What did Jesus say about warfare?

Question

I am not a violent person and would hesitate to swat a fly but I do know that there are times that violence and even killing is necessary. What did Jesus say about warfare? What were his instructions on how we are suppose to conduct ourselves if we find ourselves in armed conflict?

Answer 1

Jesus didn't say a whole lot about how Christians are to conduct themselves in warfare. He did talk about protecting your self with weapons after He was going back up to Heaven though.

Luke 22:35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered.

36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

38 The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords." "That is enough," he replied.

Paul who got his revelation directly from Jesus wrote this about governments.

Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

Answer 2

In Matthew 8:8 -10 Jesus commended a soilder for his great faith in Jesus's power to heal "8The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

While armed conflict was never part of His gospel His war against hypocrisy and sin was always there. Jesus's kingdom was not to be on earth with material weapons. It was a war in the heart where even families divided because of him.

There were many instances in the Old Testament where God chose leaders of the nation he protected to be soilders and fight the enemy. This has not changed and even okay for us today. Even the nation of Israel still has it's own military to protect its own people. So should we in America.

The mission of Jesus Christ was about his salvation power and God's forgiveness and mercy. Even when Jesus was about to be crucified he would not have an armed resistance to stop God's ;plan of salviton. See Matthew 26:52-54 "52"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"

I say it is okay to fight. Paul while he was a prisoner preached his gospel to soilders and guards who watched over him. Many became believers.

When it comes to the defense of one's country even God wanted his people to be good citiziens. And being a soilder is good citizenship also.

While I can't find a specific verse I believe the closest that comes was Jesus saying he could call his angels to fight for him. But that was not why he came to earth to show how powerful he was. He came to earth to show how merciful and peaceful he was. But that does not mean he is against a war that is for a just cause.. There are too many examples in the Old Testament that prove that.

Answer 3

Jesus was a fighter for God’s cause and on behalf of lovers of righteousness. As the promised “seed,” he had to face the enmity of the ‘seed of the serpent,’ doing battle with them. He waged offensive warfare against the demons and their influence on men’s minds and hearts. Hypocritical religious leaders showed they were actually in opposition to God’s sovereignty and will. Jesus thoroughly defeated them in a series of verbal encounters.

He wielded “the sword of the spirit,” God’s Word, with strength, perfect control, and strategy, cutting through subtle arguments and traplike questions that his opposers advanced, He fearlessly exposed them for what they were: teachers of human traditions and formalisms, blind leaders, a generation of vipers, and children of God’s Adversary, who is the prince of the demons and a murderous liar.

In all of this, Jesus was never foolhardy, sought no trouble, and avoided unnecessary danger. His courage was based on faith. He did not lose control of himself but remained calm when vilified and mistreated.

By his courageous fight for the truth and by bringing light to the people concerning God’s purpose, Jesus fulfilled the prophetic role of Liberator. He proclaimed freedom to the captives. Though many held back for selfish reasons and out of fear of the element in power, others gained courage to break free of their chains of ignorance and slavish subservience to false leaders and false hopes.

As faithful Judean kings had waged campaigns to eliminate false worship from the realm, so, too, the ministry of Jesus, God’s Messianic King, had a devastating effect on false religion in his day.

Eph. 6:13-17
 Stand firm, therefore, with YOUR loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness,  and with YOUR feet shod with the equipment of the good news of peace.  Above all things, take up the large shield of faith, with which YOU will be able to quench all the wicked one’s burning missiles.  Also, accept the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word.

As soldiers of Christ, we are part of a large army engaging in spiritual warfare. If we keep alert and make good use of the full suit of armor from God, we will not become casualties in this war.

Answer 4

Matt. 26:52: “Jesus said to him: ‘Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.’” (Could there have been any higher cause for which to fight than to safeguard the Son of God? Yet, Jesus here indicated that those disciples were not to resort to weapons of physical warfare.)

Isa. 2:2-4: “It must occur in the final part of the days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains . . . And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.” (Individuals out of all nations must personally decide what course they will pursue. Those who have heeded Jehovah’s judgment give evidence that he is their God.)

2 Cor. 10:3, 4: “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage warfare according to what we are in the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things.” (Paul here states that he never resorted to fleshly weapons, such as trickery, high-sounding language, or carnal weapons, to protect the congregation against false teachings.)

Luke 6:27, 28: “I [Jesus Christ] say to you who are listening, Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you.”

Answer 5

According to Tolstoy, Jesus said never to put up any sort of violent resistance.

Answer 6

Luke 22:36
He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."

Answer 7

read the KJV Bible and find out. If you read it you will have a better understanding.

Answer 8

"JUST SAY NO!"
But nobody listened.