PUT UP THE SWORD by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 27, 1901

“PUT UP THE SWORD.”

By G.

THESE words of our Saviour need often to be emphasized; for the tendency of the professed church is to the use of physical force, even to the employment of carnal weapons, in defense of the faith. The proneness to imitate the world in the promulgation and defense of the Gospel, has done much to deprive the church of legitimate power. It should not be forgotten that Peter was not yet converted when he used the sword upon one of the men whom the high priest had sent to arrest Jesus.

The Lord uttered a double rebuke to this hasty, cruel, human idea of defending His cause. First, He peremptorily stopped that mode of defense, by the command to put up the sword; secondly, He used His divine healing power to remedy the evil done by this initial attempt at human defense. Had this command and this act of healing always been heeded, there never would have been any Dark Ages of persecution and death in the name of Jesus Christ. There never would have been any “holy wars” for the propagation of the Gospel. There never would have been any Inquisition, or racks, or thumbscrews, or imprisonments, or confiscation of goods in the name of Christianity.

It was befitting that such a religion as that of Mohammed, or that of the Papacy, be established by the sword; for such as these are religions of carnal force, and belong to this world. They aim to conquer this world for the material spoils, as witness all their history. But Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is My kingdom not from hence.” John 18:36. Then it is evident that any religion that is backed by the sword—which stands for the civil power of this world—is not the religion of Jesus Christ, whatever the profession may be.

To endeavor to promote Christianity by any kind of civil power—whose ultimatum is physical force, the sword, if driven to that extremity—is false to the word and the example of Jesus Christ, and of all His apostles. But many professed Christians are prone to attempt the advancement of the kingdom of Christ by doing something physically heroic. How many missionaries among the heathen carry their carnal weapons! And many others put their trust for defense in the naval or military power of the governments of which they claim to be citizens. Some of the very best missionaries in China are admitting the mistakes that have been made by giving the natives to understand that the missionaries will be sustained by the governments that have robbed that country in trade, and forced the officials into making treaties and concessions which are humiliating to the people.

Then, when the “uprisings” come, the missionary can not fall back upon his being a child of Christ, and show himself a non-combatant, working only for the good of souls. Why?—Because he has identified himself with some one of the governments that have been oppressing the people and disregarding their customs. Many missionaries will hold up the power of their home governments as a menace to those who seem hostile to their work, thus virtually indorsing the impositions that have come upon those whom they are seeking to convert to Christianity. Then, when the testing-time comes, and escape is impossible, they find their trusted defense is too far distant for present help. Then their enemies have a turn at boasting of their prowess, and Christianity is deemed inferior to the religion of the heathen.

Concerning the incident in the Garden of Gethsemane, Joseph Parker makes this apt comment:—

“There was one impetuous man on the side of Christ, who stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and smote off his ear. That was a little man; he was the victim of the continual sophism, which debases our thinking, and causes our action to palpitate with vicious life, that it is necessary to do something. Jesus showed what could be done by submission. There is a force of passiveness, there is an energy of silence, there is a magnificent retort of non-resistance, which puzzles men of common mind and ordinary heart, the very mystery of heroism, to those who mistake noise for music, and tumult for power.”

To this we add another terse utterance, by Dean Howson:—

“Human vengeance will produce its own punishment. Resist, and you will be resisted. Treat men unkindly, and they will treat you unkindly. But, on the other hand, be gentle, and you will rule. Be willing to bear injuries, and you will triumph. ‘Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.’ Christ is the great fulfilment of that beatitude; and His example is here before us, consistent to the end.”

This incident in Gethsemane is the last we hear of any resort to the sword on the part of the apostles, or of any professed disciples, until centuries had passed in the development of the “mystery of iniquity.” They adhered to the principle that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty thru God to the pulling down of strongholds.” 2 Cor. 10:4. In all of the “whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:11–18) there is not one carnal weapon. The sword, standing for all human government, will perish when Christ comes to establish His glorious kingdom. Then “all they that take the sword [depend upon it for defense] shall perish with the sword.” Matt. 26:52. The “sword,” and all its dependents, will go down to the bottomless pit together. G.