Well you must understand the context of these truths,(as it relates to law and grace) God is always looking to show mercy but He is also a God of justice and judgment and there is a time for both. God gives grace to the humble and resist the proud, and those who defile the house of God bring the judgment of God upon themselves.
Scripture - Its Use And Abuse
- Thread starter PeaceLikeaRiver
- Start date
I think it comes down to who you are defending. If it is yourself, turn the other cheek. If it is other's salvation and spiritual growth, then get the cords out!
We must always consider the motive of one's heart when determining law breaking or rightness.
That is the litmus test that Jesus used when defending work on the Sabbath, among other instances.
The problem with the hitting people in the temple Jesus, aka the 'merikan Rambo Christ, is that all other scripture points to when he was confronted with a possible fight he either left or he gave himself up.
Even when Peter went old school as the officials came to arrest him he stopped Peter and put the guy's ear back on.
Now if he was a fighter would he have even come close to that? No. He said if he wanted he'd call in Mike and the boys and lay waste to the entire Mediterranean.
When it was up to the people to set free Jesus or Barabbas, they chose the latter because he was like the Macabees ready to fight the Romans. Jesus was not.
The evidence is SO vast and SO compelling that he was not there for a fight. Not violent physically.
Only Americans want a gun-toting, in your face, brawler Jesus. You ask all the other nations, they want the Prince of Peace, not the Dirty Harry of Hebrews.
Don't worry, they will get their bloodbath Jesus upon his return. But until then let's not paint him like he is Steven Seagal.
Luke 22:36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
And He said to them, “It is enough.”
He needed them to have a sword so He could show them it was not time to fight. Imagine if the disciples did not have a weapon. The guards would have taken Jesus without incident and the disciples would have gathered to find weapons and raise a quasi-army to attack Caiaphas' place and ruin the plan for Jesus' sacrifice. The sacrifice needed to happen, and the disciples needed to see that they shouldn't interfere. That was why they needed a sword and why He healed the ear. Not because of some pacifist doctrine.
The Holy Spirit inspired "there is a time for war and a time for peace." Jesus' time on earth was not to take over the Roman empire. But He was definitely not timid. He was often in the faces of the Pharisees. He had righteous anger and used incendiary comments to attack them.
Mark 3:5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
Matthew 23 (Just the name calling and accusations)
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men
14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 19 Fools and blind!
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness... but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ (Yes, not a literal sword, this time, but division of those who love and those who are selfish. He is not the Prince of Peace because he is against fighting evil, He is the Prince of Peace because he brings peace to those who love him and because He will destroy evil, in turn, leaving peace. There is no peace in the presence of evil.)
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.....50 that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
In no way was Jesus about sitting back and allowing whatever happens, happens. C'est la vie was not in any way His mantra.
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
And He said to them, “It is enough.”
He needed them to have a sword so He could show them it was not time to fight. Imagine if the disciples did not have a weapon. The guards would have taken Jesus without incident and the disciples would have gathered to find weapons and raise a quasi-army to attack Caiaphas' place and ruin the plan for Jesus' sacrifice. The sacrifice needed to happen, and the disciples needed to see that they shouldn't interfere. That was why they needed a sword and why He healed the ear. Not because of some pacifist doctrine.
The Holy Spirit inspired "there is a time for war and a time for peace." Jesus' time on earth was not to take over the Roman empire. But He was definitely not timid. He was often in the faces of the Pharisees. He had righteous anger and used incendiary comments to attack them.
Mark 3:5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
Matthew 23 (Just the name calling and accusations)
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men
14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 19 Fools and blind!
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness... but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ (Yes, not a literal sword, this time, but division of those who love and those who are selfish. He is not the Prince of Peace because he is against fighting evil, He is the Prince of Peace because he brings peace to those who love him and because He will destroy evil, in turn, leaving peace. There is no peace in the presence of evil.)
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.....50 that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
In no way was Jesus about sitting back and allowing whatever happens, happens. C'est la vie was not in any way His mantra.
good one, I'd like to see that movie made. lol