- The Meaning of Peace 使人和睦之意 (5:9)
The most that man’s peace can offer is a truce, the temporary cessation of hostilities. God’s peace, however, not only stops the hostilities but settles the issues and brings the parties together in mutual love and harmony. This is what the Jewish greeting shalom means when a person wishes “peace” and expresses the desire that the one who is greeted will have all the goodness of God.
人与人之间的和睦最多是休战，也就是暂时停止攻击敌人的状态。然而，神的和睦不仅停留于此，更能解决根本问题，使双方能彼此相爱，共有和谐。这也是犹太人问候语“沙龙”（shalom）的意思，即当人以“平安”祝愿对方时，这表达了他愿另一方能拥有神一切的美好。
- The Makers of Peace 使人和睦之人 (5:9)
Our God is the God of peace (Rom. 15:33; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9) and Christians should be makers of peace to reflect the character of God. Bible says “pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). The great enemy of peace is sin. Sin separates men from God and causes disharmony and enmity and there is no peace between God and man. And men’s lack of harmony with God causes their lack of harmony with each other. Therefore, the solution is the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ (Act 10:36).
我们的神是赐平安的神（罗15:33；林后13:11；腓4:9），所以基督徒当反映神的属性，作使人和睦的人。圣经说：“你们要追求与众人和睦，并要追求圣洁；非圣洁没有人能见主。”（来12:14）和平最大的敌人就是罪。罪使人与神隔绝，并制造不和与敌意，导致神与人之间不得有平安。同时，人与神的敌意也造成了人与人之间的不和。因此，唯一的解决办法就是耶稣基督和平的福音（徒10:36）。
- The Merit of Peace 使人和睦之功 (5:9)
The merit, or result, of peacemaking is eternal blessing as God’s children in God’s kingdom. Peacemakers shall be called sons of God hence Peacemaking is a hallmark of God’s children.
建立和平的益处或结果是神国度的众子所拥有的永恒祝福。使人和睦的人必称为神的儿子，因此建立和平是神儿女的标志。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- Is peace a feeling or a fact? Most of the time, we think of the word peace we are talking about peace of mind. However, the word peace in the Bible means more than a feeling. It expresses a certainty than we are at peace with God and we have eternal blessing from God (Eph.2:14). Let us pray that we trust the Word of God rather than our feeling.
平安到底是一种感觉还是事实？多数时候，我们会想到的是安心。然而，平安这词在圣经中不仅仅是一种感觉。它表达了信心，知道自己已经与神和好，并拥有从神而来的永恒祝福（弗2:14）。让我们祈祷，叫我们相信神的话语而不是自己的感觉。
- Jesus Christ is our peace for He has broken down in His flesh the diving wall of hostility that we might reconcile us to God in one body through the cross (Eph. 2:14-16). Let us thank Jesus Christ for His salvation.
耶稣基督是我们的平安——他以自己的身体，拆毁了中间隔断的墙，借着十字架使两下合而为一，叫我们与神和好（弗2:14-16）。让我们感谢耶稣基督所赐的救恩。
- As children of God are you reflecting the character of God by being a peace maker or are you a troublemaker? Let’s pray that we are peace makers by preaching peace to those who were far off and peace to those who were near. (Eph. 2:17)
身为神的儿女，你是否反映了神的属性，作使人和平的人，或者是一个成天制造麻烦的人呢？让我们祈祷，能传和平的福音给远处的人，也给那近处的人（弗2:17）。
