Shalom - Peace

Summary

This script explores the biblical concept of peace, focusing on the Hebrew word 'shalom' and the Greek 'eirene'. While peace often refers to the absence of conflict, biblical peace goes deeper, signifying completeness and wholeness. It is not just the cessation of fighting but the restoration of relationships, both with God and others. Jesus is depicted as the embodiment of peace, offering reconciliation through his death and resurrection. True peace, as described in the Bible, involves restoring brokenness in all aspects of life—personal, relational, and global—requiring effort, humility, and reconciliation.

Takeaways

• 😀 Peace is commonly understood as the absence of conflict, but in the Bible, it represents more—wholeness and restoration.
• 😀 In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for peace is 'shalom,' which signifies completeness or wholeness.
• 😀 Shalom refers to something without cracks or gaps, such as a perfect stone or a completed wall, symbolizing wholeness in life.
• 😀 The idea of peace in the Bible is not just the absence of war, but the presence of something better—restoration of relationships and situations.
• 😀 Shalom also refers to well-being, as seen in the example where Job's flock is complete and undamaged.
• 😀 To 'shalom' someone means to restore what is broken, whether it’s a damaged field, a broken relationship, or a situation in need of healing.
• 😀 In the New Testament, the Greek word for peace is 'eirene,' which emphasizes reconciliation between humans and God.
• 😀 Jesus is referred to as the 'Prince of Shalom,' bringing eternal peace through his life, death, and resurrection, restoring humanity’s relationship with God.
• 😀 Believers are called to create peace by following Jesus, who reconciled all things, and by fostering unity in their communities.
• 😀 True peace requires active work and effort—it's not just the absence of conflict, but the restoration of what is broken to wholeness.
• 😀 Biblical peace challenges Christians to bring wholeness to relationships, personal lives, and the world, participating in Jesus' mission of reconciliation.

Q & A

What is the basic meaning of the word 'peace' in most languages?

In most languages, the word 'peace' refers to the absence of war or conflict.

How does the Bible's use of the word 'peace' differ from the common understanding of peace?

In the Bible, 'peace' refers not only to the absence of conflict but also to the presence of something better, such as wholeness and restoration.

What is the Hebrew word for peace in the Old Testament, and what does it mean?

The Hebrew word for peace in the Old Testament is 'shalom', which means 'complete' or 'whole'. It signifies a state of completeness, whether in an object, relationship, or life.

What does 'shalom' refer to beyond just a lack of conflict?

'Shalom' refers to wholeness, where everything is in alignment and complete, such as a stone that is whole or a relationship that is restored.

How does 'shalom' apply to a person's well-being?

'Shalom' can refer to a person's well-being when all aspects of their life are in harmony and nothing is missing or out of place.

What is the basic meaning of 'shalom' when used as a verb?

When used as a verb, 'shalom' means 'to make complete' or 'restore', signifying the action of bringing something or someone back to a state of wholeness.

How does the concept of 'shalom' extend to human relationships?

'Shalom' extends to human relationships by meaning the reconciliation and healing of broken relationships, where peace is restored and wholeness is achieved.

What does the prophet Isaiah look forward to in terms of peace?

Isaiah looks forward to a future 'Prince of Shalom', a king whose reign will bring lasting peace, healing all that is broken and making things right between God and His people.

How is Jesus' birth related to the concept of peace in the New Testament?

Jesus' birth is connected to the concept of peace because he is described as the arrival of 'eirene', the Greek word for peace, bringing a restoration of peace between humanity and God through his life, death, and resurrection.

What does it mean for Christians to be people of peace according to the apostle Paul?

Christians are called to create peace by maintaining unity in the church through humility, patience, and love, reflecting the peace Jesus restored through his death and resurrection.