Matthew 5:9

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

a. ASV: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.

b. YLT: 'Happy the peacemakers -- because they shall be called Sons of God.

c. Amplified Bible: Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!

1. “Blessed are the peacemakers…”

a. blessed [Strong:  3107. makarios mak-ar'-ee-os a prolonged form of the poetical makar (meaning the same); supremely blest; by extension, fortunate, well off:-- blessed, happy(X -ier).

b. [are] the [Strong: 3588. [hoi] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [hoi] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

c.  peacemakers [Strong:  1518. eirenopoios i-ray-nop-oy-os' from 1518 and 4160; pacificatory, i.e. (subjectively) peaceable:--peacemaker.] 

1). The term “peacemaker” can be applied in the general sense of the word to mean someone who intervenes in a military, social or cultural conflict and works out the principles whereby all sides can cease the conflict and live together peaceably. This is not what Jesus is referring to because he says peacemakers are the “children of God”.  We do not become children of God by defusing a military confrontation or helping two relatives to settle differences. Being a peacemaker is receiving the peace found only in the redemption found in Christ Jesus and then sharing that redemption with others.

a). Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

b). Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

c). 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

d). Romans 10:13-17 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2. “…for they shall be called the children of God.”

a. for [Strong: 3754. hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

b. they [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

c. [shall be] called [Strong: 2564. kaleo kal-eh'-o akin to the base of 2753; to "call" (properly, aloud, but used in a variety of applications, directly or otherwise):--bid, call (forth), (whose, whose sur-)name (was (called)).]

d. [the] children [Strong: 5207. huios hwee-os' apparently a primary word; a "son" (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship:--child, foal, son.]

e. [of] God [Strong: 2316. theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

1). We become the children of God through the new birth. Only born again believers could be the peacemakers that Jesus was referring to. 

a). Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

b). John 1:12, 13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

c). 1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.