What does it mean regarding the birth of Jesus: “And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased”?
Luke 2:14 tells us that the angels proclaimed "Glory to God in the highest And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Was God pleased with all men at this time?
Luke 2:14
ESV - 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
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Tim Maas
Although humankind had been at enmity with God ever since the introduction of sin, God (as noted in John 3:16) still loved the entire world enough to incarnate His Son to make salvation and eternal life possible for all through Jesus' forthcoming (at the time that the angels spoke) sinless life, atoning death, and resurrection. However (and as also noted in that same verse), only those who take advantage of that possibility by actually being saved through their faith in Christ are ultimately and eternally at peace with God as a result of receiving the forgiveness of sin that is available only through Christ. Those humans are the ones with whom God is pleased.
Jack Gutknecht
First, see the context: "Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'” Luke 2:13-14 NLT “The meaning seems to be, not that divine peace can be bestowed only where human good will is already present, but that at the birth of the Savior God’s peace rests on those whom he has chosen in accord with his good pleasure” (bible.org).
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