The reason for thanking God the Father (4)
[Colossians 1:1-8]
Looking at today's passage, Colossians 1:2, the latter half of the verse, the apostle Paul addresses the saints in Colossae, saying, "May grace and peace from our Father God be with you." This expression is a common greeting found in many of Paul's letters to various churches. In 11 out of his 13 letters, a similar phrase appears in his greetings:
1 Corinthians 1:3 - "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
2 Corinthians 1:2 - "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Galatians 1:3 - "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 1:2 - "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Philippians 1:2 - "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Thessalonians 1:1 - "Paul, Silas, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you."
2 Thessalonians 1:2 - "Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Timothy 1:2 - "...Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
2 Timothy 1:2 - "...Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
Titus 1:4 - "...Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior."
Philemon 1:3 - "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Two interesting points can be observed from this repetition.
- The first interesting point is that in the greetings of the 11 letters by the Apostle Paul, he primarily uses the phrase "grace and peace be with you" (with the exception of 2 Timothy, which includes the word "mercy" in addition to "grace and peace").
The word "grace" is a central theological concept that most clearly expresses Paul's understanding of Christ's work of salvation (WBC Commentary) [(Romans 3:23-24) "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus"]. Additionally, Paul refers to his message as the "gospel of the grace of God" in Acts 20:24, emphasizing that salvation is a gift of God's grace [(Galatians 1:6) The "different gospel" he mentions underscores the emphasis on obtaining righteousness through the works of the law (human effort) (2:16) (WBC Commentary)]. Ephesians 2:8-9 states: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." Thus, salvation, or "grace," is described as a gift from God, as also expressed in Romans 6:23 in the Korean Modern Bible.
On a different note, considering greetings in different cultures, the typical Korean greeting is "안녕하세요" (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo), which translates to "Hello" or "Greetings." In other countries, greetings may vary.
Japan: "こんにちは" (Konnichiwa) meaning "How are you today?" commonly used as a daytime greeting.
China: "你好吗" (Nǐ hǎo ma) meaning "Are you well? Hello?"
Spain: "¡Hola!" commonly used when meeting someone you are close to.
Germany: "Hallo" similar to the English "Hello."
France: "Bonjour" meaning "Good day."
Israel: "שלום" (Shalom) meaning "Peace."
I have learned that the Israeli greeting "Shalom" goes beyond its simple translation of "peace" or "peaceful." Through an internet article by Professor Junseo Park, who is a professor of Old Testament Studies at Yonsei University, I discovered that "Shalom" carries various positive meanings. The original Hebrew root of "Shalom" signifies being "whole, complete, and full." In essence, "Shalom" refers to something that is undamaged, unbroken, and lacking nothing, representing a state of completeness and perfection. The word has evolved to encompass different meanings based on various contexts and situations. In terms of physical well-being, "Shalom" is associated with a harmonious and healthy bodily condition. Psychologically, it conveys a sense of tranquility. When used in connection with agriculture, it denotes a bountiful and complete harvest. Moreover, in the context of war, it signifies victory, representing the return of someone after a triumphant battle. In interpersonal relationships, when people say there is "Shalom" between them or speak of a "Shalom relationship," it implies an abundance of love and harmony. When applied to societal communities, "Shalom" takes on the meaning of justice, with a requirement for the establishment and realization of justice for a community to become a "Shalom community." In this sense, the Psalms in the Old Testament celebrate the coexistence of justice and Shalom in communities. Professor Park expresses the significance of greeting with "Shalom" by stating that it is a blessing, wishing the other person good health, victory, abundance of love and camaraderie, and the enjoyment of peace and tranquility. He emphasizes that it is one of the best greetings among human languages, encapsulating a blessing that wishes for an existence filled with beautiful harmony, an existence that is complete. In light of the present reality, Professor Park notes that we live in a world where Shalom is broken due to conflicts, divisions, prejudices, selfishness, and greed. The call of Jesus, as mentioned in Matthew 5:9, encourages actively working towards Shalom. Being a peacemaker does not simply mean being a passive lover of peace; rather, it involves actively exerting efforts and striving to achieve harmony, doing one's best to bring about completeness and perfection.
How can we actively exert efforts and strive to achieve Shalom, especially in our homes and churches? In the church community, there are three types of individuals: (1) peace-makers, (2) peace-breakers, and (3) peace-keepers. We should not be peace-breakers but rather strive to be peace-makers and peace-keepers within the community. Peace, or Shalom, should prevail within the community, and as members of this community, we are to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3). In a recent morning prayer meeting, we received three teachings focusing on Romans 14:1-3 and 15:1-3, emphasizing how we should preserve unity in the midst of diversity within the church. Particularly, considering the existence of two groups in the church—believers with strong faith and those with weaker faith—we gleaned three lessons from the words of the Apostle Paul:
- To uphold the unity within the diversity of the church, both those with strong faith and those with weaker faith should coexist.
To maintain unity within the church's diversity, believers with strong faith should not look down on those with weaker faith (Rom. 14:3), and those with weaker faith should not criticize those with stronger faith (v. 3). Instead, believers, whether strong or weak, should accept one another, recognizing that God has accepted both (v. 3, Modern Korean Bible). Just as Christ accepted us, we should also accept one another (15:7). Through such mutual acceptance, the church can strive for unity amidst diversity.
- To uphold the unity within the diversity of the church, both those with strong faith and those with weaker faith should do everything for the Lord.
The Apostle Paul emphasized the phrase "for the Lord" five times in Romans 14:6-8. This underscores the precious lesson that believers with strong or weak faith alike should do everything for the Lord. Those with strong faith should do things for the Lord with a heart of gratitude, and believers with strong faith should take responsibility for the weaknesses of those with weaker faith, not seeking to please themselves but to please their neighbors (Rom. 15:1-2). The reason for this instruction is that even Christ did not seek to please Himself (v. 3). Therefore, instead of seeking to please ourselves for the Lord's sake, believers with strong faith should seek to please those with weaker faith, and vice versa. Regarding matters of food that might cause stumbling, believers should not put obstacles in each other's way causing distress but should act in love, recognizing that it is not a sin but an expression of gratitude to God when done with a thankful heart (14:13, 15, 6, Modern Korean Bible). In doing so, the church can continue to strive for unity within its diversity.
- To uphold the unity within the diversity of the church, both those with strong faith and those with weaker faith need to strive for harmony and mutual edification in the church.
Look at Romans 14:19 in the Korean Modern Bible: "So let us strive for all that makes for peace and the building up of one another." Although there are differences in the maturity of faith within the church, whether among believers with strong or weak faith, the commonality is that everything should be done not for oneself but for the Lord, and with a heart of gratitude toward God (vv. 6-7, Modern Korean Bible). Furthermore, just as Christ accepted us to glorify God, believers with strong or weak faith should accept one another (15:7, Modern Korean Bible). They should warmly welcome each other, seeking to please and benefit one another, building each other up with one heart and one voice to glorify God (vv. 2, 6, Modern Korean Bible). To achieve this, believers with strong faith should refrain from doing anything that, though they consider it right, might cause those with weaker faith to stumble or feel uneasy (14:20-21, Modern Korean Bible). The Lord, in establishing His church, desires to make us imitate Christ, aligning our hearts and voices to glorify God in unity (Mt.16:18; Rom. 15:5-6). Therefore, following the example of Jesus, we should strive to please and edify one another, promoting harmony, building up virtues, and glorifying God with one heart and one voice (Rom. 15:2, 5-6, Modern Korean Bible). In doing so, we can continue to preserve unity within the diversity of the church.