How is Jesus the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)?

TL;DR:

Jesus is the Prince of Peace because the Father has given Him authority as our Lord and Savior. Christ’s sacrifice enables us to have peace from the wrath of the Father, inner peace, peace with others, and upon His second coming, peace on earth.

what does the bible say?

Isaiah 9:6 describes Jesus as the “Prince of Peace,” among other titles. The Bible shows that this distinction applies in several different ways. Isaiah’s readers, like readers today, would have understood the title “prince” as a ruler of a group of people. Jesus fits this description not only through His earthly ministry, but also by the authority the Father has given Him (Matthew 28:18–20; Philippians 2:9–11). The “peace” part of the title doesn’t refer to our current world, which is still full of strife and war. Instead, the Bible teaches that Jesus will establish a peaceful world upon His second coming (Isaiah 11:1–10; Micah 4:1–4; Zechariah 9:9–10). But even before then, Scripture shows a crucial reason why Jesus is called the “Prince of Peace”: His sacrifice on the cross. Christ’s death on the cross created peace between believers and God, removing the wrath we were due because of our sin (Romans 5:1, 9; Ephesians 2:3–5; Colossians 1:19–20). Besides peace with our Creator, Christ gave us inner peace through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables believers to be content amid trying circumstances and to achieve peace with others (Galatians 5:22). The Prince of Peace is an apt title for the authority of the One who has enabled us to have peace with the Father, peace with others, and one day, peace on earth.

from the old testament

Isaiah 9:6 is part of a Messianic prophecy describing Jesus: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus is all these, and He alone could bring peace between God and humanity.
A similar prophecy from Micah 4:3 shows that the Messiah will usher in peace: “He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” The Prince of Peace was promised to usher in a peaceful world that no earthly prince ever could.

from the new testament

In preparing His disciples for His crucifixion, Jesus says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” To those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, He brings inner peace that the world cannot remove.
In Romans 5:1, Paul writes about another peace Christ provides for us, peace with God: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." One reason why Jesus is called the Prince of Peace is that His death on the cross brought peace between humankind and God the Father.
Christ also gives believers the peace that comes through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, as shown in Galatians 5:22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” God, through the Holy Spirit, enables us to have internal contentment and to be at peace with others.

implications for today

Many people are fascinated by royalty. Maybe it’s because kings, queens, princes, and princesses seem like the stuff of fairy tales. Or maybe it’s the trappings of royalty—the beautiful clothes, ornate castles, and precious gems—that catch our attention. But none of the royalty we’ve seen or read about can offer the world anything lasting. They may have gold and jewels, but those valuables aren’t shared with the public, and even if they were, they offer mere transitory beauty. Only Jesus, the Prince of Peace, provides believers with an eternal treasure that we cannot achieve on our own: peace with our everlasting Father and with the world. Because of Christ, we are no longer under the wrath of God for our sins. Our Prince offered Himself in our place. He also sent the Holy Spirit to give us inner peace in the midst of challenging circumstances and people. We could never have achieved this on our own, nor could any earthly prince provide it. Considering this, we should approach the Lord with a grateful heart. We can confess our sins, and the Lord forgives us because Jesus has made that possible. We also have inner contentment—even in violent situations and among contentious people—because we know an eternal peace and joy await us after death. As recipients of this gift, we are enabled to project our peace to the world in a way that makes them want to know more about it (Galatians 5:22). The Prince of Peace is an apt title for the authority of the One who has enabled us to have peace with the Father, peace with others, and one day, peace on earth.

understand

Jesus brings us peace with God through His sacrifice.
Jesus provides inner peace through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus will establish lasting peace on earth at His second coming.

reflect

How has Jesus’s sacrifice brought peace between you and God, and how does this impact your life?
In what areas of your life do you need the peace of Christ, both in your heart and in your relationships with others?
How can you reflect the peace Jesus offers to those around you, especially in challenging circumstances?

engage

What does it mean for us as believers to experience inner peace despite external challenges, and how can we help others experience this peace?
How does the promise of peace on earth at Jesus’s second coming shape our view of the world’s current struggles and our hope for the future?
How can we actively share the peace of Christ with others, especially those who do not know Him?