Kethuvim

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." - How can we be peacemakers and condone violence?  And don't try and use the argument that war brings about peace.  If that was true, then there wouldn't have been a WWII.  WWI would have worked and true peace would have been achieved.  More on this in a minute.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth.'  But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.  If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also."- The OT law stated that it was legal to take an eye for an eye, etc.  The thing about this law was that it was designed to be prohibitive.  It was set up so that if someone stole your goat, you couldn't cut their head off.  However, this is all made irrelevant by Jesus' words.  He's essentially telling us not to seek vengeance.  This passage about turning the other cheek is one that has caused great debate among Christians for years in this country.  I've heard on a number of occasions someone say that he didn't really mean it literally.  Let me tell you why he meant it literally.

In Jesus' final hours, there are a number of different incidents which show Jesus' seriousness on this point.  When Jesus is being arrested, one of his followers draws a sword and lops off the ear of one of Jesus' captors.  Jesus' says this to his follower, "Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"  Jesus' point of living by the sword and dying by it is another way of saying that violence only begets more violence.  The idea that violence can bring about true and lasting peace is ridiculous.  Look at history and the fact that a war has been going on since the beginning of time (and yes, some of those in the name of Jesus himself).  So my question is, where's all of the peace?  If violence and war achieved peace, why does there seem to be so little peace in the world?  The word "legions" in that passage also lends itself to a pacifistic ideal.  The legion was a unit of Roman soldiers.  He is saying that he could very well use violent and military means to save himself, but he refused. 

After Jesus is arrested, he sits before the ruling counsel and listens while they bring all sorts of false accusations against him.  The text says that they were mocking him, spitting on him, striking him with their fists, and slapping him.  Jesus' reaction?  Nothing.   

I've thought a great deal about what would happen were my kids to get beat up at school when they are older.  The reality is that Jesus wouldn't fight back with conventional violent means.  If I'm going to raise my kids in the ways of Jesus, I have to tell them to not fight back and to turn the other cheek.  It doesn't thrill me to think of my boys getting the crap beat out of them, but Jesus' way of life is the better way, and I must trust that he will take care of them.  

"You have heard that was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." - This is the final nail in the coffin of this argument.  No one can truly love someone (in the unconditional way that Jesus proposes) and hit them, beat them, or kill them.  If that is possible than we also have to say that a father who physically abuses his children does it because he loves them deeply.  No one in their right mind would claim that, so why the double standard among Christ followers?  You absolutely cannot kill someone that you love, there's no way to justify that.  

The reality is that Jesus calls his followers to a new plane of living; one that looks like utter foolishness to the world.  When the world uses force, we use the power of love and prayer.  When the world comes at us with the sword, we come back at it with the cross.  That is the way of Jesus, and it must be the way of his followers.