Matthew 5:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Blessed are the peace-makers— Blessed are the peaceable, for they shall become the children of God. With respect to the term peaceable or peace-makers [ειρηνοποιοι], it is to be noted, that in Scripture το ποιειν, to make, or do, signifies a habit of mind, with its consequent actions. So by those who do good or evil, we understand good or bad men; and when St. Paul speaks of making prayer, Philippians 1:4 he means not to cause others to pray, but to pray ourselves. So the peace here spoken of ispersonal. It is the fruit of victory after successful conquests, through divine grace, over the inbred impurity of our nature. It is the peace and tranquillity of the soul; and itis an immediate disposition for the full accomplishment of regeneration, wherein, as St. Paul speaks, we shall be renewed by knowledge after the image of the Creator. See Heylin, Suicer's Thesaurus under the word ειρηνοποιος, and the note on 2 Corinthians 3:18. Other expositors suppose, that this beatitude refers not only to those who are of a peaceable disposition, but is opposed to men of hostile and warlike minds; and therefore they paraphrase it thus: "Warriors and conquerors, the disturbers of the peace of mankind, are by no means happy in their victories, nor they who love to involve others in quarrels for their own purpose; but they are happy, who, loving peace, promote it to the utmost of their power; they shall be called the children of God. Having rendered themselves like to God, by imitating his greatest perfection, they shall be acknowledged by him as his children, and admitted to a participation of his happiness; an honour, which those who take pleasure in war, however eminent they may be for courage, shall certainly miss, though it be the aim of their ambition; because they pursue it not by the godlike disposition of diffusing happiness, but by spreading desolation anddeath among their fellow-creatures: so that, having divested themselves of the nature of God, they have no title to be called his sons."