MeganC, yours is an interesting take. Except for when he drove the money changers from the Temple, I don’t recall Jesus treating anyone with anything but love. Even when He rebuked Peter, He didn’t “stay angry” with him. The world around Him was very evil, yet He operated in love. I know we must shun evil and act with obedience to God’s Word, and sometimes that means telling it like it is, always it means doing what is right in the sight of God. Sometimes I wonder how we would behave, if we in the US were being persecuted and martyred the way Christians are in other parts of the world. I know the Bible and history tells us that early Christians hid from their persecuters, but did not fight against them. In fact, they counted it as an honor to be martyred for Christ. Just some pondering.
“Except for when he drove the money changers from the Temple, I don’t recall Jesus treating anyone with anything but love.”
Jesus was pretty clear of His contempt for the Pharisees and Sadducees. He went out of His way to heal people on the Sabbath just to piss them off.
Jesus told his Apostles to go buy a sword. He wasn’t expecting them to cut a cake or to chop wood with it.
Jesus had no problem expressing His anger at hypocrites.
Jesus had no love for the fruitless fig tree and He cursed it to wither. Many scholars consider that the fig tree was for Jesus a proxy for the fruitless Jews of the time.
In Matthew 18:6 Jesus makes clear not just that He has no love for those who would bring harm to children but that He wants them dead. And if they are not wise enough to kill themselves then much worse will be waiting for them.
As to those who embrace martyrdom I am happy for them and their faith. Myself, if someone wants to kill me and mine for our beliefs then I fully intend to kill them for theirs.
Others may lay down and die for their faith and feel proud of themselves for doing so.
I might die for my country and for liberty but if it comes to that I fully intend to go down fighting. I will not go to the concentration camp peacefully.
“Give me liberty, or give me death!”
- Patrick Henry