The message - August, 2010.
Jesus, Prince of Peace
Today when all the people in the world are in a frantic search for peace. The Christian church proclaims that Jesus Christ is "the Prince of Peace", fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah of Jerusalem: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... and his name will be called, 'Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Is. 9.5)
What does it mean, then, that Jesus Christ is the "prince of Peace" biblically and for us today? To answer this question we shall first turn our attention to the meaning of peace in the biblical sense. The most common word in the Bible translated into "peace" is a Hebrew word "shalom".
Shalom means wholeness in the sense that no component part is missing or damaged. It means also that all parts are in harmony, order and unity. From this basic meaning, shalom is used comprehensively in a variety of ways depending on the context. For example, when shalom is used in reference to physical condition, it means health in the sense that a body is in a state of wholeness. When shalom is used in the context of material condition, it means prosperity, good harvest and fertility. When shalom is used in the context of warfare, it means victory. Shalom, of course, includes the state of peace in the sense of the absence of war.
Shalom in the biblical sense is a much more comprehensive and dynamic concept than peace in a narrow sense. When shalom is referred to in a communal context, it means the harmonious wholeness and unity of a community.
In summary, shalom, whose primary meaning is "wholeness", refers not only to the state of things, but, more importantly, to the wholeness of relationship. The opposite of shalom, then, is the breakdown of community and wholeness, and the disruption of unity and harmony.
"When the fullness of time was come", God sent his Son, Jesus. He is the one who came to heal the broken relations and recover the lost shalom. "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," St. Paul proclaims (Rom 5.1).
Jesus Christ is the great restorer of shalom and thus the Christian church throughout history has proclaimed that he is "the Prince of Peace (shalom)".
When the Christian church proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, it is not simply an affirmation of faith, but also a clear call to action. As faithful followers of the Prince of Peace, the church collectively, and all Christians individually, are called to be "shalom-makers".