“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace” (1 Thessalonians 1:1 ESV).
There is a phrase that runs like a thread through many of Paul the Apostle’s New Testament letters. That phrase is found in the greeting that opens this Epistle: “Grace to you and peace.” In addition to its appearance here in the book of 1 Thessalonians, this message also appears in Paul’s Biblical letters to the churches in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, as well as his letter to Philemon.
Although this greeting follows the standard format of a typical first-century letter, the significance behind this phrase goes well beyond this simple blessing. For instance, notice that the word grace precedes the word peace here in 1 Thessalonians 1:1. The same is true of the other references mentioned above. This word order is noteworthy when we define these terms in their context.
First, the word “grace” is associated with the unmerited favor that God extends to us in Christ. Romans 5:8 expresses this idea when it tells us, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 1 John 4:10 also builds on this concept in saying, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (NIV).
Next comes “peace,” a word that implies a general sense of tranquility, contentment, and serenity. It also expresses a sense of reconciliation as reflected in the following definition: “…the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God…” (1) Another source associates peace with “…the harmonized relationships between God and man, accomplished through the gospel.” (2).
In light of this, we can say that the ultimate source of grace and peace is “…God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” It is through Jesus’ sacrificial death that God graciously enables human beings to enter into a relationship with Him. Thus, the unmerited favor that God extends to us in Christ leads to peace with our Creator and peace with others.
When it comes to grace and peace, we can also take comfort in Jesus’ message to His disciples from the New Testament gospel of John…
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
(1) G1515 eirene Thayer’s Greek Lexicon https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=nkjv&strongs=g1515
(2) W. E. Vine W. E. Vine’s New Testament Word Pictures: Romans to Revelation “Peace” p.466