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Jesus is depicted casting out the money changers |
This is in response to John Whitehead's Aug. 15 op-ed about President Obama's faith and Jesus' teaching ["Obama belies the teaching 'blessed are the peacemakers'"].
Mr. Whitehead should read all of the Bible instead of separating the words of Jesus from the larger narrative of Scripture.
Jesus claimed to be God the Son, a person of the Godhead, or Trinity. The historical Christian understanding of this reality carries the implication that Jesus was in perfect agreement with His Father when He gave orders for His old covenant people (Israel) to go to war, and instituted stoning as a just punishment for particular crimes, and revealed to the Apostle Paul that it pleases Him for civil governments to carry out the death penalty.
Jesus taught nothing in contradiction to the Old Testament or the Apostles. He came to fulfill, not abolish. Jesus did not teach non-violence in all aspects of life. He has not told us not to defend our families when they are attacked, or our borders when they are threatened. He has told us as His church to, as much as it depends on us, live at peace with all people, and to be peacemakers between men and God by proclaiming the gospel that brings the two together.
To apply the principles given in the Sermon on the Mount (blessed are the peacemakers) to the civil realm is not altogether to honor Jesus' words. He was not speaking to governments, but to His followers.
Interestingly, following the verse where Jesus teaches peacemaking (Matthew 5:9), He blesses those who choose to suffer rather than make peace when making peace violates His law of righteousness.
There is plenty in the Scriptures for our government to chew on in regard to policy making. And certainly it should adopt the values of Jesus. But following Jesus does not equal pacifism.
For those who don't believe that, meditate on Revelation 6 describing "the wrath of the Lamb" and "consider both the kindness and severity of God."
Brent Martin
Stafford
