By Mar David Ignatius, Abbot General of the Disciples of the Way (Apostolic)
Many of us were raised on the King James Version of the Bible. As a consequence our biblical memory work was done from that source. I still revere the KJV above all other translation, by and large. There are, however, places where the KJV has not given us the best understanding of the God breathed Scripture. One of those places is Luke 2:14.
We have quoted this passages most every Christmas season and asked ourselves, and our spiritual leaders, “Where is the ‘Peace on Earth’ promised that wondrous night?
Read the different translations of Luke 2:14 in the box below. View the Greek text and the literal translation; you will see that most of us have misunderstood the Angel’s message; perhaps because of pervasiveness of the King James Bible.
(Luke 2:14).
The angel announced "“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (NKJV) “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth, peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (NASB) “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”(NIV) “Glory to God in the highest Heaven! Peace upon earth among men of goodwill!” (J B Phillips New Testament) |
Greek Text: doxa en upsistois theo kai epi ges eirene en anathropois udokias. Lit. Glory in the highest to God, and on earth, peace among men of good will. |
I have been lightly scolded by well meaning persons concerning my stated position on Islam. I have been told how I was manifesting a contradiction between my salutation of "Peace" and the spirit of antagonism which I display, on a regular bases, toward the Islamic religion.
My first response to that charge is: I am a man full of contradictions at times.
Then I would say: The angel's announcement of "Peace on earth" was not, as most suppose, to all men, but only to those who are men of goodwill toward their follow man. Then I would observe that Islam is a religion of hate and malace toward all; even itself. It is a world religion
that continues to sanction human slavery. A religion, that, once it has subdued all present
opposition, turns on its own - even to the point of mutilating the bodies of its women and the
enslaving of one half of its population (the females).
The world must understand there is no peace to be had with a religion that has as its goal to "break every cross" (and force, by the sword, the submission of all Christians to the Qur'an), until that religion surrenders its world view - which it cannot do as long as the Qur'an remains its standard for life.
This Christmas season, just as every other Christmas season before it - in recent decades, bombs will be tossed into churches all over the world and the mangled bodies of Christian men, women, and yes - their children, will once again give testimony to the world that Islam does not have "Goodwill toward its fellow man" if that fellow man is non-Muslim. Therefore the House of Islam is not promised "Peace” by the angles; nor can it receive the Christian blessing of "Peace to your house."
Let us not get it twisted. Concerning the "peace" of the Christian, Jesus taught: "And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" Mt 10 12-13)
Trust me. I can love the sinner and hate the sin. I do love the Muslim, but hate (with a holy hatred) Islam as a culture and religion. When, I say “Peace," I mean the peace of Christ; not the peace of Islam that is conditional on submission to the Qur'an.
So, Peace to You, if you will receive the Peace of Christ: Christian, Muslim, or Pagan; but, War to the House of Islam.
The world must understand there is no peace to be had with a religion that has as its goal to "break every cross" (and force, by the sword, the submission of all Christians to the Qur'an), until that religion surrenders its world view - which it cannot do as long as the Qur'an remains its standard for life.
This Christmas season, just as every other Christmas season before it - in recent decades, bombs will be tossed into churches all over the world and the mangled bodies of Christian men, women, and yes - their children, will once again give testimony to the world that Islam does not have "Goodwill toward its fellow man" if that fellow man is non-Muslim. Therefore the House of Islam is not promised "Peace” by the angles; nor can it receive the Christian blessing of "Peace to your house."
Let us not get it twisted. Concerning the "peace" of the Christian, Jesus taught: "And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" Mt 10 12-13)
Trust me. I can love the sinner and hate the sin. I do love the Muslim, but hate (with a holy hatred) Islam as a culture and religion. When, I say “Peace," I mean the peace of Christ; not the peace of Islam that is conditional on submission to the Qur'an.
So, Peace to You, if you will receive the Peace of Christ: Christian, Muslim, or Pagan; but, War to the House of Islam.
Read another essay from the Bishop on Islam:
"Can Christianity and Islam Co-Exist?
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2015/05/can-christianity-and-islam-co-exist.html
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-apostolicbishops-podcast/id1472262392?fbclid=IwAR2FlRYnNsw5Vu_Bz4PjyEdiAxFMawhtD2BFr_S7WysrpFcYjuQYSHGAlZ
