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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Matthew 5:9 - 5:9
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9. εἰρηνοποιοί, this is the highest energy of the perfected soul that has seen God, has had the deepest insight into the divine nature and is thereby moved to do a divine work. εἰρήνη in its lower sense is the absence of dissension or difference between men, in a higher sense it is reconciliation of man with God—the peace made by Christ.
εἰρηνοποιὸς does not occur elsewhere in N.T., but εἰρηνοποιεῖν is used Col 1:20 in the latter sense, cp. also Eph 2:15, αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν … τὴν ἒχθραν … καταργήσας ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαυτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον.
υἱοὶ θεοῦ. These are most akin to the divine nature, perfect as their Father which is in heaven is perfect, Mat 5:48, cp. 1Jn 3:1, ἴδετε ποταπὴν ἀγάπην δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ἵνα τέκνα θεοῦ κληθῶμεν, καὶ ἐσμέν.
κληθήσονται. καλεῖσθαι is not merely equivalent to the substantive verb, but implies (1) prestige, as ὁ πᾶσι κλεινὸς Οἰδίπους καλούμενος, Soph. Œd. R. 8. (2) permanence in a class, τάδε γὰρ ἄλυτα κεκλήσεται, Soph. El. 230. See Jebb on the last passage and Ellendt’s Lex. sub. voc. (3) recognition by others, cp. Luk 1:76. Rom 9:26. Jam 2:23.