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Shalom
The word shalom means not only 'peace' but also tranquillity, safety, well-being, welfare, health, contentment, success, comfort, wholeness and integrity. "Shalom aleikhem" means "Peace be upon you" and is a common greeting, as is simply "Shalom!" "And when ye come into a house, salute it, and if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you" (Matthew 10:12-13) Thus there is a deeper meaning to Jesus' instruction in verse 13 on when to give or withhold shalom, for He refers not only to the greeting but to the whole complex of peace/wholeness/well-being that the Messiah offers through his disciples – and similarly at many places in the New Testament. In John 20:19, Jesus miraculously appears but greets his disciples in the usual way, "Shalom aleikhem!" Within every believer is a shalom that comes from God Himself. It is not a self-satisfied false peace that ignore suffering, but a compassionate peace that longs for God's shalom to be present with everyone and motivates action to help bring it about: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you" (John 14:27). |