Matthew 5:9 is the seventh of the Beatitudes that open the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3–12). These declarations of blessing set the ethical and spiritual tone for Jesus’ teaching, describing the character of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven. In this verse, Jesus praises not passive peace-lovers but active peace-makers. The promise attached — that they will be called “sons of God” — is profound both theologically and eschatologically.
Structural Analysis
μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί,
ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ κληθήσονται.
The verse follows the typical Beatitude structure: μακάριοι (“blessed”) introduces the group, followed by the reason ὅτι… (“because…”). The nominative plural subject οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί is marked for emphasis. The future passive verb κληθήσονται (“shall be called”) forms the predicate of the result clause.
Semantic Nuances
μακάριοι means more than “happy.” It connotes divine favor, well-being, and the condition of those who are truly flourishing under God’s rule. In the LXX and Jewish wisdom literature, it often designates those who live righteously (cf. Psalm 1:1).
εἰρηνοποιοί is a compound noun from εἰρήνη (peace) and ποιέω (to make). It does not describe those who merely value peace, but those who actively create it — mediators, reconcilers, bridge-builders. This word appears rarely in Greek literature and is distinctive in the NT.
υἱοὶ Θεοῦ — “sons of God” — is a title of high status. In Semitic thought, to be called a “son of” something means to reflect its nature. Thus, peacemakers are declared to resemble God’s own character.
κληθήσονται (future passive of καλέω) — “they shall be called” — implies public recognition. In Jewish eschatology, divine judgment and vindication often include naming or identification (cf. Isaiah 56:5).
Syntactical Insight
The subject οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί is in the nominative plural and functions as the antecedent of αὐτοί, which is placed emphatically in the result clause. The passive verb κληθήσονται shifts attention from their action to God’s response: divine acknowledgment.
The future tense of κληθήσονται suggests eschatological fulfillment. It is not merely that they are called sons of God now, but that they will be so called in the age to come — in the public declaration of God’s kingdom.
Historical and Cultural Background
In a world shaped by Roman imperialism, which maintained “peace” through violence and coercion (pax Romana), Jesus’ commendation of peacemakers was radical. It challenged both the political status quo and religious exclusivism. In Jewish tradition, peace (shalom) is more than the absence of conflict — it is wholeness, right relationship, and harmony with God and neighbor.
To be called a “son of God” also carried deep resonance in Jewish apocalyptic hope — anticipating the vindication of the righteous and their visible status as God’s children (cf. Wisdom 5:5).
Intertextuality
- Romans 8:14: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
- James 3:18: “A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
- Isaiah 52:7: “How beautiful… are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace…”
These passages confirm that peace-making is both a moral action and a theological identity — it reflects God’s own mission.
Hermeneutical Reflection
Matthew 5:9 teaches that reconciliation is not optional for the disciple — it is central to the identity of God’s children. The Greek term εἰρηνοποιοί implies initiative, effort, and sometimes risk. In a world of division, this Beatitude calls for people who mirror God’s reconciling heart. The future passive κληθήσονται reminds us that God himself will name and vindicate such persons as his own.
The Grammar of Reconciliation
In Matthew 5:9, Greek grammar carries a divine promise: those who make peace (not just admire it) will be called sons of God. The passive voice emphasizes divine action. The future tense points toward final recognition. And the compound noun εἰρηνοποιοί challenges us not to wait for peace, but to pursue and produce it. Peacemaking is not weakness — it is godlikeness.
