Passing the Peace

Ryan Ward

Passing the Peace (or as we call it, Greet Someone Next to You) is a tradition that many churches around the world still practice, and has its roots in the early church. In all of Paul’s letters he greeted his recipients with some variation of “Grace and Peace”. This peace was more than likely passed on in early church gatherings through the encouragement to “Greet one another with a Holy Kiss/Kiss of Love” (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Th 5:26; and even Peter encourages it in 1 Pt 5:14). Personally, I am happy that we settle for a handshake or a hug these days. So what is this peace that we are supposed to be passing on?

Peace has a simple definition for our complex lives. The Bible Project wrote that the concept of Biblical peace was when one, despite all the complexities in their life, found themself in the state of being whole and unbroken. Further, the authors wrote that peace between enemies did not only mean that the conflict ended, it meant that the former enemies would now work together for each other's benefit. So, peace can be understood in our lives as being made whole, and in the case of our former enemies, working together to make each other whole.

The liturgy of passing peace to one another allows us to model our Savior and abide in His teachings. Jesus preached that “if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,  leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God (Matthew 5:23-24). It is profound that Jesus would instruct us to interrupt our worship of God in order to make peace with someone that has an offense. Perhaps it is because Jesus really likes to make us whole. Jesus at the last supper told His disciples “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27). Saying hello to a person sitting next to you is a kind and human thing to do, caring enough to know if they have wholeness in their life is the peace that Jesus would want us to pass along. 

The Good News is that Jesus came to make our broken relationship with God whole again. In Colossians 2:13-15, Paul wrote, ”You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” When Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, He said, “Peace be with you” (Luke 24:37). Peace be with you because they had been made whole - and so it is for all who know the Prince of Peace and confess Him as Lord.

So, during this Advent season my encouragement for you is to pass the peace to those around you. Care deeply for them and wade into their broken places, that you may be a part of what the Prince of Peace wants to do in their lives - restore and make them whole. If you know that someone has something against you, make the first move of peace. Thomas à Kempis wrote in The Imitation of Christ,  “All men desire peace, but very few desire those things that make for peace.” Together, let us declare with the Heavenly Host, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14).