Charles and Irene

Here's what I was talking about with the "Charles and Irene" signature to my blog posts.  Paul greets his readers with the phrase "grace and peace to you" in every letter that he wrote: Rom. 1:7, 1 Cor. 1:3, 2 Cor. 1:2, Gal. 1:3, Eph. 1:2, Phil. 1:2, Col. 1:2, 1 Thes. 1:1, 2 Thes. 1:2, 1 Tim. 1:2, 2 Tim. 1:2, Titus 1:4, and Phlm. 3.  The phrase looks like this in Greek, χάρις καὶ εἰρήνη; or, transliterated into the Latin alphabet, charis kai eirene.  The really neat thing about these words is the depth of their meaning.  At www.greekbible.com, they are defined as follows:


charis: 1. grace,  1a. that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm,  loveliness: grace of speech,  2. good will, loving-kindness, favour,  2a. of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues  3. what is due to grace  3a. the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of  divine grace  3b. the token or proof of grace, benefit  3b i. a gift of grace  3b ii. benefit, bounty  4. thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward


eirene: 1. a state of national tranquillity,  1a. exemption from the rage and havoc of war  2. peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord  3. security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and  harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous)  4. of the Messiah's peace  4a. the way that leads to peace (salvation),  5. of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is  6. the blessed state of devout and upright men after death


That's a lot to wish upon someone with just two simple words. So grace and peace to you, through Christ Jesus our Lord.