Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Luke 2:14

Luke 2:14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of God's good pleasure, or, ‘in whom He is well pleased,' The best authorities, by the insertion of a single letter in the Greek, read: ‘men of good pleasure.' The word is elsewhere translated ‘good-will,' but it must mean God's good-will or good-pleasure, not man's. This is brought out in the translation given above, which expresses the view of the vast majority of scholars. The full meaning is: Let there be, or there is (both ideas being included), glory to God among the angels in heaven for sending the Messiah, and peace (in the widest sense, salvation) on earth among men in whom He is well pleased, i.e., His chosen people. The form is that of Hebrew parallelism, in two lines with a three-fold correspondence: ‘glory' ‘peace;' ‘in the highest' ‘on earth;' ‘God' ‘among men of His good-pleasure.' ‘Toward' is altogether incorrect ‘Good-pleasure ' cannot mean the good-will of men toward God or toward each other (Roman Catholic versions). This sense is contrary to the grammatical usage of the Greek as well as to the analogy of Scriptural statements. At such a time the ground of peace would be placed, not in men, but in God. The less correct translation of the E. V. is to be explained as follows: God is praised in heaven, and peace proclaimed on earth, because He has shown His good-will among men by sending the Messiah, who is the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:5, and has reconciled heaven and earth, God and man. In both cases, ‘peace' is to be taken in the widest sense; it is the result of the great doings of God for which angels praise Him. ‘Good-pleasure' not only means favor toward men, but implies that sinful men are well-pleasing to a holy God, a mystery proclaimed and explained by the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Him, chosen in Him and in fellowship with Him, sinful men become the objects of God's good-pleasure. God's mercy and God's sovereignty, thus meeting in the Babe of Bethlehem, are celebrated by the heavenly host. Poetry is truly Christian just to the extent that it is an echo and response to this first Christian hymn. Angels show their sympathy in man's salvation, and utter their highest praises to God, when they sing of the ‘Saviour, Christ the Lord.' The personal dignity of the Redeemer is supported by this Gloria in Excelsis, while Christ's work in bringing ‘peace on earth among men of God's good-pleasure' upholds the truthfulness of this story of the angels' song at His birth.

Continues after advertising

BibliaPlus

Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Luke 2:14

Old Testament

New Testament