On War and Peace
War is the way of the world. Jesus is the way of peace. God at times in the Old Testament waged war, but only God can wage righteous war. Human beings, whether they are kings, generals, presidents or revolutionists, cannot wage righteous war unless commanded by God like the Hebrews were in the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, God does not allow David to build his temple because he had been a warrior. Instead, God gives that task to Solomon, who lived in peace his entire reign. Thus, we get a hint from this that God prefers people to live in peace, rather than engage in war. The Bible is a gradual revelation of God and by the time of the prophets, we find phrases like the following:
‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” — Isaiah 2–4
By this we know it is God’s will that humanity lives in peace. The Old Testament law says “an eye for an eye”; this was in the Age of Law. But Jesus says, “love your enemies” and “turn the other cheek”. After the birth Jesus, we now live in the Age of Grace; like Paul teaches several times, followers of Jesus are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14, Galatians 5:18, Colossians 2:14).
In Matthew 26:52, Jesus tells Peter to put his sword away. This in itself would only apply to Peter. But Jesus adds in the same sentence, “for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Thus, this applies to everyone. After this command by Jesus, there is no record of a single follower of Jesus in the New Testament resorting to war or other violence, even though they were severely persecuted beyond what most people ever are.
In the New Testament, until a future war in Armageddon, we find the following:
“If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.” — Revelation 9–10
This is both anti-slavery and anti-war. When Jesus says, “everyone who has an ear, let them hear”, what follows is of particular importance.
“But Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.’” — Matthew 26:52
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” — Ephesians 6:12
In Luke 22:36, Jesus says: “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.” But Jesus adds in verse 38 that two swords are “enough” for a group of at least 12 people. Here Jesus cautiously allows for self-defense; what group of 12 soldiers ever go to war with only two swords?
Many use this as an excuse to justify war, while ignoring the rest quoted above. But the New Testament must be taken in context to be accurate in one’s conclusion. Self-defense is about protecting one’s physical being. War is about the protection and taking of property; including land, jewels, art, gold and other forms of wealth. There is a clear difference.
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