Peace Be With You

I like it how Jesus was always blessing people with peace. I guess it's a pretty Jewish thing - 'shalom'. Like Jesus understood that people didn't just want healing, but restoration and that's what Shalom is all about.

"This (root verb of Shalom meaning 'whole' or 'complete') underscores the links between covenant and shalom. Covenant implies a rightly ordered relationship, whether between people, with God, or with the creation. In the biblical view these relationships become inseparable. Shalom is the vision of the harmony, fulfillment, and fellowship among God, humanity, and the creation; its result is justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. In the understanding of covenant we discover God’s pledge of faithfulness, intention, and grace to bring about shalom in all that is created."
-Wesley Granberg-Michaelson

So when Jesus blessed someone with Shalom - it wasn't just an absence of conflict but restoration of a right covenant relationship with God. That's incredible when you see him blessing sinners and gentiles with Shalom, not just Jews and the morally upright - he's offering relationship with God to those previously cut out from such a thing. Wow.

Jesus is so surprising sometimes.