Hill notes that peacemakers is a rarely used word in the period, and that it was most commonly used to refer to Roman Emperors who had brought peace.

[2] Davies and Allison notes that the verse can be read as supporting those who are at peace with God, but they state that most scholars believe it more likely refers to those who are reconciled with other people, a theme which recurs in Matthew.

[3] Boring believes this verse is a rejection of the proto-Zealots and a defence of why the Christian community did not participate in the First Jewish–Roman War.

The verse appears on John Marston's grave in the video game Red Dead Redemption.

This was parodied in Monty Python's Life of Brian where the crowd listening to the sermon mishears it as "blessed are the cheesemakers" and then begin to debate the meaning of the phrase.

[5] Ambrose: When you have made your inward parts clean from every spot of sin, that dissentions and contentious may not proceed from your temper, begin peace within yourself, that so you may extend it to others.

[6] Jerome: The peacemakers (pacifici) are pronounced blessed, they namely who make peace first within their own hearts, then between brethren at variance.

[6] Augustine: The peacemakers within themselves are they who having stilled all disturbances of their spirits, having subjected them to reason, have overcome their carnal desires, and become the kingdom of God.