Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

Does following Jesus mean rejecting all violence, always? Scripture provides compelling answers on this topic — one of the toughest ethical questions facing believers in a broken world.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor from Germany who was executed by the Nazis for his role in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

Bonhoeffer’s life — depicted in the recent Angel Studios film Bonhoeffer (2024) — poses an intriguing question for Christians: namely, is violence ever justified?

Clearly, Bonhoeffer thought so. But what of the passages in Scripture that apparently teach pacifism?

The clearest of these come from the lips of Jesus Himself. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when Peter drew his sword and struck off the ear of the high priest’s servant, we read in Matthew 26:52, “‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.’”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus likewise famously taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” (Matthew 5:38-39).

Indeed, we could compile quite a list of other “pacifist” passages, including:

• “Blessed are the peacemakers…” (Matthew 5:9)
• “Love your enemies…” (Matthew 5:43-44)
• “Do not take revenge…” (Romans 12:17-21)
• “Do not repay evil with evil…” (1 Peter 3:9)
• “Live in peace with everyone…” (Hebrews 12:14)

Thus, at first glance, the matter appears to be settled: violence is never an appropriate response for a follower of Christ.

Biblical Justifications for Violence?

But not so fast. Jesus used physical force to clear the temple of moneychangers (John 2:14-16). He gave a deadly warning to those who would harm “little ones” (Matthew 18:6). He also told his disciples to buy swords, which at least implies that he condoned self-defence (Luke 22:36).

Other New Testament writers taught that rulers “bear the sword” as God’s agents for justice (Romans 13:4); warned that any man who fails to provide (and by implication, provide protection) for his family is “worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8); and depicted Jesus at His return waging war on His enemies (Revelation 19:11-15).

Of course, the Old Testament also calls God a “warrior” (Exodus 15:3), and urges God’s people to rescue “the weak and the fatherless” from “the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3-4), and “defend the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17).

So which is it?

By harmonising these two sets of Scriptures, I believe the position we come to is that there are certain limited circumstances where violence is okay, and possibly even the best course of action — not because violence is good, but due to the reality that we live in a broken world.

The Problem With Christian Pacifism

Take a look at John 18:11 for how Jesus Himself strikes a balance on this contentious topic.

There, he says to Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

Christ is eschewing violence in this instance, and pointing to Calvary as the real solution to the world’s problems. The cup is greater than the sword. Indeed, as followers of Christ, it is far preferable that we suffer for the sake of Christ than that we inflict suffering on others.

Yet at the same time, Jesus doesn’t eschew violence altogether. He says, “Put your sword away!” — not, “Peter, why on earth are you armed with a sword?”

There’s a big difference.

Jesus didn’t take issue with the fact that Peter was armed, but that Peter was trying to use violence in the wrong way, at the wrong time, and for the wrong reason.

To play devil’s advocate for a moment, if it is true that Jesus taught pacifism, that would mean Christians can’t serve in the armed forces, we shouldn’t celebrate holidays like Anzac Day, and a Christian husband or father couldn’t defend his wife or children against a violent home invader.

There are few willing to concede on all of these points — but that is the stance that must be upheld if Christ really taught pacifism.

Which is why, throughout history, the majority Christian position on this topic is not pacifism. Rather, the majority of Christians have held that violence is justified in a narrow set of extenuating circumstances — namely, self defence, defending the defenceless, and defending one’s nation against oppressive regimes.

Hence Bonhoeffer.

Waging War in God’s Name?

One last clarification should be made on this topic. While Christians are justified in using violence in certain, limited circumstances, doing so in the name of Christ or on God’s behalf is an error to be avoided.

At the risk of repetition, violence is sometimes necessary — but not because violence is good or an expression of God’s will. On the contrary, when violence is justified, it’s due to the sad reality that this world is evil and broken, and all other options have been exhausted.

Put simply, God’s kingdom is never advanced by force or violence.

That’s what Peter misunderstood in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Later in the same chapter of John, Jesus famously tells Pontius Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” It is Jesus’ declaration that, in the kingdoms of this world, wars will be fought and nations will rise and fall, but none of that puts Him on His throne and none of it could ever shake Jesus from His throne.

Jesus is King and he will always be king over the entire universe.

Not By Force, But By Faith

Does this mean that Christians should be passive? By no means.

Jesus didn’t teach pacifism, and He also didn’t teach passivity.

When we look at the life of Jesus and the lives of His followers, we don’t see passivity. We don’t see people who avoid conflict at all costs, who never give offence, or who refuse to stand up to injustice.

What we do see is men and women who took the gospel to hostile places, who spoke the truth and stood for what was right no matter the cost, who challenged corrupt systems, and who protected the vulnerable even at great personal risk.

Today, we live in very peaceful neighbourhoods and a civilisation full of comforts. So it’s very easy for us to misinterpret the words of Jesus here and think he’s encouraging pacifism or passivity.

Jesus taught meekness, but he didn’t teach weakness.

And again, to be clear, Jesus taught that His kingdom does not advance by violence.

So, if God’s kingdom is not advanced by physical force, how is it advanced? The answer to this question is all through the Bible, and in the book of Acts especially.

There we see God’s kingdom advancing through the preaching of the gospel, through prayer, through worship, through persuasion, through advocacy, through spiritual warfare, through acts of sacrificial love, through apologetics, and we could list many more examples besides.

In a word, God’s kingdom advances not by force, but by faith.

Or as God says Zechariah 4:6 — “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.”

___

Image courtesy of Unsplash.