Jesus declares, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’

The English wording can sound rather sentimental.

‘Blessed’ translates the Greek makarios, which in turn translates the Aramaic ashray (from the verb yashar), which Jesus would have used. Elias Chacour the Palestinian Melkite Archbishop of Galilee whose mother tongue is Aramaic, says the word means ‘to set yourself up on the right way for the right goal; to turn around, repent; to become straight or righteous’.

What Jesus is actually saying is: Get up, go ahead, do something, move, you peacemakers, for you shall be called the children of God. ‘Get involved! Get your hands dirty!’ Only in the activism of peacemaking will you find the true joy and blessings of shalom. 

Noel Moules from his forthcoming book ‘Fingerprints of Fire, Footprints Of Peace’.