FAITH: The Evil of Vengeance

“Repay no one evil for evil.” When Paul wrote these words in his letter to believers in Rome, he was affirming a core conviction from the teachings of Jesus. Paul continues “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave that to God….Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Paul drew a hard line for the followers of Jesus from Nazareth. Behavior patterns of retaliation were prohibited. Then he laid down the challenge of behavior patterns that were restorative, not penalizing or damaging.

Jesus had taught the same conviction. “You have heard it said ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Jesus said “If someone sues you and takes your coat, give him your cloak as well.” He added further “You have heard some say to love your neighbor and hate your enemies, but I say ‘love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Can anything be clearer for followers of Jesus from Nazareth? Christians are never to return evil for evil. We are to overcome evil with good.

American Christians do not live in a Christian nation. We live in a nation of law. Our roots are found in English law, not in the Bible. Under American law citizens and the nation as a whole are not tied to a Christian ethic. We believers are members of two kingdoms….the kingdom called the Unite States and the kingdom called the Kingdom of God.

Paul in his Romans letter was trying to teach Christians to live by the law of Christ at the same time be a citizen of the Roman Empire. It was no easy task. Paul was maintaining that if the two kingdoms were in conflict with one another, the higher law was the teachings of Jesus. American Christians face some of the same tensions. We now live in a time when our higher calling to Jesus Christ is being tested.

This is not new. It happened dramatically in the life of Jesus. For Jesus, the law of God always came first. He taught and lived the law of God and found himself in sharp conflict with Roman rulers and their Jewish puppets. He was executed by hanging on a cross for insurrection.

The United States finds itself involved in a messy civil war in Syria. Justifying our presence in Syria is an ongoing discussion. The fact is that we Americans are there. Syrian leaders have committed a heinous crime by gassing some of their own citizens. American leaders felt compelled to respond. U.S. forces have responded with a powerful, precise military response of retaliation. Apparently retaliation is receiving high levels of support from the American people. The Christ response says otherwise. A tragic error, according to the teachings of Jesus, has been made. The American raid in Syria was probably appropriate according to American law. It was completely unacceptable according to Jesus our Lord as well as to his disciple Paul.

What are Christians to do? I say it is the perfect time to speak truth to power. Silence is unacceptable! The behavior of Jesus was not inactive. It was active. Jesus was engaged. Jesus spoke. He taught. He protested by marching. Paul traveled. Paul wrote extensively. Paul went to prison multiple times. Jesus was killed. Serving Jesus is an activist life. Greatness must not be understood in terms of wealth and political dominance.

I have written often about my practice of pondering. It has always been important to me to have a well-reasoned faith. When I look back at my educational journey, I am most thankful that I was taught to think. I believe Christians are to be a pondering/thinking people. The word ponder is used seldom in our English Bibles, but its importance cannot be over stated. To ponder is to think long and hard about particular subjects. In the Bible Mary pondered her role in facilitating the coming of a savior/redeemer/messiah/prophet. Peter pondered the meaning of his visions. He was faced with making radical changes in his religious thinking and practices. He needed to pause and think. Paul in his Philippians letter names a series of behavioral virtues and then urges “think on these things.” Facing and making difficult changes is a part of the life of the serious follower of Jesus It is a worthy task of thinking and pondering.

Christians have not done their pondering/thinking about their response to violence and killing in a modern world. Both Augustine and Aquinas were great Christian theologians, still honored and studied by modern Christian thinkers. First Augustine and later Aquinas concluded that while violence was unchristian, there were times when war was justified. Rightly or wrongly interpreted, “just war” has become “justified war.” Christians need to be pondering and rethinking war and violence of any and all kind. Out of my ponderings, I have concluded there is no just war. Retaliation and punishment, no matter how measured, are evil. Retaliation and punishment perpetuate violence.

When a follower pulled a large knife to defend Jesus, Jesus responded in plain and unmistakable words. “Put away your knife.” He was crucified without complaint. He asked God’s forgiveness for those who killed him. Vengeance, retaliation, punishment, preemptive strikes, even self-defense have never produced long-term justice. Love, kindness and generosity work much better.

The End

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.