Merry Christmas to everyone. Big Frank has been thinking about that well known Christmas phrase - you know: Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men. Big Frank is also aware of the bias in the phrase - but let's assume in those angels who first uttered those words meant it to encompass all humans - mankind, that kind of deal. So then what does the phrase mean? Well, Big Frank took to Wikianswers and it just got more confusing. Big Frank is going to post the whole discussion here because it seems to reveal the confusion of trying to nail anything down that is expressed in words. Perhaps that's the real answer - look to it in your heart not in a book, or a word, no matter what language. Good will to all of you!
Here's the extended discussion:
peace on earth= peace on earth,...as in, give peace a chance
good will to all men = be good to one another
The question is based on a secular miss-translation of the following bible scripture:
"Glory to God, and on earth peace, toward men of good will" (Luke 2:14). It could also be worded: "Glory to God, and on earth, peace among men who please God" or "among men with whom God is pleased"
Therefore the correct answer is:
Peace on earth = peace between men and God
Good will toward men = God's peace between himself and men who accept his Son
The above answer is based on this argument:
"Peace on earth, goodwill to men"? The Latin has it, `et in terra pax hominibus, bonae voluntatis". Note the Latin genitive case in the words `bonae voltuntatis'. The phrase properly rendered is, "PEACE ON EARTH TO MEN OF GOOD WILL". The angels' words are not universalist, if you get my drift. by elcid1970
Maybe not - Check this out - I am not literate in Greek or Latin but it's an interesting view:
But the text was not originally written in Latin, it was written in Greek. The Greek is 'Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις θεῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας. Epi ges: on earth eirene: peace en anthropois: to people (in the dative, for the preposition) eudokias: good will (accusative) The translation that makes the most sense is, in fact, "good will to men". If you had wanted to say "peace to men of good will", then "good will" would modify "men", and thus it would be in the dative to agree with anthropois. But it's not in the dative. It's in the accusative.
by solargecko
I know a little Greek and Latin so would add this:
Solargecko is right to say that Greek was the original language. However the word 'eudokias' (satisfaction, approval) is genitive not accusative, so has much the same force as the Latin (men of good will) giving us literally 'men of approval.'
I have also seen it said that the Greek word eudoxia(s) is a possible variant here, from 'eu' meaning 'good' and 'doxa' meaning 'sentiment'. This would give 'men of good sentiment'.
I would add that whereas the Latin says 'peace TO men of good will', the Greek literally says, 'peace IN/ AMONGST/ ON men of good will.' That gives us another shade of meaning.
by adibden
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_'Peace_on_Earth_Goodwill_Toward_Men'_mean#ixzz198gz5Nct
Here's the extended discussion:
peace on earth= peace on earth,...as in, give peace a chance
good will to all men = be good to one another
The question is based on a secular miss-translation of the following bible scripture:
"Glory to God, and on earth peace, toward men of good will" (Luke 2:14). It could also be worded: "Glory to God, and on earth, peace among men who please God" or "among men with whom God is pleased"
Therefore the correct answer is:
Peace on earth = peace between men and God
Good will toward men = God's peace between himself and men who accept his Son
The above answer is based on this argument:
"Peace on earth, goodwill to men"? The Latin has it, `et in terra pax hominibus, bonae voluntatis". Note the Latin genitive case in the words `bonae voltuntatis'. The phrase properly rendered is, "PEACE ON EARTH TO MEN OF GOOD WILL". The angels' words are not universalist, if you get my drift. by elcid1970
Maybe not - Check this out - I am not literate in Greek or Latin but it's an interesting view:
But the text was not originally written in Latin, it was written in Greek. The Greek is 'Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις θεῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας. Epi ges: on earth eirene: peace en anthropois: to people (in the dative, for the preposition) eudokias: good will (accusative) The translation that makes the most sense is, in fact, "good will to men". If you had wanted to say "peace to men of good will", then "good will" would modify "men", and thus it would be in the dative to agree with anthropois. But it's not in the dative. It's in the accusative.
by solargecko
I know a little Greek and Latin so would add this:
Solargecko is right to say that Greek was the original language. However the word 'eudokias' (satisfaction, approval) is genitive not accusative, so has much the same force as the Latin (men of good will) giving us literally 'men of approval.'
I have also seen it said that the Greek word eudoxia(s) is a possible variant here, from 'eu' meaning 'good' and 'doxa' meaning 'sentiment'. This would give 'men of good sentiment'.
I would add that whereas the Latin says 'peace TO men of good will', the Greek literally says, 'peace IN/ AMONGST/ ON men of good will.' That gives us another shade of meaning.
by adibden
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_'Peace_on_Earth_Goodwill_Toward_Men'_mean#ixzz198gz5Nct
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