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Angels Misquoted

Luke 2:8-14:

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

This last part of the angel's message is one of the most frequently-quoted partial-verses from the Bible at this time of year. There's an important qualifier at the end of their sentence - "with whom He is pleased."

The peace among men if for this group. Now, who is God pleased with? We know from the rest of Scripture that no one can please God without our intercessory Jesus Christ. His redemption is the reason God can be pleased with us. That's why He's the reason for the season. The child in that manger the shepherds hurried to after the angels left is our only hope of pleasing God. God Himself gave us the means to please Him because of His great mercy. And His offer is open to all people.

Posted by Melinda at December 20, 2007 5:10 PM | TrackBack

Comments

Yes.

Another rendering of Luke 2:14 is:

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (NIV)

Often referred to as the "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" (from the first words of the Latin Vulgate translation meaning "Glory to God in the highest,") the angels are recognizing God's glory and majesty IN THE HIGHEST. This is a reference to heaven, where God dwells (cf. Mt. 6:9).

The "peace to men on whom his favor rests" pronouncement - so often misquoted/misapplied - is not assured to all as a blanket statement, but only to those pleasing to God - the objects of his good pleasure.

Remember that at this time in history the world was experiencing the Pax Romana, marked by external "peace." But the angel chorus in Bethlehem's night sky proclaimed a more lasting, eternal peace - a peace of mind and soul made possible by the Savior (v. 11). Peace with God is received by faith in Christ (Romans 5:1), and altho this offer is indeed open to all, it is on believers alone that "His favor rests" via the Davidic Messiah, the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).

Posted by: kristine at December 21, 2007 1:35 PM
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