Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will.
δοξα εν υψιστοις θεω και επι γης ειρηνη εν ανθρωποις ευδοκια
15 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 19 commentaries
Of old, indeed, Angels were sent to punish, as, for instance to the Israelites, to David, to the men of Sodom, to the valley of weeping. (Bochim. Judges 2:1.) Now on the other hand they sing the song of thanksgiving to God: because He hath revealed to them His coming down to men.
Behold the wonderful working of God. He first brings Angels down to men, and then brings men up to heaven. The heaven became earth, when it was about to receive earthly things.
They proclaim, "Praise be to God, now there is harmony on earth." Previously, human nature was at odds with God, but it has been reconciled to such an extent that it is now in unity with Him through the incarnation. Can you see this divine peace established between God and humanity? This peace can be perceived in another manner. The Son of God embodies peace, as He declares (Jn. 14:27; Jn. 16:33). Therefore, the very embodiment of peace, the Son of God, has come into the world. And "in men is good pleasure," signifying God's rest; for now God has rested and delights in humanity, where once He did not find satisfaction or joy in them.
This peace has been made through Christ, for He has reconciled us by Himself to God and our Father, (2 Cor. 5:18, 19, Eph. 2:16, Col. 1:20.) having taken away our guilt, which was the ground of offence also. He has united two nations in one man, and has joined the heavenly and the earthly in one flock.
For righteousness belongs to good will.
From the very foundation of the world, the angels heralded, “Glory in the highest... and peace on earth.” As the earthly was uplifted to the heavenly, they proclaimed glory on earth and peace in heaven. When the Divine came down and assumed human form, the angels announced peace on earth. Yet, when human nature, now united with the Divine, was elevated to sit at the right hand of God, the children declared peace in heaven before Him, proclaiming, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (cf. Matt. 21:9, 15). Consequently, the apostle learned to declare, “He hath reconciled all things unto Himself by the blood of His cross, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (cf. Col. 1:20). Thus, the angels proclaimed, “Glory in the highest...
and on earth peace,” while the children shouted, “Peace in heaven and glory in earth,” illustrating that as His grace and mercy bring joy to sinners on earth, so the repentance of these sinners brings joy to the angels in heaven. To God be the glory of free will; to those who incurred His wrath, peace and reconciliation; to the guilty, hope and forgiveness. This message was first announced to the shepherds, assuring that none who dwell in the wilderness would lose heart, but instead would find peace in the promises of the true Shepherd, especially by remaining steadfast. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace” is a hope not for the lifeless and soulless, but for the righteous offspring of humanity.
And proclaiming, ‘Glory to God in the highest. A hymn in heaven to the Lord. And on earth, peace.’ The purpose of this hymn is the peace that resides on earth, where those in heaven also experience peace, as humanity has been reconciled with God. This is due to the appearance of the Son of God on earth, who embodies peace for the world. As the mediator between God and humanity (1 Tim. 2:5), He has bridged the chasm between the earthly and the heavenly, mending what was divided and reconciling that which was in conflict. Furthermore, there is peace on earth because with the birth of Christ the Almighty, all hostility ceased, resulting in all nations yielding to Roman authority. There is goodwill among men.
The long-desired favor from the Father is now present among humanity, manifesting in the reality that the Son took on humanity and redeemed the lost. This fulfills the promise that He had made long ago, which reflects His appointment and purpose.
But the attentive reader will ask, How then does the Saviour say, I came not to send peace on the earth, whereas now the Angels’ song of His birth is, On earth peace to men? It is answered, that peace is said to be to men of goodwill. For the peace which the Lord does not give on the earth is not the peace of good will.
But in a mystery, the Angels saw that they could not accomplish the work committed to them without Him Who was truly able to save, and that their healing fell short of what the care of men required. And so it was as if there should come one who had great knowledge in medicine, and those who before were unable to heal, acknowledging now the hand of a master, grudge not to see the corruptions of wounds ceasing, but break forth into the praises of the Physician, and of that God who sent to them and to the sick a man of such knowledge; the multitudes of the Angels praised God for the coming of Christ.
At the same time they also give praises because their voices of gladness accord well with our redemption, and while they behold our acceptance, they rejoice also that their number is completed.
For whom they ask peace is explained in the words, Of good will. For them, namely, who receive the new born Christ. For there, is no peace to the ungodly, (Isa. 57:20.) but much peace to them that love the name of God. (Ps. 119:165)
Lest the authority of a single Angel should appear small, as soon as one had revealed the sacrament of the new birth, straightway there was present a multitude of the heavenly host. Rightly has the attending Chorus of Angels received the name of heavenly host, seeing they both humbly bring their aid to that Leader mighty in battle, Who has appeared to put down the powers of the air, and also themselves by their celestial arms bravely vanquish those opposing powers lest they should prevail as they wish in tempting men. But because He is both God and man, rightly do they sing Peace to men and Glory to God. As it follows, Praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest.
As soon as one Angel, one messenger, had brought the good tidings that God was born in the flesh, the multitude of the heavenly host broke forth in the praise of the Creator, in order both to fix. their devotion on Christ, and to instruct us by their example, that as often as any of the brethren shall sound forth the word of sacred learning, or we ourselves shall have brought these holy things home to our minds, we should with our whole heart, our mouths and hands, return praise to God.
They wish also peace to men, as they add, On earth peace to men, because those whom they had before despised as weak and abject, now that our Lord has come in the flesh they esteem as friends.
Regarding prayer, one should inquire into the significance of each word, so that as he prays, he can comprehend with his intellect and feel with his spirit the meaning expressed by his lips. This is reflected in the hymn of adoration: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward men. It is essential to seek an understanding of God's glory, the peace, and the goodwill extended to humanity. To glorify God entails performing and adhering to His commandments; any believer who fails to honor God through obedience is worse than an unbeliever. For the Lord declared through the prophet, "If I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my reverence?" (Malachi 1:6). Peace is embodied in the Son of God, who came to dwell among us and took on human form.
Through Him, the delight or rest of God has entered into humanity; for God, the Father, found fulfillment through the Son's incarnation, reconciling with humanity that had become adversarial due to sin and restoring them with the divine life they had forfeited through wrongdoing. As the Apostle affirms, "We who are justified by faith have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1). He is our peace (Eph. 2:14), who once separated us and turned us into adversaries through our evil actions, now reconciles us through His physical body by His death to present us as holy, blameless, and beyond reproach before Him; if indeed we continue in faith, established and steadfast, not moved away from the hope of the gospel that we have heard, which was proclaimed to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a servant (Colossians 1:21-23).
‘Glory’ signifies praise directed towards God, showcasing the fullness of His power through His wisdom and love. His glory will no longer be concealed on earth; the former presence of hostility, conflict, and curses will be replaced by harmony. The earth, once distinctly separate from heaven, will now experience a union with it. The love of God will be unveiled more profoundly to humanity. Although God had previously expressed His love, it will now be revealed in a uniquely significant manner. The angels honor God because of their pure affection for humankind. However, we will later discover that the fruits of Christ’s sacrifice resonate within the realm of angels. Why is this not acknowledged by the angels?
It seems this mystery was not disclosed to them, but they will come to understand it later; otherwise, they would not have been drawn to it. The declaration from the angelic beings stands as the pinnacle of the entirety of redemption, indicating that this mystery was likely unveiled at its conclusion. This is evident in the Gospel narratives recounting the events surrounding the earthly existence of Jesus Christ and the adoration offered by the shepherds at His birth.
Honor be to God and tranquility to humanity! These expressions embody the profound significance of all the mysteries within the redemption of humankind. Every divine attribute—power, wisdom, goodness, and justice—shines brightly in this context. Jesus Christ came to restore harmony between the world and His Father, attributing to God the glory that sin sought to take away. He was born to confront and overcome sin, to bind the adversary, to bring the flesh under the guidance of the spirit, and to harmonize the hearts of individuals with one another and with God’s will. Thus, the angels justly and righteously proclaimed this message of joy and happiness: Honor be to God! Tranquility to humanity! Honor to God who avenges through grace! Tranquility to those who follow the teachings and mercy of the Savior.
The shepherds were certain that the angel had come from God, and thus felt privileged to listen to the profound heavenly song: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men! The angels exalt God for sending the Redeemer into the world, rejoicing that with the embrace of the new commandment of love, peace will reign on earth, and God's favor will rest upon those who adhere to the law of love. Glory and peace! Glory in heaven, peace on earth! Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that two millennia have elapsed since the angels heralded the arrival of peace on earth, yet humanity persists in conflict, shedding blood; what sort of peace is this?
The peace announced by the angels is not to be interpreted as an instant end to all battles and disputes or as a universal harmony among all people, nor is it the global peace that has already commenced. Jesus Christ Himself assured His disciples, saying: I leave you peace, I give you My peace (John 14:27), making it clear that this peace would accompany them and that they would truly be His disciples only when they lived out His new commandment of love - by this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35) - acknowledging the conflict His teachings might inspire. ‘Do not think,’ He warned, “that I have come to bring peace on earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). Thus, peace is not granted to everyone on earth, nor even to all who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord: Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven (Matthew 7:21); rather, it is reserved for those who truly embody the title of Christ’s disciples, those who faithfully practice His commandment of love. This peace signifies the tranquility of the inner self, the peace of the soul, and it is this profound peace that the angels celebrated in their song.
In the goodwill of humanity, most scholars and the prevailing interpretation recognize this as God's favor toward people, revealed through the incarnation of His Son on Earth. He, our peace, has united both Jews and Gentiles, dismantling the barriers that separated them. By His flesh, He has put an end to hostility and rendered the commandments obsolete, establishing a new creation in Himself and bringing about harmony. Through the cross, He has reconciled both groups into one body, having eliminated enmity in the process. Upon His return, He will proclaim peace to those who are far off and those who are near (Eph. 2:14-17).
“Glory to God in the highest” - let God's name be exalted in response to both the words expressed and the surrounding context, celebrating the magnificent act of saving humanity. This redemptive mission represents the pinnacle of God's glory, revealing His love, mercy, and graciousness toward mankind. For this reason, both heaven and earth, angels and humans, ought to offer Him praise. - "In the highest" can refer either to His supreme realm in heaven, where His presence and glory are undeniably evident, or to glory being attributed to Him especially in that celestial realm, where the heavenly beings rejoice in humanity's salvation.
- "On earth peace" signifies that the Savior, through His Gospel, bestowed harmony upon the earth, first granting it to His Apostles and then to all who earnestly follow Him (John 14:27, John 13:34-35). Even in the Old Testament, He is depicted as the "Prince of Peace," characterized as the benevolent and peace-creating King (Isaiah 9:6). This peace differs markedly from what the world offers (John 14:27); it pertains to those who are sanctified or redeemed from sin. The unrepentant do not experience peace with God or amongst themselves (Isaiah 48:22), and any semblance of peace they might have is in reality conflict against God. The Lord Jesus introduced peace by 1) reconciling the world to God through His sacrificial death on the cross; 2) encouraging the sinner to abandon hostility toward God and submit their conflicting desires to His will, thereby granting their souls a tranquility that transcends all understanding; by guiding individuals to forgive wrongs done to them and to wish well for others, which is the most effective way to mend fractured relationships; and by urging people to eliminate from their hearts any negative emotions that disrupt harmony—such as jealousy, pride, and selfishness. He also instilled amongst all people the seeds of love, which is the foundational principle of Christian existence, thus proclaiming a universal peace. If, at times, discord arises among Christ's followers, even among entire nations, it contradicts the Gospel's teachings and stems from human passions that the Gospel cannot fully dispel when individuals themselves lack the willingness to change. Therefore, the Gospel is not to blame; rather, the fault lies with individuals who violate the fundamental commandment of the Gospel due to their sinful desires. - "In men is good pleasure," or goodwill toward humanity, illustrates that the atoning sacrifice exemplified the fullness of God's goodwill and love for mankind. Consequently, the redemptive act throughout sacred Scripture is portrayed as an outpouring of supreme love from the Holy One toward sinful humanity (John 3:16, Ephesians 5:2, 1 John 4:10, Revelation 1:5, etc.). The Holy One can look favorably upon sinful individuals only by regarding them not in their own flawed state but through the lens of Christ, His Son, the Redeemer, in whom humanity is seen as purified from sin and holy.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 11 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS