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I. THE LORD OF PEACE is Jesus. St. Paul habitually calls Him Lord, and brings His name into special relation with peace. This is an apt compendium of His other titles and gives in one perfect phrase the whole sum of His mediatorial work.

1. The appellation is only another form of the title by which His coming was fore-announced. It was declared that He should vanquish Satan, turn aside the Divine displeasure, and establish a government of peace. Isaiah makes all His glorious names merge into "The Prince of Peace." His mediatorial obedience is bearing "the chastisement of our peace." The increase of His kingdom would be the "abundance of peace" (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 53:5; Isaiah 9:7; Psalm 72:7).

2. The manner of His coming was a token of peace. "God with us." "Peace on earth." These announcements declared that the world's Peace was born, and that the alliance of God with our nature was the reconciliation which had been preached. This was the "everlasting sign that should not be cut off" (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 55:13).

3. But He who brought that sign was Himself cut off that it might be everlasting. Though the reconciliation was virtually effected from the beginning, for the "Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world," yet it required the atonement of "the blood of the Cross" (Colossians 1:20-22).

4. The title, however, is a glorious one, and directs our thought to Christ's exaltation. Our Melchizedek became King of Salem, i.e. peace, by virtue of the sacrifice which He first offered as Priest of the Most High God. But the Royal title tells us that He has achieved our peace with the power of an endless life. Yet, like His ancient type, He was never other than a King.

5. Whilst this is true, it must not be forgotten that the term "Lord" is for the most part applied to Christ in respect of the jurisdiction He obtained in death (Romans 14:9; Matthew 28:18; Acts 10:36). Everything became Dominical from that time: the Lord's "house," "supper," "day," and so "peace."

6. Christ is Himself the Publisher of His own peace. The terms on which the sinner may make his peace with God are prescribed by the Lord Himself; nor does He permit any human authority to interfere with them.

(1) Repentance; no peace that was ever pronounced upon those who are careless of this condition was ever ratified by Him.

(2) But when this condition is complied with He demands only a supreme reliance upon Himself; and those who encumber the sinner's approach by any human inventions have Do sanction from Him.

II. THE BESTOWMENT OF PEACE.

1. Our Saviour Himself administers His own government by His Spirit, and imparts with His own hands the blessings of His peace. As He presents His atonement in heaven He imparts it on earth (Romans 5:11). He dispenses the forgiveness of sins, permitting none to interpose between Himself and the penitent save as the simple ambassadors of His will. He commanded His apostles to preach and to utter the salutation of peace, but the assurance of remission He reserved for His own lips. But in proportion to the restraint upon them was the freedom with which He dispensed it to the penitent. And still "the Lord of Peace" speaks the word that tranquillizes the conscience and gives the heart rest.

2. "Give you peace always." This means —

(1) At the Outset, that the humble petitioner may expect a permanent assurance of acceptance. The prayer for forgiveness which ascends "without ceasing" is heard and answered "always."(2) But the peace of Christ is larger and deeper than reconciliation; it includes all spiritual prosperity (John 14:27; John 15:11).

3. "By all means." We must expect it to come through strange and seemingly discordant methods. He who is "Lord of Peace" shows His supremacy in this, that He can make all things contribute to His servants' prosperity. We pray not merely that the Redeemer may shed peace through His Word and ordinances, but in tribulation, and make that minister to the profound communion of the soul with God; that He may preserve to the spirit interior peace, whilst the surface is harassed by temptation; that the very turbulence of the world may be made not only to heighten our peace by contrast, but to confirm it by driving us to more perfect fellowship with Him (John 16:33).

III. THE GUARANTEE OF THIS PEACE. ''The Lord be with you all." Where He dwells there must be peace, but this indwelling is only secured by prayer. He commanded His disciples to pronounce their peace in every house they entered. Much more does He observe His own law. Entering our hearts, He speaks His "peace"; abiding in us, He gives us peace "always"; and by the secret energy of His grace He turns all events to our good "by all means."

(W. B. Pope, D. D.)

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KJV: Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

WEB: Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.