print Print Cartoon

Questions

At Christmas time we hear the phrase “Peace on earth, good will toward men.”  This origniates from the Bible, in the account of Jesus’ birth.
1. a) Who said “Peace on earth, good will toward men”?
b)  To whom were they speaking?
c)  What was the good news they brought?


Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the answers.

Bob Gorrell

Answers

1. a) An angel from heaven [and a large group of angels identified as a heavenly host (an army of angels from heaven)] said “Peace on earth, good will toward men.”
b) The angels were speaking to shepherds.
c) The good news the angels brought was that the Savior of all people (Jesus Christ, the Son of God) was born on that day in the city of David (Bethlehem).

FROM LUKE 2:8-20:
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them,

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”” 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.  And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. … Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

From the Bible, read about the birth of Jesus in Luke 1 and 2 and Matthew 1 and 2; and in Isaiah 53 from the Old Testament. (see a passage below).

Read the book of John for the entire story of Jesus.