Search_Willie_Martin_Studies

An often misunderstood and mis‑quoted statement of our Lord while He was in the Garden of Gethsemane is:

“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.” (Matthew 26:52)

Perhaps the second would be:

“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39)

Or

“And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.” (Luke 6:29)

These three verses go against other verses which say just the opposite.

“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 22:36-38)

While Christ was standing before Pilate for judgment, the jews, those who hate Him more than anything;

“But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? THE CHIEF PRIESTS ANSWERED, WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR.” (John 19:15)

What did Christ say about these hateful Jews:

“But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, BRING HITHER, and SLAY THEM BEFORE ME.” (Luke 19:27)

Therefore we must investigate the verses that the pacifists and cowards always relate to.

“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.” (Matthew 26:52)

This mean nothing more than Him telling His disciple not to resist the Temple guards, otherwise the word of God would not be fulfilled. It does not mean not to fight, nor that Christ and His people fight if necessary.

The very next verses show that this was the only intent of this:

“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 26:53-54)

To try to make it mean something else is just the usual twisting of the scriptures by the Judeos.

Now let us examine the second verse:

“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39)

Would you use this to mean that if someone is murdering your wife and children that you cannot resist the evil? I think not.

Would you use this to mean that if someone is raping your wife or girls that you cannot resist the evil? I think not.

Common sense will tell you that this verse does not mean that sort of evil, nor does it mean that we are not to resist a country this is trying to destroy our own.

“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8)

But Christ NEVER meant that we should not defend ourselves. His commandment to us was:

"Then said he [Christ] unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his script: and he that hath NO SWORD, LET HIM SELL HIS GARMENT, AND BUY ONE." (Luke 22:36)

Jesus told His disciples this because He knew that Christians:

"For we [Christians] wrestle [fight] not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. 6:12)

Therefore, Christians are to:

"...take unto you [Christians] the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day..." (Eph. 6:13)

So Christ is clearly showing us that we Christians are to fight against the wickedness of the world, and not to simply lay down and die like spineless whimps!

Throughout history, tyrants have tried to restrict the right of the individual to bear arms. Every communist country sees to it that ONLY the armed forces, police, and party officials have firearms. Could they do what they did in Russia and the Ukraine if the people were armed? Could the slaughters in China have occurred? What about the killing fields of Cambodia?

It was an armed Christian citizen who won the American Revolution. Not a bunch of whimpy Judeo‑ Christians!!!! Noah Webster, author of the Webster's Dictionary and friend and contemporary of the founders wrote:

"Before a standing army can rule, the people MUST BE DISARMED...The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed..."

"When a strong man [fully] armed keepeth his palace [homestead], his goods are in peace [safe]: But when a stronger than he [government] come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils." (Luke 21:21‑22)

Notice from this teaching how peace and safety existed in and with the household of the man who was fully armed. The first thing his enemy did was overpower him and disarm him. Isn't it interesting the more power obtained by certain city councils, state legislators, and elected officials, the more desirous these people become of DISARMING THE PEOPLE? Remember power is not authority. For instance, city councils and state legislatures may have the police power at their disposal to confiscate or outlaw certain firearms but they do not have the authority.