G.K. Beale, «Peace and Mercy Upon the Israel of God. The Old Testament Background of Galatians 6,16b», Vol. 80 (1999) 204-223

This essay has contended that Paul’s reference to "new creation" and the pronouncement of "peace and mercy" on the readers in Gal 6,15-16 is best understood against the background of Isa 54,10 and the surrounding context of similar new creation themes elsewhere in Isa 32–66, which are echoed also earlier in Galatians, especially in 5,22-26. The analysis confirms those prior studies which have concluded that "the Israel of God" refers to all Christians in Galatia, whether Jewish or Christian. Lastly, the demonstration of an Isaianic background for the concept of new creation in Gal 6,15-16 falls in line with Paul’s other reference to "new creation" in 2 Cor 5,17 and John’s allusion to new creation in Rev 3,14, where Isa 43 and 65–66 stand behind both passages. Isa 54,10 was likely not the sole influence on Gal 6,16, but such texts as Psalm 84 (LXX), the Qumran Hymn Scroll (1QH 13,5), and Jub 22,9 may have formed a collective impression on Paul, with the Isaiah text most in focus; alternatively, the texts in Qumran and Jubilees may be mere examples of a similar use of Isaiah 54 on a parallel trajectory with that of Paul’s in Galatians 6.

from exile: "Lovingkindness and truth have met together, and righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps 84,10).

        Outside of Isa 54,10 e!leoj ("mercy") and ei)rh/nh, ("peace") occur in close combination (within a seven-word range) in the LXX only in Ps 84,11 (= MT 85,11)¹⁵ and Tobit 7,12 (the latter occurring in only one version of the LXX in an insignificant context which refers to a personal wish of blessing bestowed on one person to another)¹⁶. Outside of these passages, the combination does not occur elsewhere (in an eight-word range) until the use in Galatians and in subsequent early Christian literature of the early church fathers¹⁷. This evidence shows that the combination of "mercy and peace" was not a typical part of formulaic benedictions in early Judaism nor a part of typical conclusions in early Hellenistic epistolary literature.

        The occurrence in the LXX of Ps 84,11 is a literal rendering of the Hebrew given above, yet the combination of e!leoj and ei)rh/nh also occurs only two verses earlier in vv. 8-9 in almost the same close proximity: "Show us your mercy (e!leoj) and give to us your salvation. Hear what the Lord God will speak through me: he will speak peace (ei)rh/nh) upon his people and upon his saints, and upon those who turn their heart toward him". Interestingly, the promised condition of the peace and mercy of restoration is also referred to as an "enlivening" ("you will turn and you will enliven [zww/seij]