“Blessed are the peacemakers:”
the identity of the εἰρηνοποιοί in Matthew 5,9
Keywords:
Biblical Exegesis, Beatitude, PeacemakersAbstract
Words from εἰρην-root are rare in the Gospel of Matthew. However, this does not mean that the theme of peace is a minor issue in the First Gospel. For instance, this theme is addressed in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5–7) and, more directly, in the seventh beatitude, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Mt 5, 9). The meaning of εἰρηνοποιοί/peacemakers is disputed. The fact that it is a hapax legomenon makes its interpretation even harder. The cognate verbal form εἰρηνοποιέω/peacemakers also occurs only once in the New Testament (Col 1, 20). This paper argues that the term “peacemakers” refers to people who lead others to experience a state of well-being and harmony with God as well as promote reconciliation between members in the community.
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