In the biblical narrative, the concept of shalom profoundly surpasses the common translation of "peace" as a mere absence of conflict. It embodies a complex tapestry of meanings, including completeness, wholeness, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, fullness, rest, and harmony. This rich spectrum of interpretations helps illuminate God's profound intentions for the cosmos, particularly in how He envisages human life and societal order.
Shalom is not merely an ideal state but a divine standard for all creation, reflecting the perfect peace that reigned at the moment of creation when God surveyed all He had made and declared it "very good" (Genesis 1:31). This original state of shalom is portrayed as an intricate web of harmonious relationships—between humanity and the divine, among individuals, and within the community. The disruption of this peace through the Fall (Genesis 3) introduces chaos, suffering, and discord into the human experience, highlighting the profound need for restoration to the original order.
The theological significance of shalom can also be seen in the Law given through Moses. The stipulations laid out in the Torah aim to restore and maintain this peace among the people of Israel. For instance, the provision for the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25) was an extraordinary expression of shalom, involving the release of debts, the liberation of slaves, and the return of property. This ensured that no member of the community would be permanently dispossessed, thereby fostering an environment of equality and justice reflective of divine shalom.
Moreover, the prophetic literature of the Old Testament amplifies this theme. The prophets frequently spoke of a future in which God’s shalom would reign supremely—a vision encapsulated in prophecies of a new heaven and a new earth where "righteousness and peace kiss each other" (Psalm 85:10). Isaiah’s famous vision of the peaceable kingdom, where the wolf and the lamb live together in harmony, is a powerful eschatological image of this divine peace (Isaiah 11:6).
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is portrayed as the ultimate harbinger of shalom, often greeting His disciples with the phrase, "Peace be with you" (John 20:19). Through His teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection, Jesus embodies and restores the shalom disrupted by sin. Paul the Apostle builds on this, teaching that Jesus Himself "is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility" (Ephesians 2:14). This passage underscores the theological depth of shalom as not only a restored relationship with God but also a radical transformation of social relations, breaking down barriers of hostility between peoples.
Thus, the biblical vision of shalom is integral to understanding the divine intention for a world characterised by deep peace and flourishing relationships. This essay explores these dimensions of shalom as described in the Bible and examines their profound implications for our personal and communal lives today, urging a return to this all-encompassing peace as the guiding principle of human existence.
Shalom as Harmonious Relationship with God
Shalom as a harmonious relationship with God sits at the core of the biblical narrative, embodying the theological richness of God's desire for intimate communion with humanity. This ideal state of relational harmony mirrors the order and peace of the original creation. In the creation narrative in Genesis, we see that God's completion of His work brought forth the Sabbath—a profound symbol of total and divine rest, denoting the consummation of the world in its perfect state (Genesis 2:2-3). This rest was not merely cessation from labour but represented a deeper, theological wholeness or completeness in God's creation, a fundamental aspect of shalom.
The disruption of this peace through Adam and Eve’s sin introduced alienation from God, depicting a fundamental fracture in the divine-human relationship (Genesis 3). This theme of brokenness extends throughout the Old Testament, where human disobedience consistently results in spiritual and social exile. However, the narrative arc of the Bible also vividly illustrates God’s relentless effort to restore this broken relationship. The covenants with Abraham (Genesis 15) and Moses (Exodus 24:8) serve not merely as divine promises but as restoration acts to the covenantal peace—shalom—between God and His people, highlighting God’s unwavering commitment to reconcile with humanity.
This theological pursuit finds its climax in the New Testament through Jesus Christ. Jesus’ ministry was marked by acts and teachings that restored relationships between God and man. His role as the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6) is realised in the radical reconciliation brought about through His life, death, and resurrection. This restoration is vividly depicted in passages such as Romans 5:1, where Paul explains that "since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." This peace (shalom) with God is not merely a restored status but an ongoing relationship of wholeness, healing, and spiritual flourishing.
Moreover, the New Testament deepens this concept by presenting Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant (Hebrews 12:24), through which believers are invited to enter into a renewed state of shalom with God. This is not just a return to the original state before the fall but an entrance into a new, transformative relationship through the Spirit. This relationship empowers believers to live in a manner that reflects God's own holiness and love, a concept echoed in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, where Paul emphasises that God reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
The implications of this restored shalom are profound. Believers are not only reconciled to God but are also renewed in His image, participating in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) and manifesting this reconciliation in their lives. Therefore, this harmonious relationship with God is both a restored historical reality and a present, living experience of God’s peace, which believers are called to extend to their relationships with others and the world at large.
In this way, shalom as a harmonious relationship with God reveals the deep theological currents of Scripture, wherein God’s ultimate purpose is not only the cessation of hostility but the flourishing of life in all its fullness, grounded in a relationship with Himself.
Shalom as Harmonious Relationship with Other People
The concept of shalom as it pertains to interpersonal relationships encapsulates a profound biblical vision that extends well beyond mere peaceful coexistence. This vision is grounded in the comprehensive legal and prophetic traditions of the Old Testament and vividly demonstrated through the life and teachings of Jesus in the New Testament, reflecting a divine mandate for ethical and communal harmony.
In the Old Testament, the Levitical laws served as more than mere religious or civil statutes; they were divine provisions designed to create and sustain a community where shalom flourished. For instance, commands regarding the treatment of the poor and the stranger (Leviticus 19:10, 33-34) were not just ethical duties but were integral to maintaining communal harmony and social equity, reflecting God’s care for all members of the community. Similarly, the sabbatical and jubilee years (Leviticus 25) were radical social and economic practices meant to prevent the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few and to protect the most vulnerable in society, thus preserving societal shalom.
Prophetically, Isaiah spoke of a transformed world where instruments of harm would be repurposed into tools of nourishment (Isaiah 2:4). This vision transcends metaphorical language to suggest a radical realignment of societal priorities—from conflict and conquest to care and cultivation. Such prophetic visions were not idle future dreams but called for active participation in the realisation of shalom in the present, urging societies to reflect God's justice and peace.
In the New Testament, Jesus deepens and personalises the concept of shalom in His teachings. His command to love one's neighbour as oneself (Matthew 22:39) and His teachings on reconciliation (Matthew 5:24) are foundational to Christian ethics, emphasising that shalom involves active engagement in repairing and fostering the right relationships. Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), for example, expands the definition of 'neighbour' beyond social, ethnic, or religious boundaries, illustrating shalom as an inclusive, proactive love that seeks the well-being of others.
These examples highlight that shalom, as a harmonious relationship with others, is not passive but requires deliberate and sustained action towards justice, care, and reconciliation. The biblical narrative calls for a holistic understanding of peace that challenges existing social structures and personal behaviours, aiming to transform them in ways that reflect God's kingdom. This vision of shalom compels believers to engage in relationships that mirror the justice, mercy, and faithfulness of God, thereby bringing the divine aspect of shalom into everyday human interactions.
Shalom as Harmonious Community for Human Flourishing
The concept of shalom as a harmonious community for human flourishing is deeply theological, emphasising that peace and well-being in the biblical sense are inseparable from justice, equity, and righteousness. This vision is not just a spiritual or individual aspiration but is fundamentally social and communal, impacting and transforming the structures and systems within which people live.
The prophetic literature of the Old Testament provides a robust theological framework for understanding this. Prophets like Amos do not merely call for individual repentance; they demand systemic changes that reflect God's justice. Amos's vivid invocation for justice to "roll on like a river" (Amos 5:24) is a powerful metaphor that captures the relentless and pervasive nature of divine justice. This is not a trickle or a sporadic stream but a constant, overwhelming flow that reshapes the landscape. This image underscores a divine insistence on a society where righteousness permeates every aspect of communal life, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to flourish.
Similarly, the prophet Micah encapsulates the intertwining of personal morality with social ethics in his famous query about what the Lord requires: "to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). This passage suggests that true shalom in a community is achieved not only by upholding justice but by fostering a culture of mercy and humility before God, which in turn shapes the interactions within that community.
In the New Testament, the teachings of Jesus and the writings of the apostles expand the vision of shalom to include the breaking down of barriers between people. In Galatians 3:28, Paul articulates a radical theological statement: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This declaration is not merely about spiritual equality but has profound social implications. It challenges the deeply ingrained social divisions of the time and suggests a new community structure where all are equal participants in the life of the church and by extension, the society.
The early Christian communities attempted to live out this vision as described in Acts, where the followers of Jesus shared their resources and ensured no one was in need (Acts 4:32-35). This practice was a concrete expression of shalom, reflecting a commitment to a community where social and economic disparities are addressed actively. This communal sharing was not just charity; it was a reordering of social values centred around the welfare of others, epitomising the New Testament’s emphasis on love as the fulfilment of the law (Romans 13:10).
This biblical vision of shalom challenges contemporary communities to reflect on how their social structures promote or hinder human flourishing. It calls for an examination of how justice, equity, and righteousness are embodied in legal, economic, and social policies. It also encourages a proactive stance in reforming institutions and relationships to create environments where every individual can thrive, thus living out the fullness of shalom that the Bible advocates. This holistic approach to peace underscores that true shalom is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of conditions that promote the full potential of all individuals within the community.
Shalom as a Harmonious Outcome for All Creation
However, I would like to suggest that the biblical vision of shalom as a harmonious outcome for all creation encompasses a comprehensive restoration and wholeness that includes not only humanity but the entire cosmos. This holistic peace reflects God’s original intent for creation and points toward its ultimate renewal, a theme woven throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.
In the Genesis account, the creation narrative describes a world that God creates in harmony and declares "very good" (Genesis 1:31). This initial state of shalom involves a perfect balance and interdependence among all elements of the creation—the land, plants, animals, and human beings. Humans are placed in the Garden of Eden to "work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15), indicating that their role is not to exploit but to steward and maintain the harmony of their environment. This relationship is symbiotic, where care for creation ensures human well-being, and vice versa, reflecting a divine balance. The fall of humanity introduces discord into this perfect order, affecting not just human relationships but the entire creation. Paul later describes this cosmic dissonance in Romans 8:19-22, where he talks about all creation "groaning as in the pains of childbirth" awaiting its liberation from decay. This profound statement highlights that the redemptive plan of God in Christ is not limited to humans but extends to the entire creation, which anticipates a restoration to its original peace and harmony.
Prophetic visions in books like Isaiah present a vivid picture of this restored creation. For instance, Isaiah 11:6-9 depicts a peaceable kingdom where natural predators and their prey will coexist peacefully, and "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." This eschatological vision underscores a return to Eden-like conditions where harmful behaviours and destructive elements are absent, and the knowledge of God restores creation’s harmony.
The New Testament reaffirms and expands upon this theme of cosmic shalom through the work of Christ. In Colossians 1:19-20, Paul explains that God was pleased "through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." This reconciliation is not just a spiritual or metaphorical restoration but a tangible reordering of the cosmos toward its designed harmony. The culmination of this restoration is vividly portrayed in the book of Revelation, where John envisions a new heaven and a new earth where "there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4). The vision includes a renewed Jerusalem, a city without a temple because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple, symbolising that the presence of God permeates all creation, restoring it to full shalom.
This expansive understanding of shalom challenges believers to consider their role in caring for creation as part of their spiritual service. It emphasises that peace and righteousness should be evident not only in personal and community life but also in how humans interact with their environment. It calls for an ethic of stewardship that honours creation as God’s handiwork and as a participant in the cosmic redemption story.
Thus, shalom as a harmonious outcome for all creation is a profound theological concept that encourages a reevaluation of how we live in the world. It invites a lifestyle that anticipates and contributes to the ultimate renewal of all things, reflecting the peace and harmony of God’s kingdom in every aspect of life.
Conclusion
The biblical concept of shalom offers a rich and expansive vision that encompasses far more than the absence of conflict. It represents a divine ideal of wholeness, peace, and harmony that permeates every aspect of existence—from personal relationships with God and others to communal interactions and the entirety of creation. This vision serves not only as a theological cornerstone but also as a practical blueprint for living.
At its core, shalom reflects God’s original intent for a world marked by complete harmony and flourishing life. It is seen in the relationships humans have with God, with one another, and with the environment. Each aspect of shalom—whether it's our reconciliation with God through Christ, our efforts to foster peace and equity among people or our stewardship of the earth—reveals part of God’s comprehensive plan for His creation.
The prophets, apostles, and Christ Himself teach that the pursuit of shalom involves active participation in God's redemptive work. This is not a passive waiting for the world to change but an engaged effort to embody the values of the Kingdom of God. In our relationships, communities, and interactions with the natural world, believers are called to be agents of peace and reconciliation, demonstrating what it means to live out the radical, transformative peace of the Gospel.
Ultimately, the vision of shalom challenges us to look beyond present realities to the eschatological promise of a new creation, where God’s peace will be fully realised. As we strive towards this vision, we embody the hope of the Gospel, which compels us to live not as passive observers but as active participants in the divine narrative of restoration and peace. Thus, understanding and pursuing shalom is not merely an academic or spiritual exercise but a dynamic and holistic way of living that seeks to bring about a foretaste of the Kingdom of God here and now.
Wonderful.
Shalom: "things as they should be".