Matthew 10:34 – “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword.”

(See also the parallel saying in Luke 12:51-  “Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!”)

Looking no deeper than the literal meaning of the words used here, some sceptics see in this verse evidence that Jesus was a warmonger.

Jonah David Connor (All That’s Wrong With The Bible) does indeed find a contradiction between this text and those in which Jesus promotes peace.  But there is not even an attempt to look beyond the verbal differences, and so his objection is hopelesslessy literalistic.

In a public debate with John Lennox, held in Edinburgh in August 2008, noted atheist Christopher Hitchens declared that there was ‘every evidence’ that Jesus and his disciples meant this saying to be taken literally.  There is, of course, no such ‘evidence’ at all.  As Lennox was able to point out, everything that we know about Jesus points in the direction of a non-literal interpretation of this saying.

Then, in a broadcast debate, atheist and lawyer Ed Turner asserted that this saying could (should?) be understood to mean that Jesus wanted and expected his followers to take up arms on his behalf.

In fact, the very next verse will make clear in what sense Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword: a hard enough saying in its own right, but certainly not supporting the idea that Jesus was a ‘warmonger’.

As R.T. France remarks,

‘the sword Jesus brings is not here military conflict, but, as vv35f show, a sharp social division which even sever family ties…As long as some men refuse the Lordship of God, to follow the Prince of peace will always be a way of conflict.’

The truth is, there is ‘every evidence’ that Jesus both taught and practiced non-violence.  When one of his disciples drew a sword and attempted to defend Jesus with it, Jesus commanded him to put his sword away, and he healed the man. (John 18:10-11).  And he want on to say, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews.”

Professing Christians may occasionally become violent in defence of their cause.  But never let it be said that in doing so they have any legitimate appeal to Jesus Christ.