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February 7, 2013 |
| The Sword | ||
I attended a talk recently where we were informed that one of the ways Muslims justify their violence is by saying that the Bible is just as violent, or more, than the Koran. One statement in support of that is that is that the Bible contains the word "Sword" more than 100 times, with 35 of those in the New Testament, while the Koran does not contain it at all.
This is a true statement but we instinctively know this is a ridiculous claim. Yet, how do we defend against it? In this lesson we will look at references in the New Testament where the word "Sword" is used.
34 Think not that I have come to bring peace in the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 I have come to divide a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 36 And a man's enemies will be the members of his household.
Jesus isn't advocating violence in his use of "sword". In fact he isn't referring to a real physical sword at all. The word "sword" is a metaphor for division and discord among even those who should be closest. He is talking about the consequence of the change that he is bringing.
Judaism was a covenant with an entire people, the Israelites, and with each person individually. Christianity is a covenant with the individual only. That means the dividing line between Christians and the world can go through the middle of a family. The result can be division, bitterness, and rejection. This is what Jesus is saying
The next reference comes from Matthew 26:46-47. Jesus and his disciples are in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. Judas has betrayed Jesus and is leading a large group to arrest him. Jesus has finished his prayers and speaks to his disciples.
46 "Arise, let us go; he has arrived who betrays me." 47 While he was speaking, behold, Yehuda the traitor, one of the twelve, came and a great crowd with him, with swords and clubs from the presence of the Chief Priests and the Elders of the people.
The swords here are being brandished by the people who have come to arrest Jesus. The text doesn't support or disapprove this use of sword. The point of mentioning the swords (and clubs) at all is to show that they have taken him as though he was a dangerous person who would fight them. In fact Jesus mentions this and that they could have found him in the temple on any day.
The Bible certainly does not advocate violence here nor is it presented as an example for the reader.
The next references come from Matthew 26:51-56 (Mark 14:42-48, Luke 22:47-52, John 18:10-11) These verses come immediately after the verses above where the crowd comes to arrest Jesus. A couple disciples are carrying swords.
51 And behold, one of those who were with Yeshua reached his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of The High Priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Yeshua said to him, "Return the sword to its place, for all of those who take up swords will die by swords. 53 Do you think that I cannot ask my Father and he would raise up for me now more than twelve Legions of Angels? 54 How then would the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?" 55 At that moment Yeshua said to the crowd, "Have you come out as against a robber with swords and with clubs to seize me? I was with you every day in The Temple sitting and teaching, and you did not arrest me." 56 But this happened that the scripture of the prophets may be fulfilled; then all the disciples forsook him and fled.
One of disciples, Peter, pulls out his sword and manages to inflict a minor injury. Jesus tells him to put away the sword and says that he is God and if he wanted protection he would have more than enough.
The text does not support or disapprove of Peter's actions. It simply says, if you choose to live that way then you will die that way. It was, however, necessary for him to do what he did in order to fulfil prophecy.
The Bible certainly does not advocate violence here nor is it presented as an example for the reader.
The next reference comes from Luke 21:21-24. The disciples have asked Jesus about things to come.
20 But whenever you will see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, know then that its destruction has come near to it. 21 And let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and those who are within it escape, and those in the villages, let them not enter into it. 22 These are the days of vengeance, to fulfill everything whatsoever that has been written. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and those who nurse in those days, for there shall be great suffering in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the mouth of the sword and they shall be led captive to every region, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles will be finished.
The phrase "the mouth of the sword" means the bite or sting of the sword. Jesus uses the word "sword" here as a symbol of a future weapon that will kill the Jews.
This certainly does not support the use of violence and cannot be used to claim that the Bible is more violent than the Koran. In fact there are reasons to believe that the armies that surround Jerusalem and kill the Jews are Muslim
The next reference comes from Luke 22:35-38. Jesus is speaking with his disciples.
35 And he said to them, "When I sent you without a money bag and without wallet and shoes, did you lack anything? And they were saying to him, "Nothing!" 36 He said to them, "From this hour, whoever has a money bag should take it and thus also a wallet, and whoever lacks a sword, let him sell his tunic and buy a sword for himself. 37 For this also that is written must be fulfilled in me, 'He was numbered with the evil doers', for all that concerns me shall be fulfilled." 38 And they were saying to him, 'Our Lord, behold, here are two swords.' He said to them, 'They are enough.'
One of these two swords is likely the one Peter used in the Garden of Gethsemane in the earlier verses. The disciples have not really understood what Jesus was talking about. Jesus had sent them out some time before on their first missions. During that time they were received well by the people. Jesus is saying that all of that is about change. From now on they will be mistreated and abused because they will be associated with Jesus and hated for it.
Jesus' intent here is not that they should actually buy swords. Therefore there is no support for violence in these verses.
The next reference comes from Acts 12:1-2. The disciples, now apostles, are spreading the gospel message. Just as Jesus said in the verses above they are experiencing hardship. King Herod Agrippa has discovered that it pleases the Jews for him to persecute and kill the Christians. He needs their support to successfully govern Judea.
1 But at that time, King Herodus, who was surnamed Agrippa, was laying hands on the people who were in the churches, to do evil to them. 2 And he murdered Yaqob the brother of Yohannan with the sword.
One of the apostles has been killed by Herod.
This reference to "sword" cannot be used to say that the Bible is violent. It actually describes violence against Christians.
The next reference comes from Acts 16:25-28. Paul and Silas have been thrown in jail.
25 In the middle of the night, Paulus and Shila were praying and singing to God and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake and the foundation of the prison was shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened and their chains were all released. 27 And when the Keeper of the prison was awakened and he saw that the doors of the prison were open, he took a sword and sought to kill himself because he thought that the prisoners had escaped. 28 And Paulus called him in a loud voice and he said to him, "Do no harm to yourself, because we are all here."
The reference to "sword" here is actually the jailer planning to kill himself before the Romans do it for him for letting prisoners get away. Obviously nothing about this can be used to say the Bible supports violence.
The next reference comes from Romans 8:35-37. Paul is encouraging his readers by saying that the persecution they suffer means nothing.
35 What will separate me from the love of the Messiah: suffering, or imprisonment, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we are killed every day, and we are accounted as sheep for slaughter." 37 But in all these things we are victorious by him who has loved us.
The word "sword" is used here in a list of dangers that Paul faces. He says these things do not matter, that they have real victory through the Messiah.
Again, these verses do not support violence. They say more about the deprivation and violence that the Christians faced.
The next reference comes from Romans 13:3-5. Paul is teaching about respect for those people that God has placed in authority.
3 For judges are not a fear to the good doer, but to the wicked. Do you wish, therefore, to be unafraid of the authority? Do good, and you shall have praise from him. 4 For he is the Minister of God to you for good. But if you have done evil, be afraid, for he does not wear the sword for nothing, for he is the Minister of God and a furious avenger to those who do evil. 5 Therefore it is urgent for us to be subject, not for the sake of wrath only, but also for the sake of conscience.
In this case "sword" is used only as a symbol of authority and justice. The message is that those who break the law can expect the full force of the law against them. But those who obey the law, as Christians should, do not fear the law.
This cannot be used to say that the Bible encourages or supports violence either. Instead what Paul seeks is a reduction in violence by conforming to those God has place in authority.
The next reference comes from Ephesians 6:13-17. Paul is using the image of the equipment of a Roman soldier as the basis for teaching the reader to be prepared for battle
13 Because of this, put on all the armor of God that you shall be able to confront the evil One, and when you are ready in all things, you shall stand. 14 Stand therefore and gird your waist with the truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 And shoe your feet with the readiness of The Gospel of peace, 16 And with these, take to you the shield of faith, that with it you may have the power to quench all of the blazing bolts of the evil one. 17 Put on the helmet of salvation and grasp the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
While at first it might seem that these verses might be supporting violence, the battle this soldier is preparing for is a spiritual battle. Righteousness doesn't protect a physical body from physical arrows.
Most of what Paul describes is defensive. The only offensive weapon is the sword and that is symbolized by the Holy Spirit. The message is that the Holy Spirit will cut the people to pieces, by convicting them of the things they have done wrong.
So, once again, the Bible is not supporting violence at all.
The next reference to "sword" comes from Hebrews 4:11-13. The author of Hebrews is reminding the readers to strive to enter into God's rest - that eternal rest.
11 Let us take pains, therefore, to enter that rest, lest we fall in the manner of those who were not persuaded. 12 For the word of God is living and all-efficient, and much sharper than a double edged sword, and it pierces to the separation of soul and spirit and of joints, marrow and of bones, and judges the reasoning and conscience of the heart. 13 And there is no created thing hidden from before him, but everything is naked and open before the eyes of him to whom we give an account.
The point he makes with the sword is that the Word of God acts like a sword in that a sword cuts into bones and even into the marrow in the bones. But he isn't talking about the physical. His message is that the Word of God reveals the deepest reasons we do the things we do as though it was a sword cutting into bone and marrow.
Again we see the "sword" being used in a spiritual sense. Nothing about this supports violence.
The next reference comes in Hebrews 11:33-38. This is Hebrew's chapter on faith saying "By faith, …". The author is summarizing the lives of the major characters of the Bible using the faith they demonstrated.
33 Those who by faith conquered kingdoms and wrought justice, received promises and shut the mouths of lions; 34 They quenched the power of fire, were delivered from the edge of the sword, were strengthened out of weakness, became strong in battle and overturned enemy camps. 35 And they gave women their children by resurrection of the dead, and others died by torture and did not expect to be delivered, that they would have a better resurrection; 36 Others entered mockings and scourgings; others were handed over to chains and to prison cells; 37 Others were stoned; others were sawn in half; others died by the edge of the sword; others traveled wearing skins of sheep and of goats, and were needy, afflicted and beaten; 38 Persons of whom the world was not worthy; and they were as wanderers in desert places and in mountains and in caves and caverns of the Earth.
As the author closes he says that all these people suffered immensely at the hands of the world because they were not of the world. He will go on to say they endured this because they were waiting for the fulfilment of the promise of a better place to live.
Once again these verses cannot be said to support violence. The violence described is being done to Jews.
The next references to "sword" are in Revelation 2:12-16. This is the message to one of the seven churches of Asia Minor, now Turkey.
12 And to The Messenger who is in the assembly of Pergamum, write: 'Thus says he who has the sharp sword of two edges. 13 I know where you dwell: the place of Satan's throne, and you keep my name and have not denied my faith, and in the days when you and my faithful witness contended for the sake of all my faithful witnesses, he was murdered among you.' 14 But I have a few things against you, for you have there those who hold the doctrine of the Balaam, him who taught Balaq to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat sacrifices of idols and to commit fornication. 15 So you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Naqolaytans, likewise. 16 Repent therefore, or else I shall come upon you at once, and I shall make war with them with the sword of my mouth."
The message here is a warning to this church that they need to clean up their act a bit or Jesus will send his sword against them. It isn't a physical sword that he is talking about, though. It is the "sword of my mouth", which is a clever way of saying that there are going to be some harsh words said to them that they won't want to hear.
Again, this is not supporting violence … unless it is violence to say things to people they need to hear and will make them better.
This reference comes from Revelation 6:3-4,7-8. The book of Revelation uses things we know as symbolic descriptions of other things.
3 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second Beast which said, "Come." 4 And a red horse went out, and to him who sat upon it was given to take peace from the Earth and to kill each one, and a great sword was given to him.
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of a Beast saying, "Come." 8 And I saw a pale horse, and the name of him who sat upon it was Death, and Sheol joined him and authority was given to him over a fourth of Earth to kill with the sword, with starvation, with Death, and by the animals of Earth.
In our time a sword is not considered a weapon of war but here it symbolizes conquest and conquering and not particular weapons. Therefore it does represent real death and violence. But these verses are describing the major ideologies that will come into play leading up to the end-times. In a sense they are like a newspaper description of events - only a description and without direction
Therefore these also do not support violence and are just a record of it.
The next references are from Revelation 13:8-10. The text of Revelation is describing the response of the people to the beast.
8 And all the inhabitants of Earth will worship it, those who are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. 9 He who has an ear, let him hear. 10 Whoever leads into captivity goes into captivity and those who murder with the sword will be killed with the sword. Here is faith and the endurance of The Holy Ones.
The world will love the beast and worship it; the Christians … not so much. These verses are a warning that there is something they need to think about here. If they fight against this beast with physical violence (murder) and take captives, they will not win. They themselves will be taken captive and killed. The beast has been authorized to do all these things for a period of time.
These verses are essentially the same as what Jesus said above "for all of those who take up swords will die by swords". The message is the same, Rome was given a time to rule and they would not be defeated until that time was up. Israel did not understand this and fought the Romans frequently. In the end they lost their country.
Therefore these verses are a warning against physical violence and they cannot be used to show that the Bible supports violence.
Once again the next reference comes from Revelation, from chapter 13:11-14. These verses come immediately after the verses above which described the first beast. These describe the second beast.
11 And I saw another Beast that ascended from Earth, and it had two horns and was like The Lamb and was speaking like The Dragon. 12 And it will exercise all the authority of the former Beast before it and will make The Earth and those living in it also to worship the first Beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 And it will perform great signs so as to make fire descend from Heaven on Earth before the people. 14 And it will seduce those living on Earth by the signs that were given to it to perform before the Beast, to tell the dwellers on Earth to make an image to the Beast, which had the wound by the sword and lived.
Much like the horsemen references earlier, the use of "sword" here is a symbol of conquest. The meaning is that the beast, an organization, suffered an attack that tried to conquer it but the beast survived. The purpose in saying that is to help people of that time identify the organization that is symbolized in Revelation as a beast.
Also like the horsemen references above, these are simply documentary. They do not encourage or justify violence. We don't even know who tried to conquer the beast.
The last references to "sword" comes in Revelation 19:11-15,20-21. In Revelation again we "sword" being used in a symbolic way. The event being described is the second coming when the Messiah returns to rule the Earth.
11 And I saw Heaven opened and behold, a white horse, and he who sat upon it is called trustworthy and true, and in righteousness he judges and he makes war. 12 And his eyes were like flames of fire, and many diadems were upon his head and he had the name written, which no one knew but he alone. 13 And he wore a garment soaked with blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 And the army of Heaven were joined to him on white horses and were wearing linen white and pure. 15 And sharp swords came out of their mouths by which they will kill the nations, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron and he treads the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God.
20 And the beast was captured and the false prophet with it, who did signs before it by which he seduced those who received the mark of the beast, and those who worshiped its image; and both went down and were cast into The Lake of Fire that burns also with brimstone. 21 But the rest were killed with the sword of him who sat upon the horse, by that which proceeded from his mouth, and all the birds of prey were filled with their flesh.
Because of the symbolism of Revelation it isn't exactly clear what these verses mean. We understand the symbolism of a sword coming from a mouth being words that are very harsh. It would be hard to say that they literally kill people because it also says shepherd. It also says "kill the nations" which would be more likely to mean that the concept of individual nations with their own kings is killed. This makes sense because the Messiah is returning to be the king of the whole Earth.
The second set of verses above are more likely describing the killing of people. Cloaked as it is in symbolism it isn't possible to be certain
These verses do not promote violence either. This is a special case where the Messiah is taking control and is not an example that anyone is expected to follow.
Whoever came up with this idea that the word "Sword" would be the definition of violence, was "cherry picking" to get the result he wanted. While the Koran does not have the word "Sword" it has lots of killing, and chopping off hands and fingers.
Islam has a very strict behavior code called Sharia Law. Its function in society is similar to the civil laws of Judaism but there are many more laws. Christianity views the Jewish civil laws as part of the old covenant that has been replaced. Therefore Christianity has nothing at similar.
The important difference here is that Islam applies Sharia to everyone; the Jewish civil laws were only for Jews. Therefore in Islam someone who turns away from Islam is killed. The fact that he has left the religion does not remove him from its laws. In Judaism such a person could not remain a member of the community so he was driven out of the community, if he hadn't left already. This is similar to Paul's instructions to rid the Christian church of people who will not live according to its standards.
Islam's Sharia also contains provision for extreme violence against anyone who says anything against Islam or its Prophet Mohammed.
The foundational belief and its drive is the concept that Islam will one day rule the world. This is also the prophecy within the Koran. They will achieve this with words if possible, violence if necessary. This is completely opposite Judaism, which was to be a shining city on the hill that would attract the world. It is also completely opposite of Christianity where the prophecies of the end-time indicate that there will be very few Christians alive.
In summary, violence is built into Islam and that includes application to outsiders and it has a very strong drive to achieve world domination. So the word "Sword" is not the definition or cause of violence. It is the ideas that are at the root.
It has been said that a lie can travel around the world before the truth gets out of the starting blocks. Lies are very easy to tell but they are much more difficult to refute. That was certainly the case here. That simple but tricky statement required this huge lesson to correct it
We have to be so careful how we take what we hear. Some things we are told can sound reasonable when they really are not. Some people use carefully crafted statements that sound like they make sense. As we've done here, once you look into the details you find out the statements are false.
We also need to be very careful with Islam. Deceit is a part of their belief system and many false statements are being put out by them. Unfortunately much of the world, and even some in the church, are falling for it.