, we are called to be at peace one with another, as the
members of the natural body. (Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole
Bible)
Adam Clarke
writes...
No heart is right with God where
the peace of Christ does not rule; and the continual prevalence of the
peace of Christ is the decisive proof that the heart is right with
God. When a man loses his peace, it is an awful proof that he has lost
something else; that he has given way to evil, and grieved the Spirit
of God. While peace rules, all is safe.
To illustrate
the idea of letting the peace of Christ rule in your hearts picture a
baseball umpire. Baseball fans know that the man
in the black suit who stands behind the catcher rules on the plays and
makes the calls. He remains absolutely unruffled no matter what
happens. Managers curse him and kick dirt at him, fans throw pop
bottles at him, yet he remains unperturbed. That is the idea. Let
the calmness of Christ rule among you. Consider Jesus in the gospels.
He moves into every situation with total poise. He is not upset by
others but remains calm and collected when other people are panicking
around him. He is in control. That is to characterize the church in
its functioning as a body. Though
subjective in nature, yet very really indeed the peace of God produced
by the Spirit of God (see note
Galatians 5:22) “acts as umpire” in the heart to make
definite the right decision in accord with the divine purpose. The
means used by the Spirit in making each decision is the written Word
(Col 3:16; cf. Ps 119:105). As noted above, it is the Scriptures which
are used to prepare the heart and cause it to yield to the sovereign
purpose of God. The Spirit of God through the Word of God also
produces the peace of God in the heart.
We must beware, however, of a false peace in the heart. Jonah
deliberately disobeyed God, yet he was able to go to sleep in the hold
of a ship in a storm! “I had peace about it!” is not sufficient
evidence that we are in the will of God. We must pray, surrender to
His will, and seek His guidance in the Scriptures. The peace of heart
alone is not always the peace of God.
Jameison,
Fausset and Brown write...
“Let the peace of Christ act as
umpire when anger, envy, and such passions arise; and restrain them."
in your hearts - Many wear a peaceful countenance and speak
peace with the mouth, while war is in their hearts (Psalm 28:3 =
Spurgeon's note; Ps
55:21 =
Spurgeon's note).” (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory)
Peace is not only objective and
subjective, but also relational. Believers were called to live in
peace in one body. Individuals who have peace with Christ and in their
own hearts will live in unity and harmony with each other.
The
Life Application Bible Commentary
has an excellent note on
application...
When we exercise the traits of
compassion, kindness, humility, patience, and, above all, love, we are
going to face conflict. Not everyone will be playing by these rules.
Not all Christians show the self-restraint needed in conflict. How can
we deal with these conflicts and live as God wants? When we are hurt
by others or our gracious efforts are rebuked, we must have an umpire
inside that says, “Peace.” We need to call a time-out on our passions
and reactions; then we can think about the peace that God has won for
us in Christ’s death. Paul does not teach “peace at any price.”
Instead, he encourages believers to embrace God’s peace and be under
his control as they make courageous moral decisions for the truth and
the right. (Barton,
B. B., & Comfort, P. W.: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Life
Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers)
Lightfoot writes that...
“Wherever there is a conflict of
motives or impulses or reasons, the peace of Christ must step in and
decide which is to prevail”
Heart (2588)
(kardia)
(Click
in depth study) in
this context describes the home and the throne of the peace of Christ.
W H G Thomas once
explained this verse by first asking a question...
What does the peace of Christ do?
Primarily it gives assurance of acceptance with God (cf. note
Romans 5:1),
and the protection of God (cf. note
Philippians 4:7,
Gr., "shall garrison," a paradoxical use of a warlike term). But here
Christ's peace is to be received into the heart as the arbiter
deciding the course and ruling the life (Gr., "umpire"). A similar
idea and practically the same Greek word is found in
Colossians 2:18 (note),
as we have seen, where the apostle is warning his readers not to let
anyone judicially deprive them of their reward as though they were
unworthy.
This word, translated here "rule,"
suggests that which settles differences, especially where there is any
conflict of thoughts and feelings. Under such circumstances the
peace of Christ is to decide; and if it be asked how peace is able
to do this perhaps the explanation is that just as peace with God is
the result of our acceptance of Christ as Savior (see note
Romans 5:1),
so the experience of peace in the soul, in union with Christ and
through the presence of the Holy Spirit, will at once settle every
difficulty, resolve every conflict, and show us what is the will of
God.
In this case there is a special
reason for such divine peace--the essential unity of the body of
Christ, the Church, and to this peace, we are told, every believer has
been called. When we are one with Christ, in whom God "called us with
an holy calling" (see note
2 Timothy 1:9),
and also one with Christians, "called in one body," as Paul says here,
there is no question as to the great power of divine peace in our
lives. We read of "government and peace" (Isaiah
9:7
in multiple translations), of
"righteousness and peace" (Ps.
85:10
in multiple translations;
cf.
Isaiah 32:17
in multiple translations),
and of "grace...and peace" (see note
Titus 1:4).
Until these prevail universally, however, "the God of peace himself"
(see note
1Thessalonians 5:23,
ASV) will be with us, keeping us meanwhile "in perfect peace" (Isaiah
26:3
in multiple translations)
TO WHICH
INDEED YOU WERE CALLED IN ONE BODY: eis en kai eklethete (2PAPI) en heni sômati:
Many wear
a peaceful countenance and speak peace with the mouth, while war is in
their hearts as the psalms testify...
Do not drag me away with the wicked
and with those who work iniquity; who speak peace with their
neighbors, while evil is in their hearts. (Psalm 28:3 -
Spurgeon's note)
The psalmist
elsewhere describes one whose...
speech was smoother than butter,
But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were
drawn swords. (Psalm 55:21 - see
Spurgeon's note)
With one Head
(Christ) as in
Colossians 1:18 [note],
1:24 [note]
if we have peace in our hearts, we will be at
peace with others in the church. We are called to one body, and our
relationship in that body must be one of harmony and peace. The unity
of the body of Christ is a strong reason for peace among the
members, and the peace of Christ enables the body to retain its
oneness (a body so unified thereby retains its efficacy and its
function as salt and light in the spiritual decaying, dark world - see
commentary on salt and light in
Matthew 5:14-16 [notes]). If we are
out of the will of God, we are certain to bring discord and disharmony
(and dysfunction)
to the Body of Christ.
Spurgeon exhorts us...
Do not fall out with one another.
You are called to peace, for you are cared in one
body. Does one hand in the body fight with the other hand? Does
the foot contend with the eye? Of course not, for they are in one
body. So are you in one body with all your fellow-Christians,
therefore lay aside all strife. I deeply deplore when I see Christians
— and especially eminent Christians — contending with one another
about minor matters of small account. Surely, almost anything ought to
be borne before there should be public strife among members of the one
body. God grant that such a state of things may speedily come to an
end wherever it has existed! We have enough to do to “earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints,”
without contending for our own dignity or honor.
AND
BE THANKFUL:
kai eucharistoi ginesthe (2PPMM): (Col
3:17;
1:12;
2:7;
Ps 100:4;
107:22;
116:17;
Jonah 2:9;
Lu 17:16-18;
Ro 1:21;
2 Co 4:15;
9:11;
Ep 5:20;
Php 4:6;
1 Th 5:18;
1 Ti 2:1;
Heb 13:15;
Rev 7:12)
Keep on becoming thankful
(present
imperative) means
we need to allow this to be our habitual
practice. Praise on the lips naturally flows out of peace in one's
heart (what fills you controls you, out of the mouth comes that which
fills the heart). When we do not have the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts
individually or in the local body, the corporate body, we are not likely to offer up
sincere thanks to God.
This spirit of thankfulness is shown by an entry in the diary of the
godly Matthew Henry, the famous Biblical commentator, after he had
been robbed:
"LET ME BE THANKFUL: first, because I was never robbed
before; 2nd, because, although he took my purse, he did not take my
life; 3rd, because, although he took all I possessed, it was not much;
4th, because it was I who was robbed, and not I who robbed."
Notice the emphasis on thanksgiving placed at the close of the exhortations
in this short epistle (see notes
Colossians 1:12;
2:7;
3:15;
4:2)
Kent Hughes adds that...
When the buckets we carry are full
of Christ, our lives are bathed with the peace of God in thanksgiving.
(Hughes,
R. K.: Colossians and Philemon: The Supremacy of Christ. Preaching the
Word. Westchester, Ill.: Crossway Books)
When a Christian loses the peace of God, he begins to go off in
directions that are out of the will of God. He turns to the things of
the world and the flesh to compensate for his lack of peace within. He
tries to escape, but he cannot escape himself! It is only when he
confesses his sin, claims God’s forgiveness, and does God’s will that
he experiences God’s peace within. When there is peace in the heart,
there will be praise on the lips. The Christian out of God’s will is
never found giving sincere praise to God. When David covered up his
sins, he lost his peace and his praise (Ps 32; 51). When he confessed
his sins, then his song returned.
C H Spurgeon wrote...
It looks like a very small virtue
to be thankful. Yet, dear friends, the absence of it is
one of the grossest of vices (see note
Romans 1:21).
To be ungrateful is a mean thing; to be ungrateful to God is a base
thing. And yet how many may accuse themselves of it! Who among us is
as grateful as he should be? Be thankful.
When you are grumbling at your
plain food, put this as a sandwich between your bread and butter,
Be ye thankful.
When you are complaining of the
East wind, just try if you cannot spell this little sentence, Be
ye thankful.”
When you are murmuring about those
sharp pains and that long sickness, this is the kind of tune for the
little bird to whistle at your window, Be ye thankful.
We have all much for which we ought
to be thankful, however sad we may think our lot to be. Look on the
bright side, rejoice in God: Be ye thankful.
William
MacDonald comments on "be thankful" writing that...
This refrain is repeated over and
over again in Paul’s writings. There must have been a good reason: The
Spirit of God must consider a thankful spirit very important. And we
believe that it is!—important not only for a person’s spiritual life,
but for his physical welfare as well. Doctors have found out what the
Scriptures have taught through the years—that a cheerful, thankful
attitude of mind is beneficial for the body, and that worry,
depression, and a complaining spirit are definitely harmful to one’s
health. Usually we think of thankfulness as something that is
determined by our immediate circumstances, but Paul here shows that it
is a grace to be cultivated. We are responsible to be thankful. Of all
peoples of the world, we have the most for which to give thanks
(compare Deut. 33:29). The fault is not in any lack of subject matter,
but only in our selfish hearts. (MacDonald,
W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or
Logos)
Matthew Henry
explains that...
To preserve in us this peaceable
disposition, we must be thankful. The work of thanksgiving to God is
such a sweet and pleasant work that it will help to make us sweet and
pleasant towards all men. "Instead of envying one another upon account
of any particular favors and excellence, be thankful for his mercies,
which are common to all of you.’’ (Matthew Henry's Commentary on the
Whole Bible)
Vines notes that...
Where love is in exercise, and
where the peace of Christ rules, thankfulness is inevitably produced,
and that out of a sense of entire indebtedness to God for what was
wrought by Him in Christ to bring about that peace, and out of a sense
of deep gratitude for it and its governing power. (Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos)
><> ><> ><>
The apostle Paul had never been to
the church in Colossae, but he had heard all about it from Epaphras.
He knew it was a church under attack by false teachers, so he prayed
fervently for this congregation (Col 1:9-14; 2:4-7).
Among his requests, Paul asked that they would give joyful thanks to
the Father because He had rescued them, moving them from the kingdom
of darkness to the kingdom of His dear Son (see notes
Colossians 1:12;
13). We too need
to be thankful for what Christ has done for us.
Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. Warren Wiersbe illustrated
this problem in his commentary on Colossians. He told about a
ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, who was part of a
life-saving squad. In 1860, a ship went aground on the shore of Lake
Michigan near Evanston, and Edward Spencer waded again and again into
the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the process, his health
was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted
that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.
Let's take time often to recall how God has rescued us from eternal
death and has given us eternal life through His Son. Let's make
certain that we never allow thanking the Father to become a lost art.
- D C Egner (Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Give me a spirit of thankfulness,
Lord,
For numberless blessings given;
Blessings that daily come to me
Like the dewdrops falling from heaven.--Dawe
With practice, anyone can master
the art of thankfulness.
><> ><> ><>
The story is told about a wounded
soldier who was being taken to a hospital tent by some of his
comrades. After they had carried him but a short distance, he urged
them to put him down and go back to rescue someone else. As he was
mortally wounded, he knew there was no hope for him anyway. Granting
his request, they left him and returned to the combat area. In a few
minutes, however, an officer stopped to ask him whether he could
assist him in any way.
The wounded soldier weakly replied,
"No, thank you, sir. There's
nothing at all you can do."
"But can't I at least get some
water to quench your thirst?" the officer inquired.
The dying man again shook his head
saying,
"No, thank you, sir. There is one
thing, however, you could do for me. In my knapsack you will find a
New Testament. Please open it to John 14. Near the end of the chapter
you will find a text beginning with the word `Peace.' I would
appreciate it if you would read just that one verse to me."
The officer found the passage and
read these words,
"Peace I leave with
you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John
14:27).
"Thank you, sir," said the dying
soldier.
"I have that peace
and I am going to the Savior who made that promise. God is with me, I
want no more."
Shortly after that, the wounded man entered into the
presence of his Lord. Because he had Christ, he had peace with God,
and since he had learned to commit everything to His care, he also had
the peace of God. How important for all of us to remember that the
Bible admonishes,
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known
unto God. And the peace on God . shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus!" (see notes
Philippians 4:6;
4:7)
Yes, in our joys and in our
sorrows, in life's sunshine, or in the "valley of the shadow," we who
are at peace with God can also know the peace of God which passeth all
understanding. (Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Peace, perfect peace, in this dark
world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging 'round?
On Jesus' bosom naught but calm is found.—E. H. Bickersteth
Peace rules the day when Christ rules the heart!
