Pax Romana et Pax Christi
In the decades before the birth of Christ, the Romans moved from an era of kings to an era of emperors. Through military conquest their country expanded beyond the borders of present day Italy and reached the outskirts of what was the known world. The military campaigns to subjugate the surrounding nations began with Julius Caesar and were completed by his nephew, the emperor Caesar Augustus. The reign of Emperor Augustus brought Rome into a golden age for the empire. Rome controlled the Mediterranean and this control expanded inland to the far outskirts of explored territories. Augustus ushered in a nearly 200 year period of relative peace in the empire known as the Pax Romana or Roman Peace.
There were still certainly times of rebellion and conflict within the Roman empire during the Pax Romana. One notable example would be the Jewish Wars in 70 AD, written about by the historian Josephus. However, gone were the large scale Roman wars which sought to build and expand the empire. There were no rival nations independent from the Roman state which could pose a threat to Rome. In Luke 2, Caesar Augustus, seeing that his empire had reached this point of global grandeur, decreed that “all the world should be registered.” God choose this moment in the history of the world to bring His Son Jesus to earth.
When Mary is told that she would conceive a son, the angel Gabriel says, “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:33) But how does this King enter the world? Not on the heels of an army or with a show of force but rather, as the heavenly fanfare declares to the shepherds, “this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” God chooses the humble and ordinary means of the world to shame the mighty. The heavenly King enters our world to bring His own conquest and His own peace. This is why the angels praise God, singing “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14) While the whole world is gathered under the Pax Romana for Caesar’s census, God brings His Son to be our savior and ushers in the Pax Christi, peace of Christ.
The prophet Daniel speaks directly to this moment in history hundreds of years before Christ. He says, “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Daniel 2:44) The empire of Rome was destroyed, but Christ’s Kingdom remains. His kingdom is the only kingdom which will endure forever.
During this advent season, Ancient Paths looks forward to the celebrating the peace we have in Christ’s Kingdom. This peace is certain because the King who’s birth we celebrate is still reigning on His thrown. When we wish each other a “merry Christmas” we are declaring that Jesus is a King and He is the king who brings us peace with God and peace with each other. So from all of us at Ancient Paths, Merry Christmas!