Exploring Jesus' Stance: Pacifism and Self-Defense
Our viewer Bobby was curious about the idea of Jesus being a pacifist. It’s a really good question and one that is, like many others, divided among believers with some using his preaching “of love” and forgiveness as an indicator that he is, and others pulling from other passages to show that he was not. What do you think? Whatever it is, you are free to your opinion and welcome here. Nevertheless, I do think that there are some reasonable conclusions we can draw from a contextual analysis of scripture that might aid us in our views.
So, let’s give it a whirl and begin with some principles. And the first principle is Jesus was God with us. As God, He always placed the will and holiness of His Father above all other things. He operated by His Father’s state of Holiness, and so to try and corner God into a camp of Pacifism or being Hawkish is to overstep our bounds. As Solomon said, to everything there is a season. That includes war-making and we can see this in the Old Testament. This backstory has to be added to the mix to be balanced and fair.
Individual Peace and National Warfare
In terms of Jesus as a human being, we only seem to get directives for peace relative to individuals and specifically individuals when they are on the Lord’s errand. In other words, His pacifistic teachings, like turn the other cheek and forgive, appear to have direct application to individuals (and not nations) and especially to those who were representing Him and the Gospel. This is not to say that he was a war-monger, but His more tender teaching all seem to be directed to individual souls who chose to follow Him as Messiah. This was especially evident when He said to Pilate, “My Kingdom is Not of this world, if it was, my servants would fight.” I interpret this to speak directly to the modus operandi of His Kingdom, and how it is not based in warfare of the flesh, and not so much to say or suggest that individual Christians are not allowed to go to war for the Nation under which they live. His Kingdom, for sure, is NOT to be known by fighters FOR that Kingdom – but still, other events lend to the idea that Jesus was not against offensive or defensive acts to protect self or country.
So while I am ADAMANTLY opposed to Christianity itself being involved with ANY SORT OF FLESHLY WARFARE or POLITICKING or SECULAR BATTLES IN THE NAME AND CAUSE OF CHRIST (because His Kingdom is NOT of this world), I would never expect any individual who has placed their faith in Jesus to fear involvement in military or politics. That is all a personal choice.
A Personal Choice of Action
So while personally and relative to the faith, Jesus personally taught his disciples to turn the other cheek, we have to remember that in Luke’s gospel we read the following:
Luke 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
A true Pacifist would never tell his disciples to take up swords, but in context of all Jesus said, we have to admit that this insight from Luke tells us that even Jesus understood the need to defend oneself from attackers, robbers, and ner-do-wells. In summary, I suggest that Jesus, when it came to being a Christian, was all about people forgiving, turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, and the like. But when it came to being a citizen of the world, living in flesh, he was not opposed to people protecting themselves, and dealing justly with attack. In terms of nations going to war, again, I do not believe that this was ever a worry of his for his believers. We render to Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is God’s. But like everything, I suggest that the ultimate decision lies in the hands and heart of each individual believer, to decide when to turn the other cheek, and when to take up arms.
