How did Jesus Feel about carrying a side arm, was Christ for or against carrying a sidearm?

Question

In the time of Christ the standard military sidearm was a sword. How did Christ feel about carrying a military sidearm? Did Jesus think carrying a sword or sidearm was a good thing? Did the disciples carry swords or sidearms? Based on What Did Jesus Do, (WDJD) should churches oppose or support political hand gun controls?

Answer 1

In Luke 22:36-38, Jesus prepares his disciples by telling them to sell their coats and to buy swords. God is not against war like most people believe. Read my study on it if you wish.
Jesus was not a pacifist.

A pacifist is someone who believes that under no circumstances is war justified.
Mathew 5:38-39, 1 Peter 2:21, Mathew 5:43-44
You may think, "Well, how do we reconcile that with what Jesus said about loving our enemies and turning the other cheek?" (Luke 6:27-30) In that passage, Jesus was speaking to us as individuals. If someone treats us badly, we should love him anyway. We can pray for our enemies, and do good to those who hate us. The way someone treats an individual is one thing; the way he treats an entire nation is a completely different issue. The Bible teaches that it is the responsibility of the government’s leaders to protect the nation against those who would destroy it.

2 Samual 22:35 – “He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”
Ecclesiastes 3:8 – “time for war and a time for peace.”
God battles with people who oppose Him, who fight against Him and His followers. So, even though He hates war, God is not against it. Throughout the Old Testament, there are examples of God using warfare to carry out His plans, to punish the wicked and preserve His people
Deut. 9:4-6; Deut. 20; Jer. 5; Numbers 33:55-56
Isaiah 55:9 – “My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.”
In John 2:14, Jesus poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.
In Luke 22:36-38, Jesus prepares his disciples by telling them to sell their coats and to buy swords.
In Revelation 19:11, 15, it says, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war…”
Romans 12-13
Romans 12:17-21 – “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
Romans 13:1-4
The Bible also instructs citizens in the proper way to respond when their country goes to war. For example, it is a violation of the Word of God to refuse to defend your country if ordered. Recall Romans 13:1-2: "every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God. . .Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves." According to this verse, we’re to be submissive to the laws of the land. The only reason we have for disobeying the government is if it requires us to behave in a way that clearly violates some specific verse or command of God (Acts 5:27-32).
Revelation 12:7 – “And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.”
Someone might say, "But I can’t go to war because shooting the enemy would be murder, and the Bible says ‘you shall not murder’"(Exodus 20:13). Actually, when a man in combat shoots his enemy under the command of the government, without personal hatred, he is not committing murder. Instead, he is simply being obedient to the purpose for which he is fighting. To commit murder, a person must have vengeance and hatred against another. Many men have died on the battlefield without animosity toward anyone--they were fighting for a cause, defending or freeing their land. Therefore, if called, it is a citizen’s national and biblical responsibility to defend his country.
mur‧der –
1. Law. the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law. In the U.S., special statutory definitions include murder committed with malice (desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness) aforethought, characterized by deliberation or premeditation or occurring during the commission of another serious crime, as robbery or arson (first-degree murder), and murder by intent but without deliberation or premeditation (second-degree murder).
2. To kill by an act constituting murder.
3. To kill or slaughter inhumanly or barbarously
4. The crime of unlawfully and unjustifiably killing another under circumstances defined by statute (as with premeditation); especially : such a crime committed purposely, knowingly, and recklessly with extreme indifference to human life or during the course of a serious felony (as robbery or rape). (Merriam Webster Dictionary of Law)

Answer 2

When Peter grabbed a sword and cut off the ear of a Roman guard, it seemed obvious He did not approve. However throughout the Bible God had given the Israelites approval to use weapons in battle. In Revelation when Jesus is visualized in the clouds upon a white horse as a spiritual military leader it says that out of His mouth comes forth a sharp sword to strike the nations which is the Word of God and He will control them with a staff or scepter of iron and tread the wine-press of God's wrath.
There will be a battle. Rev 19. But for now our weapon as Christians is God's Word . Jesus never told His followers to go out into the world and use swords.

Answer 3

Jesus taught:
Put up again the sword into his place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword. -Matthew 26:52
He certainly did not condone swords, and he condemned their wrong use, as this was Peter whom he was admonishing.
If an analogy can be made, Jesus would be against Guns, or at least the wrong use of them.
However, Jesus also told the soldiers to be satisfied with their pay and to not extort (sorry no verse) and did not tell them to put away their weapons or abandon them.
The lesson being that such things have a proper use and a place.
Let he who hath no sword,let him sell his garment and buy one - Luke 22:36
To try to get a clear position for gun control is difficult, but not allowing such things to lunatics is elementary.
I hope this helps.

Answer 4

You have both in the Bible. One time Christ said leave your sword at home another time He said bring it with you, so I guess it depends on the circumstances.
Matthew 10:34 " Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword
Matthew 26:52 But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Luke 22:36 Then He said to them, "... and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
Luke 22:38 So they said, "Lord, look, here [are] two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough."

Answer 5

Basically the swords they carried was for protection against savage beasts like Lions while travelling from town to town or lets say country travel. The Bible as well as history shows that there were a serious problem with wild beasts as well as thieves along highways.However swords were shunned if that's the correct word in confrontation purposes.

Answer 6

I doubt the disciples carried swords - didn't Peter grab the soldier's sword and use it to cut off that soldier's ear? I think the church should stay out of government affairs. There are so many denominations in so many countries that this would be quite difficult to come to fruition, anyhow.

EDIT:
Matthew 26:52-53
"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"

It didn't say Peter, but it does seem like the disciple had his own sword. I still think the church should not concern itself with things like that. The church is not meant to govern us politically, and it shouldn't try to do so.

Answer 7

Gramps carries a gun because the senile old coot confuses reality with fiction and thinks he is living in the wild west along with Kirk Russel, John Wayne, and Charleton Heston. Grow up, go for a walk, and taste reality for a change.

Answer 8

Please

Jesus had something more powerful than a sword or a sidearm
he had Spirit and protection from the father

which it sounds like you could benefit from

as far as what Churches should do they sound follow the word and let God Our Father protect them

Answer 9

Who lives by the sword, dies by the sword, although self defence is a neccessity.

Answer 10

Think about it. The bible condones the stoning people to death... Having the ability to easily murder and murdering are two totally different ideas. So the answer is "no", your fictional god would not be against a sidearm as according to the bible.

Answer 11

No, churches should not oppose or support political hand gun controls. They should keep themselves as far removed from politics as possible.