Texts in Conversation
Jesus in Matthew and Rabbinic tradition in Pirkei Avot highlight the importance of peacemaking. Both traditions similarly interpret the Hebrew Bible, such as Proverbs and Psalms, to show that those who work for peace are close to God.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Matthew 5:9
New Testament
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.
Pirkei Avot 1:12
Mishnah
Rabbinic
9 Shimon ben Shetach used to say: be thorough in the interrogation of witnesses, and be careful with your words, or they may learn from your words how to lie. 10 Shemaiah and Abtalion received the oral tradition from them. Shemaiah used to say: love work, hate lording it over others, and do not seek the attention of the ruling authority. 11 Abtalion used to say: Sages, be careful with your words, or you may incur the penalty of exile and be carried off to a place of evil waters, and the disciples who follow you will drink and die, and thus the name of Heaven will be profaned. 12 Hillel and Shammai received the oral tradition from them. Hillel used to say: be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving mankind and drawing them close to the Torah. 13 He also used to say: one who makes his name great causes his name to be destroyed; one who does not add to his knowledge causes it to cease; one who does not study the Torah deserves death; and one who makes unworthy use of the crown of learning will pass away.
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Notes and References
"... 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.' How should one understand 'the peacemakers'? The following texts offer assistance. Proverbs 10:10 LXX ('The one who reproves boldly is a peacemaker'); 2 Enoch 52:11 ('Blessed is the one who cultivates the love of peace'); Mishnah Abot 1:12 (Hillel said: 'Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace'); and Mishnah Peah 1:1 ('These are things whose fruits one enjoys in this world while the capital is laid up for him in the world to come: ... making peace between a man and his fellow') express sentiments that are similar to those found in Romans 12:18, 1 Corinthians 7:15, and Hebrews 12:14 ..."
Talbert, Charles H.
Reading the Sermon on the Mount: Character Formation and Decision Making in Matthew 5-7
(p. 53) University of South Carolina Press, 2004
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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