The gun debate has flared up once again, leaving both sides of the political spectrum in an uproar. It goes without fail the “What Would Jesus Do,” version of gun-control edition surfaces. I’m not undermining the importance of searching scripture for guidance. However, I find it amusing that both sides pull Jesus into their corner as an advocate. Although Jesus gives us clear guidance for a righteous life, we might be left scratching our heads about his gun control stance.
Unfortunately, we see a disregard for wisdom in how we communicate our opinions inside the Church walls. The topic of gun control arises, and our ears close and our mouths open. This kind of environment does not nurture knowledge and leaves both sides drained.
On the side advocating for gun rights, I hear this phrase on repeat,“Jesus said you should buy a sword.” Yes, there is merit to this verse, Jesus plainly tells his disciples to buy a weapon. It even appears to be in the context of self-defense, though I’m sure some scholars would argue against that. However, the only time we see one of the disciples use his weapon, was when Peter lobbed a guy’s ear off during a brief scuffle at Jesus’ arrest. The interesting thing is, Jesus, rebuked Peter for his action. To expand on this, if we look further down the timeline, Peter dies as a martyr, not fighting for his life.
Recently I came across an anti-gun cartoon, which based its theology in John 18:11. It depicted Jesus in a debate holding his finger toward heaven, “Lay down thy sword and shield,” and his opponent, an elephant, is pointing at Jesus saying, “This whacko is going to get us killed.”The cartoon’s theology would not hold water from a biblical perspective. It pulls a portion of a verse widely from its context and attempts to make a sweeping statement on gun control. If one were trying to make an anti-gun argument, they would have a better foundation pulling scripture from the moral teachings of Jesus, not from the few references Christ made concerning a weapon.
There are only a few verses in the gospels where Jesus mentions a weapon. Luke 22:36, “He said to them, ‘But now, let him who has a purse take it and also a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his garment and buy one.’” Jesus also mentions it again briefly in verse 37.
The second, John 18:11, “Then Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?’”
The fact of the matter is many argue drawing one of these scriptures from their arsenal. Biblically speaking, it’s difficult to cultivate a pro-gun stance. On the flip side, I believe it is even more difficult to form an anti-gun stance.
In light of the W.W.J.D. edition of the gun debate, it would be unwise to base our belief on the verses where Christ mentions a weapon. If we want to get a better picture of where Christ stands on gun control, we would need to examine scripture in its entirety. However, if we’re looking for scripture to give us a clearer picture of weapon use, we’re going to be hard-pressed. Scripture focuses on Man’s heart issue, not the choice of weapon.
Biblically speaking it roots back to our heart, not our weapon.
I believe like a majority of issues it should be judged in context, and every situation is different. Both sides of the argument can relatively agree it’s a heart issue. The debate revolves around equipping people, who are prone to sin, with an assault weapon.
One of my favorite theologians C.S. Lewis spoke to the follies of man, “You cannot make men good by law."
Because humans are in a fallen state, the issue will be ongoing. It is worth debating if laws should be put in place prohibiting certain firearms.
In conclusion, having a firm foundation in scripture is a good start to knowledge. Studying scripture is a valuable way to seek wisdom on the issue, but quoting stand-alone verses is unwise. We the Church should be examples of how we can discuss hard issues.
In the same spirit, I’ll digress with Proverbs 18:2, “A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.”
