John Dear (not John Deere, or a Dear John letter) writes a pointed essay advocating for complete non violence in today’s reading. Dear’s text is from Matthew 26:50-52, though the narrative is in the other three gospel accounts as well, and gives the account of Jesus’ arrest in the garden. One of His disciples, John tells us its Peter, grabs his sword and cuts off a soldier’s ear. Jesus immediately rebukes Peter and tell him to put away the sword.
Dear builds on this text and makes a case for pacifism for all believers in every area of life. He says definitively to the question of if Christians can be be employed by the Pentagon, the police, or the nuclear-weapon's manufacturers, “ If we will obey the last words of Jesus, the we will not, like Judas, side with the imperial authorities- and we will not employ their means of violence. We will refuse to carry weapons, even for the noblest reason, and we will not work for any institution that inflicts violence. We prepare, instead, to undergo what Christ undergoes.”
There are very legitimate arguments against Dear's absolute conclusions. For example, I would argue that it’s possible for Christians to have employ in “violent” institutions and work for reasonable peace from within instead of complete opposition from without. However, even if one disagrees with Dear’s conclusions, this text and the overall example of Jesus should challenge us at it pertains to the human penchant for destructive anger and violence.
Dear says that Peter, and other followers, were not really protecting Jesus with their swords but looking out for their own selves and interests. Do we resort to or promote violent speech/actions that more serve OUR causes than the purpose of Christ? Do we jump in with the mob or consider how the Spirit of God might have us to respond? Dear cites Isaiah’s call for turning plows into plowshares. I wonder if something like turning Facebook posts into notes of praise might be a contemporary application. It’s worth considering at least.