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.
If my memory serves me correctly, doesn't Revelations indicate that when jesus returns there will be the Judgement of Nations and all those that have cursed Israel will be destroyed ??
If this is correct then the answer to the question, 'Who would Jesus bomb ?' would be practically every country in the Middle East, along with Germany and Russia.
Or do I have this wrong...?
I can't think of anything to say but I don't care who you are, that's funny!
"Vengence is mine, saith the Lord!"
I fully support the WOT, and I am a believer in Jesus Christ. Christ's message and his example were pacifist. He preached to turn the other cheek, and early Christians were indeed extremely pacifistic.
Do you really want to turn Christ's example into an image of Jesus joining the armed forces, shooting the enemy and blowing things up? We are talking about God Himself here, do you really think He would come down here and join any army??
I'm 100% behind the army, but I can recognize that my Supreme Being adheres to an extremely higher standard than man's behevior on this Earth.
Chasing some merchants out of the Temple is a far cry from engaging in warfare. Christ is a God of love and peace, and being perfect he does not have to partake in the follies of mankind.
brownsfan: ...As a young man, I had the makeup that would have allowed me to fight
Syncro: I can't think of anything to say but I don't care who you are, that's funny!
You are one sick and twisted freak! (The makeup was tastefully done... and the shoes matched the handbag).
bttt
Do I really have to list all of the examples of God Himself fighting on behalf of His people?
Another point... Jesus Himself spoke of the legions of angels in Heaven. Surely they aren't just for community service and minor policing actions...
Whenever someone says "Who would Jesus bomb" I always reply, Jesus uses a sword.
"He preached to turn the other cheek, and early Christians were indeed extremely pacifistic."
Everything has a purpose. The pacifism could be something that barbaric people needed as an example. A way to show barbarians there is more to life then power and bloodshed?
I believe God is a loving God. And I also believe God's true nature is a bit beyond our grasp. But if God were 100% pacifist at all times, why would He create a world where most animals need to kill to live? Why would He create an enemy as vile as muslims?
>>The Christian Churches may support war as justifiable under certain circumstances, but to try and turn Jesus into a supporter of war strikes me as the profanest use of the words of God Almighty.<,
I sort of agree, except Jesus is God and God most definitely supported war and even punished the Israelites for allowing some of their enemies to live.
I think the biggest thing we all overlook on this thing is that the preservation of this physical life is not the goal of Christianity. The spiritual man contemplates things spiritual.
That is why a spiritual man would value honor more than life itself, while the "natural" man values the preservation of the temporary earthly shell in which he dwells as the ultimate goal, and sees the killing of another as the ultimate sin. Of course, if this life is all one thinks there is, how could one feel any differently
Hoorah!
Imagine in the parable if the Good Samaratan came along a bit earlier when the robbers were beating the man near to death. Wouldn't it have been the Good Samaratan's obligation to stop the robbers? Didn't Jesus also say that no greater love has a man than if he will lay down his life for his friends?
Good point. He just might use a meteor the size of Philadelphia to do it too...
1 An assumption that the "legions" of angels were organized for warfare??? Come now.
2 The idea that Jesus needed to tell his contemporaries to turn the other cheek because they were "barbarians", but we "more sophisticated" folks he would tell to use tanks, flamethrowers, etc?? I think not.
3 Yes, in the Old testament God did direct wars. He has not done so since. I'll leave it up to Him to decide when He is going to launch one again.
There really is no point trying to twist Jesus' life into a support for modern warfare. We live in this imperfect world, and we try to do what is right, including at times aggressive self defense against tyrants. I'd like to think Jesus understands, but I can't claim he was cheerleading war. Jesus was perfect, his message for us is more perfect than today's headlines.
parabellum.....I thought that any handgun that was designed for use by military was referred to as "parabellum"........
St. Michael the Archangel
That's my job!
LOL
It's good to see you were properly prepared for battle and fought the good fight.
I kinda doubt that second part..........
I kinda doubt that second part..........
I agree.
Striking the cheek refers to a ritual act of challenging an adversary to a duel. Turning the other cheek was an insult to the challenger since the opposite hand holding the sword would have been required for the second slap.
*
"Who would Jesus bomb?"
Liberals, obviously.
I think the more relevant question to ask these days is, who would Mohammad (MHRIH) bomb?
Yup... live for nothing as a coward.
"Yup... live for nothing as a coward." = liberal
Also, just wondering, is that a photograph of Michael the ArchAngel with a sword and shield and his foot on a demon's throat?
OK, so for some of you God is right down here rooting for the killing in war, and Jesus spent his time on Earth preaching kung fu fighting tactics.
Also, "bring them before me and kill them"///Luke 19:26/27?
Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
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