Every time some conservative group protests something and talks about guns and Jesus with a sign or words or anything else there will always be some ignorant liberal who will espouse their ignorance of Jesus by saying Christians should be bringing guns to protests because it insights violence and Jesus was non-violent.
I wouldn't mind so much if these people didn't have some politically correct axe to grind with an edited politically correct Jesus but I think they are missing a few points from Jesus life itself.
1. John the Baptist when addressing soldiers tells them to be content with their wages but never tells them to give up soldiering -- Jesus never refutes this. (Luke 3:14)
2. Jesus, not once but twice, drives out the money changers and their garbage from the temple and on both occasions created a weapon to do so. (John 2:13-25; Mark 11:15-18; Matthew 21:12-17)
3. Jesus himself said that he had not come to ring peace but a sword. (Matthew 10:34-39)
4. The reason two swords were at the garden in the end was at his request (Luke 22:36-38) -- I don't think Jesus had trouble with carrying weapons.
5. One ultimate thing -- if Jesus is a pacifist and would never hurt a fly, who then is represented in Revelation 19 where the king of kings slaughters his enemies and leaves blood standing that is bridle deep?
One other point, Jesus is the same God (If you beleive the Trinity) that in the Old Testament ordered the Israelites to war and genocide. Odd thing for a pacifist.
There is nothing in Jesus teaching that indicates pacifism. Great restraint and self control maybe in the face of personal insult is taught, but in matters of life and death Jesus is actually quite silent. Maybe he expects the rest of the Word that he inspired to speak for him.
One message to the gun control people -- make your argument but would you please stop using Jesus. The Jesus you believe in has been edited and watered down to fit your beliefs -- He is not the Jesus of Scripture because you are leaving a few things out.
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that was awesome I loved it, next time I see you a high five is sooooo in order! lol no but for real its so true!
ReplyDeleteGreat points. The money changer incident happened twice, or was only recorded twice?
ReplyDeletePaula,
ReplyDeleteThe majority opinion is that John 2 is a very early time when Jesus cleared the temple on the first Passover during his ministry. It seems he does it again the last week of his ministry as well. The accounts are very different and appear in very different places depending on whether you are reading John or the other gospels. My belief is that Jesus did it at least twice and possibly becasue of this every time he went ot Jerusalem.