Galatians 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, A Greek and Hebrew salutation, expressingthe apostle's best wish. I. GRACE. A Greek thought Christianized. Takes the conception of beauty of form, gesture, tone, into the spiritual realm. As here used — 1. It is to be regarded as the attitude of God in Christ towards men. The Divine pity, gentleness, favour; the bearing of a condescending, forgiving, loving God. 2. It is to be possessed as the spirit of a Christian. "Grace of life." Moral beauty. The indwelling in Christian character of all that the Greeks conceived in their "Three Graces." II. PEACE. May include — 1. Freedom from persecution — a great desideratum. 2. Absence of internal dissention — main purpose of this letter. 3. Inward calm and quiet confidence in God — ideal peace. The wish of Paul the gift of Jesus. (U. R. Thomas.) I. The eternal love of God as it sends the Redeemer for man's salvation is GRACE. II. The fruit of grace flowing from God through Christ is PEACE. 1. Sometimes mercy is the channel through which grace becomes peace when the invocation is addressed to an individual (1 Timothy 1:16 cf. ver. 2). 2. For the Church it is enough that grace in heaven has peace as its counterpart on earth. It is (1) reconciliation with God; (2) the tranquil harmony of all the faculties of the soul; (3) the fellowship of brotherly love; (4) victory in the conflict with evil; (5) the earnest of everlasting rest. (W. B. Pope, D. D.) I. A FORMULA. The heathen commenced their letters with "Health!" The apostle wished his readers something higher than health or happiness, so he commences "Grace and peace." II. A BENEDICTION. But how in the case of those who rejected grace, or, by unbelief, forfeited peace? In the same way as the minister declares absolution, which is lost if a man rejects it. He has done what he could to show that in Christ there is full absolution for the sinner if he will take it. (F. W. Robertson.). Parallel Verses KJV: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,WEB: Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, |
    |