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Daily Devotions

Ephesians

Ephesians 
Day 
Day 11

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Text: Ephesians 1:2

THE USUAL JEWISH WORD OF GREETING

A Roman would greet a friend with the word “Ave” (“Hail”). A Jew would greet a friend with the word “Shalom” (“peace”). The idea of wishing a person peace is to be appreciated when we understand how the nation in the past had suffered great hardship due to warfare. Example of wishing peace to the nation and to each other may be found in the following texts.

“Peace be upon Israel!”
PSALM 125:5D

“Yes, may you see your children’s children,
Peace be upon Israel!”
PSALM 128:6

A CHRISTIAN WORD OF GREETING

Paul was quite an innovator, in more ways than one. He was a Jew and of course would naturally employ a term that he grew up with. One would expect him to wish his reader “peace”. However, he was also a vibrant Christian. Would being a Christian affect the way he greeted people? It seemed natural to Paul to greet people in a distinctively Christian manner. The two words he used in happy combination were “grace and peace”.

THEOLOGICALLY-LOADED WORDS

When one reads the writing of a master-theologian like Paul, one must expect that the words he chose would be “theologically loaded”. And these two words, “grace and peace” had deep theological meaning.

1. Grace (“charis”)

Paul’s use of the word “grace” may be directly linked to the following Old Testament words:-

a) Mercy
b) Lovingkindness

The idea of grace and its association with these two words may be found in the following texts.

“Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies
and Your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old”
PSALM 25:6

“Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good;
Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.”
PSALM 69:16

2. Peace (“eirene”)

We must note that Paul’s idea of peace was more than just expressing a cordial Jewish sentiment. To the apostle, the “peace” he wishes for his readers was something that God made possible in the redemption found in Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith,
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
ROMANS 5:1