EPH. 2:11-17.
HOW blessed and full is the preaching of peace by Jesus Christ! He it is who by His cross has made peace, breaking down the enmity existing between Jew and Gentile, and making of twain one new man. He it is who, by that same cross, has for believers slain the enmity that existed in Jew and Gentile alike against God, reconciling “both unto God in one body.”
Further, He, who has wrought so wondrously in His death, is now, as the risen and glorified One, our Peace.
Now He who has made peace, has Himself preached peace; and if we turn to the twentieth of John, we get in His own blessed words a threefold presentation of peace for the present and eternal rest of our souls.
Before, however, we look at this, let us notice, for it is of paramount importance to do so, that Jesus had risen from the dead and declared to His brethren: “I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (ver. 17). Only on resurrection ground could such a message of peace, and such a revelation of the Father, be made; for “if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17).
But, blessed be God, He has raised Him up from among the dead, and on the first day of the week — the resurrection day — when His disciples were met together with shut doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus Himself comes into their midst and says, “Peace be unto you” (ver. 19), and then He showed unto them His hands and His side. There were the marks of His atoning sacrifice of Himself for them, in the nail-prints in His hands and the spear-thrust in His side.
Truly, “the chastisement of our peace was laid upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.” He had been into death itself, to make peace with God for them; and the fact of His presence among them as alive from the dead, was God’s proof to them of His perfect satisfaction with, and acceptance of, the atoning sacrifice He offered. Consequently, the Holy Spirit declares to us that “Jesus our Lord... was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 4:24-5:1).
This first presentation of peace, then, by our blessed Saviour, was that of peace with God on the ground of an atonement made and accepted.
But in verse 21, the Lord again goes on to speak words of peace to His own, on sending them out for Himself into a world full of unrest and turmoil, a scene of Satan’s power and opposition to all that is of God. “Peace be unto you: as My Father bath sent Me: even so send I you.” He, the Sent One of the Father, trod the pathway through this world, meeting in its fullness all the opposing forces of man and the devil, touched by the weary restlessness and sorrow that sin had brought in, turning the fair handiwork of God into a groaning creation. Yet through it all, and in spite of his having to all appearance “spent His strength for naught and in vain,” what perfect peace of soul was His! ever in communion with His Father and able to thank Him (see Matt. 11:20-26).
Now He was departing out of this world and returning to the Father, and so He leaves them here for Himself, but makes known to them His Father as their Father, so that in communion with their Father they, too, might have that peace which was His. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you” (John 14:27). No, indeed! the world knows not that peace. When things go smoothly with it — well; but when circumstances are dark and sorrowful it has no peace.
This peace that Jesus gives, depends not on changing circumstances, but is often known and enjoyed most when all around is darkest and exceedingly sorrowful — when perhaps some service the Lord has given to be done for Him, seems to have failed in its results, or when personal surroundings are painful and grievous. Then, as Jesus had, we have our resource and stay in God. “In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-17).
This second announcement of peace, then, would be that of the peace of God, known and enjoyed so perfectly by the One who has left us an example to follow His steps, sending us forth in service to God, even as He Himself was sent forth in service by His Father.
These first two announcements of peace, were made on the first day of the week, the third (ver. 26) was on the eighth day, another Lord’s Day, likewise bringing before us the thought of resurrection; but here, I believe, not only the Lord’s resurrection (that the first day does), but carrying us on to the time when His own will be also raised and taken to be with Him for eternity. “Christ the first-fruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:23).
Here, then, the Lord salutes His loved ones with “Peace be unto you” — peace, perfect and unbroken for eternity.
Now “Thomas was with them.” Poor doubting Thomas, who would not believe till he had seen, had consequently during that time between the first day and the eighth day missed the joy of known peace, though the value of Christ’s work for him in God’s sight was just as great as for the other disciples, and though it was as true that God was his Father as theirs. Now in the presence of his risen Saviour there could be no more doubts or fears, but perfect peace.
So with believers at the present time, how many are tortured with doubts and fears, not knowing settled peace with God (to say nothing of the peace of God), though it may be known as a present reality on the authority of God’s own word already quoted in Romans 5.
Thank God that in the glory there will be no doubting ones — all then will be brought into the full realization of unruffled peace forever.
But why should there be even now the unhappiness of peace not known, when Jesus Himself points to His hands and side in token of the sufferings of death that He endured to secure that peace for us, and God has raised Him from the dead, thus proving His perfect satisfaction with the work accomplished for the believer? Look again at those simple yet wonderful verses in Romans. Christ Jesus “was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Now when faith rests simply on Christ as the once crucified One, and now risen One, what is the blessed result? “Justified,” and being justified, “peace with God.” Further still, the apostle then unfolds to us our present standing in the grace or favor of God, while we look forward — not doubting in fear and trembling, but with joy — to the “glory of God.”
Just one other point. See how much Thomas missed through not being “with them when Jesus came” (ver. 24). What a striking illustration of the need for the exhortation in Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is.” Alas! that it should be the manner of some.
May God stir up our hearts increasingly as the day approaches, to make every effort to be found where the two or three are gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus, not letting any trifle be a sufficient excuse to stop away. Do we really consider that just as really as “Jesus came” to those disciples assembled together with closed doors, and preached peace to them with His own loved voice, so really is Jesus always “in the midst” of those gathered in His name? (Matt. 18:20). But so it is; and just as really will He speak to our hearts by His written word made good to us by the Holy Spirit which He has given to us.
Let us then, beloved brethren, make the most of the privileges given to us on Lord’s Days and week days, counting on our blessed Lord Himself to minister to our souls, thus filling them with peace and joy, causing them to overflow in praise and worship, and enabling us to walk worthy of Him to His own praise and glory! W. H. S. F.