Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 5:3-12
Matthew 5:3-2 Kings : . The Beatitudes ( cf. Luke 6:20-Isaiah :).— These nine sayings (eight if we reckon Matthew 5:10-2 Kings : as one, or regard Matthew 5:11 f. as having originally stood elsewhere; seven if we omit Matthew 5:5) have analogies in OT ( e.g. Psalms 1:1; Psalms 32:1; Psalms 89:15; Proverbs 8:32; Isaiah 32:20) and in other parts of the Gospel and NT ( e.g. Matthew 13:16, Luke 12:37, James 1:12, Revelation 14:13). Blessed connotes happy and successful prosperity. the poor... read more
Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 5:9
‘Blessed ones, the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.’ The final description in the list is of those who seek to make peace, because they have been blessed by God. God has worked within them and given them peace, contentment and wellbeing (shalom) and so they seek in the right way to reconcile people with each other and to calm troubled waters. They are peacemakers. Their great desire is that of establishing harmony among men and women by dealing with the problems that lie... read more