God's Peace in Our Fragmented Culture

GOD'S PEACE IN OUR FRAGMENTED CULTURE

GOD'S SHALOM and World Evangelism

Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6; Matt. 5: 9; Luke 2: 14; Eph 2: 14-17; Col 1: 20;Rev 1: 4; 6: 4.'"

What power keeps man pursuing the elusive quest of peace? His need for wholeness. Re: Contemporary conflict between Evangelism and Social Action

I. Meanings of Shalom

A. Shalom almost never means the absence of war.

B. Positive consensus - 'wholeness' or 'totality', i.e., the conditions which would permit the growth of man to his wholeness or frailty (J. Pedersen). This growth requires community (contra the radical individualism of our American heritage which stems from the Enlightenment assertions of human - 18th and 19th centuries).

C. Shalom as 'well-being' (Gerhard van Rad - relationship of physical circumstances, i.e., material to spiritual well-being).

D. Shalom as 'entirety' in sense of completeness or wholeness (Walter Eisenbeis -challenges von Rad's narrowly materialistic emphasis; also contra neo-Marxist's emphasis in third and fourth worlds).

E. Shalom as a 'gift of God', not a human creation. Wholeness, i.e., salvation available only in Christ, in wham salvation has both verticaland horizontal significance.

II. Shalom in Covenantal Society: Eschatological significance of Shalom

A. Covenant with Yahweh structures both the home and- the nation (Deut 6 and 11).

B. Shalom as greeting expressing spiritual unity within Israel - Gen 37s 14; 43: 27.

C. Conditions which remove Shalom, i.e., hate of Joseph's brothers - Gen 37: 4 can no longer "speak shalom", i.e., unnatural division, less of harmony.

D. Joseph story - restoration of tribal unity by reconciliation of Joseph and his brothers.

E. Shalom as non-hostile intention – e.g. I Sam 16: 4'5.

F. Emotional Shalom in departure - Ex 4: 18; 18:7; II Sam 3: 20.21; Judges 18: 1-6.

G. Shalom as Blessing, i.e., safety, security, success, rest, material well-being - Ps 147: 12-16; 128: 6; I Kgs 9: 25.

See my Seer, Saviour, and the Saved (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1983 edition)397-403.

III. Shalom in the Processes of Daily Life - Genesis 15:15

1. Beloved vengeance - shillem translated as requital, etc., is the intensive form of a arb stemming from the same root as Shalom. Shillem (make up) restores shalom - II Sam 3; 39; II Kgs 2: 6, 28 ff.; 9: 26 -Naboth requirad Shillem nn his own ground.

2. Jus Talionis or moderation in practice of vengeance - Ex 21; 22ff;Lev 24: 13ff.

3. Peace offerings or Shalomim. Reconciliation with God stems from shillem, a repayment. A sacrifice restores lost unity.

4. Oaths and Covenant - two ways to achieve shalom - victory in war -Jos 10; 21; I Kgs 5: 4.

5. Oaths or covenants create shalom between contending parties - Gen 21:22-34; 26: 28-30; II Sam 3: 21. Covenant creates a common will (re:God's covenant with Christians - Heb 8 and 9). Covenant between David and Jonathan sealed a beautiful but tragic friendship - I Sam 20. Giving gifts – e.g. Jacob's return to his homeland - Gen 32 and 33.

IV. Shalom and National Unity

A. Lev 26; Ps 119: 165; Deut 7; 8; Isa 32: 17; 59:8; Ps 33: 4-5

B. Institution of Kingship - II Sam 7; 4-12; Ps 89: 1-4; Ps 72

C. Shalom and God's Promises

D. Fractured Shalom - Deut 29: 19f.; I Kgs 8: 61; Ps 35: 20; II Kgs 9: 18,22;(Jer 14: 13; 16: 5, 10, 11; 23: 9ff; Micah 3:5- false shalom). "They have healed the of hurt of my people lightly, saying, 'Shalom, shalom,' when there is no shalom" - Jer 6: 14 - Prophetic deception and practical loss of peace.

IV. Eschatological Shalom: The Coming of the King will inaugurate a true era of Shalom

The Suffering Servant is our Shalom - Isaiah 53

A. Isa 1: 17, 27; 9: 6-7; 11: 1-4; 54: 10

B. Jer 31: 31-34 - Messianic Peace; Jer 9:8- Social Significance of Shalom.

C. Ezekiel - 37: 26

V. O. T. Shalom and Continuity with the N.T.

A. Suffering Servant - Isa 53; New Covenant - Jer 31-33; Dan 7 and Mk 10: 45.

B. Rom 5: Iff Justification and Peace - Rom 8: 6.

C. Gospel of Peace - Eph 2: 14-16; 6: 15; C<-»1 3: 14, 15.

D. Peace I give - Jn 14:27; Gal 6: 14, 16

VI. Significance of God's Shalom for our Times, i.e.. Social Significance of Salvation.

Shalom as Result of God's Working

A. Faith in Christ and Shalom - Phil 3: 12; 2: 12-13

B. Shalom is not static passivity - Rom 5: 2-5

C. Shalom and the Holy Spirit - Rom 8: 6; 14: 17; I Cor 12

D. Shalom and Christian Relationship - Rom 14: 17,19; I Thess 5: 13, 14-18.

E. Shalom among all people - I Thess 5: 15; Rom 12: 18.

F. Shalom between husband and wife - I Cor 7: 15.

G. Shalom's inner power - Phil 4; 4-6, 7

H. Shalom and the future - Rom 2: 9-10; 5: 2-5; 15: 13; 16:20; I Thess 5: 23. The gift of God's grace is to bring shalom - Rom 5: 11, and whatever blocks that shalom must be banished.

Shalom and Discipleship: Sons of God as Peacemakers Matthew 5:9; verb in Colossians 1: 20; Matthew 6: 33; 22: 36-40; 23: 23

A. Disciples as instruments of Shalnm - Matt 10: 13

B. Disciples bring a sword, not Shalom - Matt. 10: 34, 39

Shalom and Church Growth - Luke / Acts

A. John's mission - Lk 1; 76, 79

B. Jesus' birth - Luke 2: 14, 29-32

C. Healing and Peace - Lu 11: 21-22

D. City of Shalom - Lk 19: 42

E. Witnessing and Shalom - Acts 9: 31; 10: 36,37

Shalom and Crisis - Hebrews

A. Shalom and Access to God - 4: 14-16

B. King of Peace -7:2

C. Holiness and Peace - 12: 11-14

Trouble and Shalom in John

A. Relationship and Shalom - 13: 36-38

B. Fear and Shalom - 14: 27

C. Spirit and Shalom - 14: 25-28

D. Victory and Shalom - 16: 32-33

E. Mission and Shalom - 20; 20-23

VII. Shalom in Colossians/Ephesians: Cosmological Significance of Christ -Cosmology –Eschatology and Christology

A. Shalom as Cosmic Unity - Col 1- 15-20; 2: 8, 16-23; 3: 10,11,12-17

B. Shalom and Church Unity - Eph 2: 11-18; 3: 6, 17-19; 4: 3, 15-16; 6: 23-24.

C. Shalom and God's Armor - Eph 6: 12ff - Shalroi - Truth - Righteousness -Faith – Salvation

D. Spirit -- brings God's Shalom to both Cosmos and Church.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Eisonbeis, W., Die Wuerzel Shalom in Alten Testament. Berlin, 1969.

Kittei, G. (ed) TDNT, Vol II, pp 400ff (for both Hebrew Shalom and Greek eirene)

Pedersen, J. Israel, Its Life and Culture.London: OxfordUniversity Press, 1959, Vols Ii-II.

Schmid, H. H. salom, "Frieden" im Alten Orient und im Alten-Testament. Stuttgart, 1971.

Westeriiann, C., “Der Frieden (salom) im Alten Testament", Studjen zur FTiedgns forschunft. ed by G. Richt and E. Todt, Stuttgart, 1969, especially pp. 144-177.

Syntopicon, Greet Books, Article on Peace.

James D. Strauss