Peacemakers

 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of god”, is a verse from the book of mark in the bible.

This verse continually pops up in my head, for various reasons. But one of the main reasons is a situational context that never fails to remind me of the contra dictional and hypocritical nature of christianity.

Around the age of 11, I was really trying to understand my environment, find my place in it, and begin to build a network of familiars that would stay with me through my life. It wasn’t a conscious effort, it’s simply a part of growing older.

During this time I read the bible numerous times, found many holes in stories, drastic contradictions, outright reversals in doctrine, and teachings that I could find no reference to.

My father was a preacher. One of the aspects of that job was to do research. To look up translations from Greek to English, and the adaptations and substitutions as the english language changed over the years. Another aspect of that research was to try to make sense of certain things.

He told me once that it was his duty to use his knowledge to help regular people understand what the bible meant. So I thought he could help me, I was very wrong in that. But not entirely.
What I was wrong about was he didn’t want to help anyone understand the bible better, most preachers don’t. What they want is people to accept what they say, and their authority. When that authority is questioned, they flip out. Nearly every preacher or priest does that, some are just more subtle than others.
One thing my father always preached about to show jesus to be all knowing, was him sitting in the temple at the age of 12. These verses mainly.

“[46] After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. [47] Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. [48] When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

[49] “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” [50] But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

[51] Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. [52] And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. ”
If jesus knew all this as to amaze TEACHERS at the age of 12, would he not know that being a peacemaker he would be called a son of god?
Like this right here.

Ye have heard that it hath been said , Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do . He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

The Jews answered him, saying , For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said , Ye are gods?

If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came , and the scripture cannot be broken

Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified , and sent into the world , Thou blasphemest ; because I said , I am the Son of God?

If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

But if I do , though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know , and believe , that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen : that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed , neither shall there be after me.

I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour .

I have declared , and have saved , and I have shewed , when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God

Now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard FROM GOD

Countless examples of jesus following and reiterating the jewish laws and ways to jews who apparently didn’t know their own beliefs. He called himself a son of god AND a son of man. Because he was only a man, born of a man and woman, but he devoted his life to being a peacemaker, and in their laws and ways, that would make him a son of god.

It’s like an Elder seeing a good person and adopting them to their family, calling them their son or daughter. They are not saying this person came from me, they are saying this person is in my heart like my own blood.

For the jews it is obvious if you read these verses they saw god as ultimately a peacemaker, and the living that chose the life of a peacemaker were taken into the heart of god as his own children.