Posted on 06/29/2006 12:17:31 PM PDT by rface
Dear Editor, the Tribune:
As a veteran and Marine parent, I ignore his ilk. But as a pastor, I sometimes find it necessary to respond to those who flagrantly misuse the Bible to support their biases.
Conservative Bible scholars view Jesus as an eternally co-existent member of the Trinity. Therefore, Jesus participated in destroying Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 and threatened Nineveh with the same in Jonah 3.
King David, a soldier acclaimed for killing tens of thousands, wrote, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me." As a warrior, he experienced the shadowy valley of death frequently.
Jesus honored a Roman soldier in Matthew 8:10 as having greater faith than even his own disciples, rather than recommending he lay down his sword, as you do.
Fortunately for you and me, this same Jesus is a loving God who "is not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance." Therefore, it’s highly unlikely Jesus will bomb you, and thanks to our brave men and women in uniform, neither will Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and our enemies.
"The purpose of all wars ... is peace."
- Saint Augustine
Philip Dooley, pastor
Open Door Church
Highway 63 South
Jesus said, "Sell your cloak and buy a sword." He wasn't talking about going hunting..........
and when people defiled the temple.. he didn't go around on a multicultural streak.. he lashed them out of the temple.. LOL
Luke 22:36 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
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.
Sell your cloak and buy a sword
__________
naked swordplay sounds a bit dangerous.
As I recall, he went on a rampage turning over the moneychangers' tables and animal sellers cages............all the while using a whip of some sort...........
Just the cloak, not the underwear........
"The purpose of all wars ... is peace."
- Saint Augustine
"If you want peace, prepare for war."
- Julius Caesar
When someone slaps you on the cheek, turn the other cheek.
When someone takes your child and threatens to cut his throat, do you turn the other cheek? No, you do whatever you can to prevent it from happening and then you do whatever you can to prevent it from happening to anyone else.
Evil is like a fire. Sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire. The difference in such cases is whether you enjoy using fire to destroy anything other than fire.
Back then the cloak WAS the underwear.... :-)
I'm glad you cleared that up for me :)
ping
This is an interesting topic to me.
Man was made by God, and given a warrior nature. (A nature currently being corrupted by feminists).
As a young man, I had the makeup that would have allowed me to fight. But, I didn't quite grasp what it all meant.
From the vantage point of being nearly 50, I realize that there are far worse things that can happen to a man then to die in battle for a cause.
Bump that!
Jesus' final words make it clear that circumstances are changing. Opposition to the disciples is rising. Where before Jesus had sent them out empty-handed yet they were provided for (9:1-6; 10:3-4), now they will have to take provisions and protection for their travel. They will have to procure a sword. Scripture such as Isaiah 53:12 is finding its fulfillment in Jesus. Jesus is rejected; he is numbered with the transgressors.
The disciples take Jesus' remarks literally and incorrectly. They note that they have two swords, but Jesus cuts off the discussion. Something is not right, but it is too late to discuss it. As the arrest will show, they have misunderstood. They draw swords then, but Jesus stops their defense in its tracks. He is not telling them to buy swords to wield in physical battle. They will have to provide for themselves and fend for themselves, but not through the shedding of blood. They are being drawn into a great cosmic struggle, and they must fight with spiritual swords and resources. The purchase of swords serves only to picture this coming battle. This fight requires special weapons (Eph 6:10-18).
The Greek word for "slap" amounted to "irritation", "annoy", "bug" - provocative, but not severe.
No, he intended swords not to be concealed weapons.
bump
I have heard that due to customs at the time, you could only slap someone with one hand, can't remember which. If you were to turn the other cheek, it would be impossible to strike you again.....With this understanding, turn the other cheek means to end the conflict, but not in manner which you are walked all over.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.