Week 7
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Matthew 5:9
Preamble and context
We come to the second to last Beatitude and we see that this too is focused on how we love our neighbor. As we unpack this one we’ll also understand that this has, at the heart of it, the need to love God too. We can only truly flourish as peacemakers when we are being transformed by God and know his peace within our own soul.
Take a moment to remember that these Beatitudes all begin with ‘Blessed are,’ that is, you will find fulfillment, your soul will prosper and you will fully flourish when you live this way. Therefore, in this Beatitude we can say it as follows: I am fully alive when I know peace both within my soul and then concomitantly work for peace with those around me.
We must begin by considering the word used for peace in this Beatitude. It is the Greek word eirene which is the equivalent of the Hebrew word, shalom. Note that shalom isn’t the absence of conflict but in fact the presence of wholeness and harmony. We have already noted that this has a twofold application: it begins with peace within ourselves married with working for peace with those around us.
So what is peace within ourselves? Premodern writers proposed that this begins with God making us right by Him. They referenced scriptures that speak of Jesus, ‘breaking down the wall between God and us and becoming our peace.’ It is clear from the New Testament writings that Jesus won for us peace with God and that he also is our peace. Therefore we can see that peace is at the heart of the Gospel. We now know that this peace is more than simply a sense of contentment but is the full appropriation of shalom - we are whole and have harmony because of what God has done in rescuing us.
Christian writers through history have noted that we cannot become the peacemakers we are called to be until we have tasted and known the peace that God gives us both through our salvation but also through his continuing work in our lives. As he progressively brings peace to every aspect of our soul we are no longer at war with ourselves and can flourish as peacemakers.
We see however that the word is not ‘peacetakers’ but ‘peacemakers.’ In other words, we are called not just to declare peace to others but to actively work for this peace.
The first form of peace we should work for is for others to know peace with God. When we have been given such a beautiful gift of having peace with God and knowing the freedom, joy and hope that it brings, this should compel us to do the same for those around us. Thus, our first role as peacemakers is to invite others into knowing God that they may know this peace too.
We can see that the circle then extends beyond this to our neighbors. We can all think of situations or relationships we are in where there is no peace. This may have been caused by ourselves or by others and wounds and hurt have ensued. As difficult as it is, we are called to pursue peace with them. This peace is not at the cost of truth: hurts and pains must be brought into the light and resolution must take place, but we are called to make peace. This can be a difficult process and requires the community of God to walk us through it.
Implicit within the idea of making peace is the idea of bringing God’s justice into these moments too. We are called to make peace in situations that may not be directly relevant or related to our own lives but we can see injustice that God cares about redeeming. As peacemakers there will be moments where we will need to step in and see redemption through our peace making.
And what is the reward or reversal of this? Jesus says that will be called the children of God. What does this mean? Culturally to be called the son or daughter of someone meant that you reflected and embodied their attributes and characteristics and this is the meaning here. When we live as peacemakers and as this flows from all of the previous Beatitudes, it is clear that we reflect God. We are the embodiment of God before those around us thus we are called his children.
Questions to discuss and consider
Before this study, how would you have defined ‘peace’ or the idea of being a ‘peacemaker?’
Do you think our culture values peacemakers? Are there any conditions or boundaries to how our world defines peacemaking?
Would you say you’re a ‘peaceful’ person? How would you describe what that means in your life?
Having now read the description of a peacemaker here, are you more likely to describe yourself as someone who likes to ‘keep the peace’ more than being a peacemaker? Are there limits to your peace making?
On reflection, do you think you have the peace of God in your life? What does that mean and what does it look like?
Are you willing to invite others to have that peace too? How would you describe it to them? How might they resist the invitation?
Can you think of any situations at this moment where you need to be a peacemaker? Is that with someone in your own life (family, friends, classmates etc) or do you need to act as peacemaker on behalf of another at this time? What help do you need?
Spiritual Practice for the week
Take some time to invite God into areas of your life where there is no peace. Practice moments of silence where you ask the Holy Spirit to speak to these areas and submit to what you feel the Lord is leading you to do. Share this next week in your core group but keep submitting and confessing until you sense the peace of God.
Secondly, take time to ask God if there are any relationships in your life that need peace and you need to be the peacemaker. This can be difficult to think about and to do. Make sure you invite people in to walk with you and pray with you who can be of great benefit in this moment.