“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased (literally ‘among men of favour').”
And this was what the angels said, and it is the focal point of the chiasmus. ‘Glory to God in the Highest'. That is ever what they cry whether they are on earth or in heaven (compare Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:13). For they, and they alone, really appreciate His true glory. To those who know Him as He is, He is the glorious One. And behind it lay the idea that this glory was now visiting the earth. As John could say, ‘we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth' (John 1:14)
But now they also sang a different song, ‘On earth peace among men of favour.' Thus God reveals His glory in Heaven and His peace on earth. It is through peace in their hearts that men experience His glory. This phrase could mean ‘peace among men in whom He is well pleased' (RSV) or ‘peace among men on whom His favour rests' (NEB). The language is typically Semitic and appears in hymns among the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The coming of this baby into the world would offer to men peace with God (Romans 5:1), peace from God (Romans 1:7 and often), and the peace of God which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). And this would be for all who responded fully to Him and thereby in their lives were pleasing to Him. Or alternately, to put the emphasis more correctly, it was for those on whom His favour rests. The bringing of peace was the Messiah's task (Isaiah 9:6-7; Zechariah 9:9-10). This was indeed what Jesus had come to do as the prince of Peace, to save men and women and enable them to be reconciled to God through His gracious provision for their need so that He might reveal His kindness towards them continually for evermore (Ephesians 2:6-7). This was why the angel had called Him, ‘the Saviour'.
This promise is the more significant in that at this time the Roman world was enjoying the great Pax Romana. Peace reigned over the known world. And it was a splendid achievement. But it did not reign in men's hearts. That is why in the end it had to fail. As Epictetus could say in 1st century AD, ‘while the emperor may give peace from war on land and sea, he is unable to give peace from passion grief and envy. He cannot give peace of heart, for which man yearns more than even for outward peace'. That was one difference between the great peace of Augustus, and this peace brought by the Lord Messiah.