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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Concluding benediction and salutation:
v. 16. Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all me an s. The Lord be with you all.
v. 17. The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle; so I write.
v. 18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
This closing prayer is the fourth solemn wish of the apostle in this letter. He desires that the Lord of peace, Jesus Christ, the Prince and Dispenser of peace, Isa_9:5-6; Joh_14:27; Joh_20:19, may grant to all his readers the true peace always, no matter what may happen, no matter in what circumstance they may find themselves. The believer, being assured of perfect reconciliation through the blood of Jesus, knows that he is the possessor of the peace with God, that he has perfect life and salvation. The enmity between God and man having been removed through the redemption of Christ, the believer no longer fears God with the constant dread of a sinner under sentence of everlasting punishment: he knows, rather, that God is with him, as the benediction of Paul here states, with the fullness of His mercy and goodness.
The close of the letter is very brief. Paul affixes his salutation with his own hand, the rest of the letter having been written at his dictation. This signature by the hand of Paul was added to authenticate the letter, and he indicates that he wanted to make this a rule for the future. His readers could therefore readily distinguish between true and spurious letters. His final salutation is: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all! He expressly mentions all his readers; he wants none excluded from this glorious blessing of the full and free grace of the Savior. It was earned and prepared for all men; would that they all accepted the gracious offering and be blessed throughout eternity!
Summary
The apostle commends himself to the intercession of his readers, addressed to the faithful Lord; he warns them against disorderly conduct, reminding them of his own good example; he urges church discipline in the right spirit; he closes with the apostolic salutation.