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PEACE THE BEQUEATHING LEGACY OF CHRIST By Unachukwu Stephen Udoka, Cmf. A Student of Spiritan International School of Theology, Attakwu, Enugu State. Introduction The essential aim of this work is to highlight the importance of peace for which Jesus Christ having had the pre-knowledge of the essence and necessity of peace prayed for and at the same time bequeathed to his disciples as a legacy, before he ascended to his Father and still praying for that peace to be ever present with his followers and all who believe in him. In this work, we shall first examine the etymology of the term peace, secondly, we shall x-ray peace from both Old and New Testament perspectives. Thirdly, we shall treat the importance/significance of peace; and finally, we shall look at peace from family, social and religious perspectives. The Etymology of the Term Peace The term peace is derived from the Greek word [peace] and Hebrew [Shalom] which simply means the absence of war or conflict and wholeness or well-being respectively. More so, the term peace stems from Old French pais or paix which is a rendition of Latin pax-pacis meaning peace.. It denotes the following: freedom from war or civil strife, freedom from public disturbance or disorder; public security, law, and order, freedom from disagreement or quarrels; it denotes harmony and concord, it denotes calm, quiet, and tranquility and finally freedom from war; living in harmony. Synonymous to the term peace are quiet, tranquility, calm, repose, pacification, order, reconciliation, harmony and concord. Having considered the etymology of the term peace, one might ask; How does the O. T. conceive the idea of peace? The Old Testament Understanding of Peace The term peace has various nuances in both the Old Testament and New Testament. In the O.T. [Heb. Shalom] means wholeness or well-being. It can be used in both religious and secular contexts. It is used as a general greeting [Judg. 6:23; Dan. 4:1], and as a farewell [Exod. 4:18; 2 Sam. 15:9]. In these uses, it seems to indicate good wishes for the people addressed and friendly intention on the part of the speaker. It is also used to indicate peace between nations as opposed to war [Josh. 10:1,4; 1 Kings 5:12]. In the Old Testament, peace is often associated relatively with other terms. For instance,

the O. T speaks of peace and security usually from invasion [2 Kings 20:19; Ps. 122:7] and peace and prosperity [Deut. 23:6; Ezra 9:12]. Here, peace is associated with material well-being, good harvest and safety from wild beasts and enemies [Lev. 26:6-10; Zech. 8:12]. Peace is also found in conjunction with moral concepts. It is associated with truth in the sense of faithfulness [Esther 9:30; Zech. 8:16,19]. Above all, it is found in parallel with righteousness [Ps. 85:10; Isa. 60:17]. Righteousness brings peace [Isa. 32:17], but there is no peace for the wicked [Isa. 48:22; 57:21]. Peace is a gift of God [Lev. 26:6; 1 Kings 2:33; Ps. 85:8; Isa. 26:12]. The false prophets cry Peace! Peace! at times when the true prophets know that God is not sending peace [Jer. 6:14; 8:11; Ezek. 13:10,16]. The O. T speaks of Gods covenant of peace in connection with priests [Num. 25:12-13; Mal. 2:4-6] and in connection with Gods promises to Israel [Isa. 54:10]. In Ezekiel, Gods peace is the future or eschatological blessing [Ezek. 34:25-31], and, in Isaiah, the Messiah will be a prince of peace [Isa. 9:6]. Summarily, the O. T. uses peace in terms of material well-being, righteousness, and of having its source in God - The emphasis tends to be relational: peace exists between people or between people and God. In the N.T., the conception of the term peace is quite different from that of the O.T. The New Testament Understanding of Peace The N.T. uses peace in various forms and ways. Peace means absence of strife among individuals or nations [Luke 11:21; Rev. 6:4]. It is also used for order and concord within the Christian congregation. Paul frequently exhorts Christians to be at peace with one another [Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 14:33; 1 Thess. 5:13]. Christians should strive for peace with all people, Christians or not [Heb. 12:14]. Paul writes If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God [Rom. 12:18-19]. Here, the N.T. advocates a nonaggressive stance. The association between peace and material prosperity found in the O.T. is not stressed in the N.T.; rather, the connection between peace and spiritual blessing is emphasized. Peace occurs in association with righteousness [Rom. 14:17; Heb. 12;11; James 3:18], grace [Phil. 1:2; Rev. 1:4], mercy [Gal. 6:16; 1 Tim.1 :2], love [Jude 2], joy [Rom. 14:17; 15:13], and life [Rom. 8:6]. The spiritual blessings are from God. God is a God of peace [Rom. 15:33; Phil. 4:9; Heb. 13:20]. The gospel can be described as the gospel of peace [Acts 10:36; Eph. 6:15]. Christs work is to bring peace. Christs death has accomplished peace between God and humanity [Rom. 5:1; Col. 1:20] and peace between Jew and Gentile [Eph. 2:14,17].

Furthermore, the word peace in the N.T. also acquires much of the range of shalom and some new, specifically Christian understandings. Unlike the O.T., it is used in the Gospels as a greeting and farewell [John 20:19,21,26; Mark 5:34; Luke 7:50]. This peace appears to be a concrete blessing which the disciples can give to others, but, if the others are unworthy, it returns to the disciples [Matt. 10;13; Luke 10:5,6]. Virtually all of the N.T. letters include peace in their opening greeting, usually paired with grace [Cf. Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3]. The Significance of Peace Peace generally refers to absence of hostility. It refers to an environment that is characterized by healthy interpersonal and international relationships, acknowledgment of equality and fairness. Peace is important because we need a better world for our next generations. In fact, peace is a basic requirement for our harmonious co-existence. This is true judging from the fact that, in any environment whatsoever where peace and security are absent, the inhabitants remain perpetually uncomfortable, insecure, disturbed and unprotected. For instance, the citizens of Nigeria in the north are presently experiencing social and religious unrest, insecurity and peacelessness through several bomb blasts and suicide missions being executed by a group called Boko Haram. An example of a scenario that claimed lives and property worth millions, was the 25th Dec., 2011 Christmas bomb blast at Suleja in Niger State. This event and many others highlight the important presence of peace. Hence, we shall view the significance of peace from the perspectives of the family, society and religion. Family Perspective The natural family, as an intimate communion of life and love, based on marriage between a man and a woman, constitutes the primary place of humanization' for the person and society, and a cradle of life and love. The family is therefore rightly defined as the first natural society, a divine institution that stands at the foundation of life of the human person as the prototype of every social order (Pope Benedict XVIs Message on World Day of Peace. 1st Jan., 2008). Indeed, in a healthy family life, we experience some of the fundamental elements such as: peace, justice and love between brothers and sisters, the role of authority expressed by parents, loving concern for the members who are weaker because of youth, sickness or old age, mutual help in the necessities of life, readiness to accept others and, if necessary, to forgive them. For this reason, the family is the first and

indispensable teacher of peace. When it is said that the family is the primary living cell of society, something essential is being stated. The family is the foundation of society for this reason: It enables its members in decisive ways to experience peace. It follows that the human community cannot do without the service provided by the family. Where can young people gradually learn to savour the genuine taste of peace better than in the original nest which nature prepares for them? The language of the family is a language of peace; we must always draw from it, lest we lose the vocabulary of peace. Social Perspective The social teachings of the church emphasizes peace to be a value and a universal duty founded on a rational and moral order of society that has its roots in God himself, the first source of being, the essential truth and the supreme good [John Paul IIs Message on World Day of Peace, 1982]. Also, peace is the fruit of justice, understood in the broad sense as the respect for the equilibrium of every dimension of the human person. Thus, peace is threatened when man is not given all that is due to him as a human person, when his dignity is not respected and when civil life is not directed to the common goal [Paul VIs Message on World Day of Peace, 1969]. In his Apostolic Letter, Pacem in terris [Peace on Earth], John XXIII exposes the conditio sine qua non for the existence of peace. He explains; peace exists when human beings and their societies fulfill their respective duties and recognize the rights of other persons and societies. In the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World [Gaudium et Spes, 78], peace is one of the results of working for justice. There must be justice within human communities as well as between communities in order for peace to be possible. However, peace is also an activity that goes beyond strict justice and requires love. The love that makes peace possible enters the picture when human beings share not only of their goods but of themselves. Religious Perspective Peace is necessary within a religion and of course within a pluralistic religious society. For religious peace to be achieved and sustained, there is need for dialogue, tolerance, acceptance and mutual understanding. The absence of conflict is only the bare beginning of peace. True peace includes personal wholeness, corporate righteousness, political justice, and prosperity for all creation. Thats exactly the way God intended things to be when he created his garden, his paradise. (The word

paradise comes from a Greek word that described the elegant parks of ancient Persian kings). Perhaps no term better describes Gods perfect paradise than peaceful, a world full of wholeness, righteousness, justice, and prosperity. Conclusion Christs legacy of peace lives on. The Church proclaims it every second of every day, and of every year in all the Eucharistic celebrations all over the world. Before Holy Communion, the celebrant prays, Lord Jesus, You said to Your apostles, I leave you peace, my peace I give to you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of Your church, and grant us the peace and unity of Your kingdom where You live forever and ever. Amen. Thus, we beseech our God saying: Loving Father in heaven, the world is still suffering from the enmities, greed and prejudices of men, and true peace seems so hard to achieve. Help us, Lord, by the work of Your Holy Spirit to do our share in promoting peace in our homes, assemblies and workplaces, so that the love that Jesus showed us when He died on the cross will not have been in vain. Amen.