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John Joe Gray
Taking up the Sword
The following dialog between Alex Jones and John Joe Gray aired during the Alex Jones Show
on August 31, Year of our Lord, 2000. The Grays cited the Bible as their
authorization to use weapons to defend themselves against the secular forces. Their declaration that they are Christians has raised the
age old question, "Should Christians take up the sword, even for
self-defense?"
| Israelites' Sin |
| Jones: |
You told the story, Joe, from the Old
Testament, about how the Israelites were to go in and take the land, but
they committed a sin so they couldn't. They never tell you in church
what was the sin? |
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| Gray: |
The Israelites wandered in the
wilderness for 40 years because of sin. The sin was that they would not
go in and take the land with the sword and that God would help protect
them. Preachers won't tell you that nowadays. They don't think you ought
to raise up a sword against anyone. That's the reason they wandered in
the wilderness for 40 years because they would not pick up the sword and
protect the property. So God said, "If you don't think you can do
it with Me, then you will be out in the wilderness for 40 years."
Then the children came in and did it. |
| Jones: |
The Ten Commandments say, "Thou
shall not do murder." But not kill. The Bible is replete with
examples of people defending themselves and fighting off attacking
armies and doing what it took to defend themselves and that is just
common sense. The instincts God gave us. You've got to protect yourself. |
At first, my reaction was to go into the Old Testament and prove that the Israelites were not commanded to take up the sword.
When I examined the scriptures, the sin of the Israelites was murmuring against the LORD.
"And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long
shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?"
(Numbers 14:26)
But as I continued to study the passages, I realized
that the Israelites did fail to take up the sword. If they were going to
conquer the land, they
would have to take up the sword, wouldn't they? Besides
that, the Old Testament is full of battles where the Israelites used the
sword. When the Israelites were obedient, they were invincible.
"The LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand" (Joshua 21:44).
Not only did the Israelites defend themselves, but they were also the aggressors
in taking the promised land. And if we are to follow their example, we should also
use the sword to seize whatever God commands. On the surface, it looks like John Joe Gray is correct.
Were the Israelites Christians?
But I have one question. Were the Israelites, who were under the command of
Moses, commonly known as Christians? The answer is no. No one was called a
Christian until about 1500 years later. The first reference was at Antioch.
"And when he (Barnabas) had found him (Saul), he brought him unto Antioch.
And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the
church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians
first in Antioch (Acts 11:26). Later, Apostle Paul was before King Agrippa.
"Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian
(Acts 26:28). And the last reference to a Christian is when Peter speaks of the
true attitude of a Christian in affliction. "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian,
let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. (1 Peter 4:16).
It is commonly accepted that anyone who follows Jesus is called a Christian.
Therefore, since the Israelites were not Christians, you cannot study the
actions of the Israelites to determine if a Christian should take up the sword.
It does not matter what the Israelites did. Their actions are immaterial.
Then who should we study? Would we study Moses as the leader of the
Israelites? No. Moses was not the head of Christianity. His covenant with God
was before the time of Christianity. Then who would we study? We would study the
Head of Christianity. His name is Jesus the Christ.
Jesus is known primarily for giving the Highest Law, commonly known as the
Golden Rule. "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said
unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the
second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)
Jesus goes further and commands that we even love our enemies.
Ye have
heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine
enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:
for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on
the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have
ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only,
what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore
perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew
5:43-48)
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The greatest lecture by Jesus Christ on the Will of the Father in Heaven is
commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount at Matthew, chapters 5, 6 and 7. Many
of the Old Testament practices were abolished and replaced with the Law of Love.
And this Law is written on the heart rather than on stony tablets.
Buying a Sword
If a Christian wants to justify the taking up of the sword, his strongest case is when Jesus commanded
His followers to buy a sword.
Then said he unto them, But now, he that
hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword,
let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you that this that is
written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the
transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord,
behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. (Luke
22:35-38)
The preceding passage is self explanatory. Jesus was to be counted among
the transgressors to fulfill prophesy. And later when Peter tried to use the sword, he
was rebuked and told to put away the sword.
Can you think of any Christian in the New Testament who killed anyone? Either
by self-defense or aggression? The only man in the scripture that even comes
close is Peter. He cut an ear off the servant of the high priest's while
attempting to behead him:
And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his
hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote
off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place:
for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that
I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve
legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it
must be? (Matthew 26:51-54)
There is not one record of someone dying at the hands of a Christian. Yet it
is recorded, there were Christians dying and being imprisoned at the hands of
the secular forces.
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his
hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with
the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take
Peter also. And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered
him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring
him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made
without ceasing of the church unto God for him. (Acts 12:1-5)
Notice that in this case, the church did not defend Peter with the sword.
Neither did Peter use the sword against the secular forces. But rather, the
Christians were in continuous prayer to God in behalf of Peter.
Saving not Destroying Lives
At other times, the Apostles did not understand the teachings of Jesus. When
the Samaritans did not welcome Jesus, the apostles became upset and desired an
Old Testament remedy:
And
when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we
command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But
he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are
of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And
they went to another village. (Luke 9:54-56)
The reason preachers don't advocate taking up the sword today is
because Christians didn't take up the sword yesterday. And when they did, Jesus
rebuked them. A Christian is not called to take up the carnal sword. A Christian
is called to take up his
cross and come follow Jesus.
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever
will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake
shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For
the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then
he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There
be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son
of man coming in his kingdom." Matthew 16:24-28
 Do you believe that a citizen of Heaven can use
a gun for self-defense?
No. Our flesh desires to
use force to correct a wrong. But in order to determine if a wrong is being done, we must
judge. The Spirit of Christ lets God do the judging and lets God correct the wrong. Jesus
demonstrates this through His teachings of, "Resist not evil" (Matthew 5:39).
When Jesus was being
arrested, He rejected the use of the sword. Peter tried to come to His defense, but Jesus
told Peter to put away his sword. "Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father,
and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:53).
Jesus did not defend himself. He put his life in the Father's hands and took up the cross.
We are also to take up the
cross, rather than taking up the sword. We believe that we never have license to compel or
use force when the other party wrongs us. We have something much greater than physical
force to overcome them. We have the power of God and the wisdom of God abiding in us. Our
weapon is the Word of God.
Once we have offered the
Peace of Jesus, they must decide what they will do. What they do to us, they do unto Jesus
Christ. We are in the hands of the Living God and if they harm us, they must answer to our
Father.
Let us keep our eyes on
Jesus. Self-defense is a diversion from the straight and narrow. We need not fear what men
will do to us for God is our shield and protector.
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Didn't Jesus command us
to sell our cloak and buy a sword?
No. Just prior to Jesus'
arrest, He told His disciples to sell their cloak and buy a sword. (See Luke 22:35-38).
But this was not a command for us. Christ's purpose for the command was not to build up an
army, but to fulfill the scriptures, "He was numbered with the transgressors"
(Isaiah 53:12).
Notice that when the
disciples came up with two swords, Jesus said, "that is enough." How could two
swords be enough to defend 12 people? Jesus had another purpose for the swords.
Our Lord was being accused
of rebellion. Rebels must have weapons to create an insurrection. The two swords would
make it appear that the disciples were leading an armed rebellion.
The real message of this
scripture is precisely the opposite of taking up weapons. Jesus was so committed to
carrying out His mission, that He instructed His apostles to carry a couple swords so that
they would appear to be transgressors. He deliberately provided the evidence to
convict Himself as an evildoer.
Jesus taught that the way
to overcome evil was by doing good, not by wielding the sword. The two swords were only
for a show of men, so that the scripture could be fulfilled.
There is further evidence
that Jesus did not intend for His followers to use the physical sword. When Peter tried to
actually use the sword as a weapon, Jesus rebuked him. "Put your sword back in its
place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword" (Matthew 26:52).
When Jesus disarmed Peter,
He disarmed all of us (Matthew 26:53).
"Put your sword back in its
place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the
sword." Matthew 26:52 NIV |
Who lives by the sword?
It is obvious that
soldiers and law enforcement officers live by the sword. But are they the only ones?
How about the people who
finance their weapons? Are they not also "living by the sword?" Taxpaying
citizens provide the means for soldiers and law enforcement to live by the sword. Because
these "paid protectors" are supported by taxpayers, taxpayers also live by the
sword.
When I pay a man to do a
job for me, he acts as my agent. I am responsible for his actions. Soldiers and police use
the sword in the name of the citizens of this world. Those citizens who finance them, live
under the protection of the sword, as surely as the soldier and policeman. Therefore, they
are doomed to the same fate. For "ALL who take the sword will perish by the
sword" (Matthew 26:52).
Are your monies going to
promote death, destruction and slavery; or Life, Salvation and Liberty?
Additional references to the use of the sword:
Taking Up
The Sword - Midnight Rider, May-Jun 1994
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