Grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus the Son of the Father: in truth and charity.
εσται μεθ ημων χαρις ελεος ειρηνη παρα θεου πατρος και παρα κυριου ιησου χριστου του υιου του πατρος εν αληθεια και αγαπη
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
To the words "from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ," he further added, "the Son of the Father." For God alone is properly the Father of the Son. Therefore Paul also says: "from whom every fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named" (Eph 3:15). "In truth and love." By these words he gives reliability to his speech and indicates the mark of the love of which he speaks. Peace means true and firm peace, not merely apparent peace.
"May there be with you," and so forth: in the greetings of the Apostle Peter to his readers, grace and peace are invoked upon them (1 Pet 1:2; 2 Pet 1:2). The same is true in most of the epistles of the Apostle Paul.
In some of Paul's epistles, however, as here, grace, mercy, and peace are invoked (1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Tit 1:4).
Grace is the sum of all spiritual powers and gifts needed for progress in the pious life (cf. Eph 2:4-10; Rom 3:24).
Mercy is compassion, pity, or compassionate love toward the poor and humble man. It is necessary for him at all stages of his spiritual perfection, even the highest possible ones (Lk 10:30-37).
Peace is the repose of the spirit in God after it has been reconciled by the redemptive sacrifice of Christ the Savior (cf. 1 Pet 1:2).
"From God," who is the Father both of the Lord Jesus and of all believers, and "from the Lord Jesus Christ," the God-man who redeemed the world and reconciled it with God.
"The Son of the Father": "for only God, in the proper sense, is Father of the Son" (Theophylact).
"In truth and love": this is a distinctive feature in the greeting of this apostle alone. It indicates in what, precisely, grace, mercy, and peace are revealed in believers, and for what they are given to them.
They are given for strengthening and perfecting in their spirit both truth and love. May truth and love be the ever-abiding principle of their life and activity in perfection.
Since the Apostle wrote his Epistle chiefly to warn Christians against heretical errors that rise up against the truth, he speaks of Christians' unceasing and eternal abiding in the truth. For the preservation of truth among those to whom he writes, the Apostle desires for them all the gracious gifts that help them not only to abide in the truth, but also to be strengthened in it.
Speaking of the truth abiding with Christians, the Apostle reminds them of the Lord's promise: "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth" (Jn 14:16-17). The gracious gifts, grace, mercy, and peace, he asks from God the Father and His Son. Thus he expresses the desire that the whole Holy Trinity act in the hearts of Christians, teaching them truth and stirring up love.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 21 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS