MATTHEW 5:1-12
enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that
were nigh” (Eph.2:14-17).

b. The person who strives at every opportunity to make peace within others. He seeks and leads others to
make their peace with God—to conquer their inner struggle, to settle their inner tension, to handle their
inner pressure.

“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith
one may edify another” (Ro.14:19).

c. The person who strives at every opportunity to make peace between others. He works to solve disputes and
erase divisions, to reconcile differences and eliminate strife, to silence tongues and build relationships.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each es-
teem other better than themselves” (Ph.2:3).
“Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they
strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers” (2 Tim.2:14).
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach,
patient” (2 Tim.2:24).

2. The peacemaker is the person who has made peace with God (Ro.5:1), and knows the peace of God (see note—
Jn.14:27).
3. Peacemakers love peace, but they do not passively accept trouble. There are those who claim to love peace, yet they
remove themselves from all trouble. They ignore and flee problems and threatening situations, and they often evade issues.
They make no attempt to bring peace between others. The peacemaker (of whom Christ speaks) faces the trouble no matter
how dangerous, and works to bring a true peace no matter the struggle.
4. The world has its troublemakers. Practically every organization has its troublemakers, including the church. Whe-
rever the troublemaker is, there is criticism, grumbling, and murmuring; and, too often, a division within the body—a divi-
sion that is sometimes minor, sometimes major; sometimes just distasteful, sometimes outright bitter. The peacemaker cannot
stand such. He goes forth to settle the matter, solve the problem, handle the differences, and reconcile the parties.
5. The gospel of Christ is to be spread by peaceful means, not by forceful means. There are many kinds of force.
a. There is verbal force through loudness, a dominating conversation, improper sales tactics, threats, bigotry, and
abuse.
b. There is physical force through facial expressions, body motions, an overpowering presence, and attacks.

DEEPER STUDY # 9
(5:9) Children of God: see DEEPER STUDY # 2, Adoption—Gal.4:5-6; notes—Ro.8:15-17; 1 Jn.3:2.


9
(5:10-12) Persecuted: to endure suffering for Christ; to be mocked, ridiculed, criticized, ostracized; to be treated with
hostility; to be martyred. (See note—Lk.21:12-19; note 1 and DEEPER STUDY # 1—1 Pt.4:12; note—4:14.) Note several
significant points.
1. There are three major kinds of persecution mentioned by Christ in this passage:
⇒ Being reviled: verbally abused, insulted, scolded, mocked (cruel mockings, Heb.11:36).
⇒ Persecuted: hurt, ostracized, attacked, tortured, martyred, and treated hostily.
⇒ Having all manner of evil spoken against: slandered, cursed, and lied about (cp. Ps.35:11; Acts 17:6-7; cp.
“hard speeches,” that is, harsh, defiant words, Jude 15).
2. Who are the persecuted?
a. The person who lives and speaks for righteousness and is reacted against.
b. The person who lives and speaks for Christ and is reviled, persecuted, and spoken against.
3. Persecution is a paradox. It reveals that the true nature of the world is evil. Think about it: the person who lives and
speaks for righteousness is opposed and persecuted. The person who cares and works for the true love, justice, and salvation
of the world is actually fought against. How deceived is the world and its humanity to rush onward in madness for nothing
but to return to dust, to seek life only for some seventy years (if nothing happens before then)!
4. Believers are forewarned; they shall suffer persecution.
a. Believers shall suffer persecution because they are not of this world. They are called out of the world.
They are in the world, but they are not of the world. They are separated from the behavior of the world.
Therefore, the world reacts against them.

“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (Jn.15:19).

b. They shall suffer persecution because believers strip away the world’s cloak of sin. They live and
demonstrate a life of righteousness. They do not compromise with the world and its sinful behavior.
They live pure and godly lives, having nothing to do with the sinful pleasures of a corruptible world. Such
living exposes the sins of people.

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