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.

        The combination of "peace" and "mercy" also occurs in Jubilees 22,9 (extant Latin), where Abraham invokes God’s blessing on himself and his posterity: "may your mercy [misericordia] and your peace [pax]²⁷ be upon your servant and upon the seed of his sons so that they may become an elect people for you and an inheritance from all the nations of the earth from henceforth and for all the days of the generations of the earth forever" (Charlesworth edition). This may be significant in comparison to the above uses in Qumran, Isaiah 54, and Galatians 6, since God is being addressed only in his role as creator who "created the heavens and the earth" (22,6), and the objects of God’s blessing especially are Abraham’s believing (elect) "seed", who will dwell in a state of blessing on the earth forever (on which see further 22,24!). In particular, Jubilees 22, 1 QH 13,5, Isaiah 54, and Galatians 6 all have in common notions of: (1) new creation; (2) a new covenant (cf. "renew his covenant" in Jub 22,15 and 22,30; Isa 54,10; Gal 4,24), and (3) a promise of blessing on believing (elect) Israel. In addition, like Jubilees, the Isaiah and Galatians texts also are developing earlier references to the promises about the Abrahamic "seed" (cf. Isa 51,1-3 and 54,1-3; Gal 3,6-18.29). The notion of new creation in Jubilees 22 may well be a reflection on the similar Isaianic concept²⁸. In the light