Yahushua Taught non-Violence

Adapted from an article by Ed J. Crivello

Yahushua preached non-violence and He practiced what He preached.
However, there have been many, down through the centuries, who have
not always practiced what Yahushua taught. In this study, I will center
on the non-violent nature of Yahushuas teachings. Of course, he taught
much more than non-violence, but the only "Yahushua" that the majority
of Jews and non-Christians know, is that of bloodshed and war as
presented through some of His professed followers throughout history.
Another bad example is the fact that most do not know him by his real
name "Yahushua", but by a mistranslated substitute. For more
information on this, go to:
Is the name "Jesus" pagan?
These "bad examples" have become a great stumbling block to many.
Therefore, in this study I will bring out the following facts:
1) Yahushua taught non-violence to his followers
2) Misled Christians have indeed shed blood in the name of religion
3) There are, and always have been, "remnants" of true believers which
have never shed blood. They, like Yahushua, preach and practice non-
violence.
Yahushua said:
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth: 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. And if
any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have
thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with
him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would
borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say
unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you; That ye may be children of your Father which is in
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heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which
love you, what reward have ye? do not even the tax collectors the
same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than
others? do not even the tax collectors so? Be ye therefore perfect,
even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 7:38-48)
Even though Yahushua taught non-violence, His disciples, for a time, still
believed in violence, and were hoping Yahushua would destroy those who
offended them:
...And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Master,
wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume
them, even as EliYah did?" But He turned, and rebuked them, and said,
"Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not
come to destroy mens lives, but to save them . . ." (Luke 9:54-56)
The "spirit" they were of was a spirit of misunderstanding. They wanted
to destroy those people when they themselves were sinners and had
many faults of their own. In its most refined, hardest to detect form,
the spirit of hypocrisy is cloaked under a religious disguise. This was
true of some religious people in Yahushuas day. On one occasion some
"religious" Jews brought a woman to Yahushua that was caught in the
act of adultery. Under Old Testament law she was to be stoned. But
Yahushua, seeing their hypocrisy, said:
"He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at
her." (John 8:3-7)
Naturally they all left - none of them was without sin. Yahushua,
however, was without sin, and He did not even cast a stone at her.
Instead He forgave her and told her to sin no more. (See John
8:8-11).
If we judge incorrectly, our own judgment will return upon our own
head:
"Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye
shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to
you again." (Matthew 7:1-5).
This misunderstanding has been manifest by many Christians throughout
the centuries. But those who have claimed to "cleanse the land of
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evildoers" and to kill in the name of the Messiah, have terribly
misunderstood what Yahushua really taught. They tried to understand
spiritual truth with the natural mind.
The disciples of Yahushua, at first, were also slow to understand His
mission. They wanted to change things on the outside - just as many
who are misguided have been trying to do throughout history (the
Crusades, the inquisition etc). The disciples wanted to make Yahushua
king, to destroy the Romans, and to establish an outward kingdom with
pomp and splendor. But as soon as it was revealed to the disciples that
Yahushua was indeed the Messiah (see Matthew 16:13-20), instead of
stirring up His followers to crown Him and to lead an all out attack
against the Romans, he began to show them that he must be put to
death like a lamb led to the slaughter. On hearing this, Kepha (Peter),
still dull of hearing, said this would never be. But Yahushua turned and
said to Kepha:
"Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou
savourest not the things that be of Elohim, but those that be of
men." (Matthew 16:21-23)
Even as the Romans were taking Yahushua away, the message of non-
violence still did not sink into the disciples ears:
And, behold, one of them which were with Yahushua stretched out his
hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest and
smote off his ear. Then said Yahushua unto him, "Put up again thy sword
into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the
sword. 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 26:51-
54).
Yahushua could have called the angels to defend Him, but He preached
and practiced forgiveness. Even as He was being tortured on the stake,
He said:
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they are doing..." (Luke
23:34).
Stephen, an early disciple of Yahushua, was a living example of one who
forgave his enemies in the face of death:
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"And they stoned Stephen as he was calling upon Elohim, and saying,
"Master Yahushua, receive my spirit." And he kneeled down, and cried
with a loud voice, "Master, lay not this sin to their charge." And when
he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:59-60)
Notice that there is no mention of any of Yahushua's followers
conspiring to defend Stephen. Their only defense was prayer. Stephen
himself entertained no resentment. He did not lust to see YHWH smite
his enemies. All truly converted followers of Yahushua will likewise love
not their lives unto the death.
Appendix
The time left is short! As believers in Yahushua, we must allow Yahushua
to clearly shine His light through us. You might be a non-believer that
has never understood what Yahushua the Messiah stood for. I hope this
study helped to give you a hint of the real Yahushua. In this appendix I
would like to present, in a nutshell, the spiritual war all true believers
are involved in, as well as the plan of salvation that we find in
Yahushua.
All the violence and bloodshed we read about in the Old Testament is
transcended in the New Testament. It moves from war in the outer
realm, against people, to war in the inner realm of the heart, against
inner enemies - pride, lust, hate, greed etc. Yahushuas teachings focus
on cleansing the inside of man by giving him a new nature. He came to
take away our stony heart and to give us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26-
27). This is in direct relation to what He taught about being born again
(John 3:3-8). In fact, the teachings of Yahushua represent a higher
spiritual law that can only be followed and obeyed by a higher spiritual
nature. We must be given a new heart that is able to willingly abide by
spiritual laws (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Therefore, we are not a follower of
Yahushua, in any real sense, until we are truly converted and receive a
new nature - the same nature as Yahushua himself. With the new heart
comes the power to practice and obey what Yahushua taught - the
power to turn the other cheek to personal affront, the power to
forgive, the power to love etc. Therefore, with all your getting get a
new heart.
Spiritual War
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Many dont realize that the Spirit of Yahushua may raise up personal
enemies against them to try them. They may be slandered, falsely
accused, misunderstood, contradicted. People may gossip about them or
their faults etc. In reality, such who do these things are of Satans
army and the arrows they shoot are darts of slander, accusation etc.
The believer will be defeated if he or she fights back - returning
slander for slander, gossip for being offended etc. We become
vulnerable to the enemies attack if we are embittered and critical
toward those who thus offend us. Bitterness, criticism and resentment
open us up to his attack all the more. However, if we replace our
criticism with intercession, just as Yahushua prayed and forgave those
who nailed Him to the stake, we will be raised to a higher level than we
ever experienced. Let us be encouraged to yield to the Spirits cleansing
process. Let us no longer relieve our offended self-love by gossiping
about those who offended us or by hoping YHWH will cause fire to come
down from heaven to destroy them. If we think thus, we really are
proud and love ourselves. Let us resist such thoughts and leave our lives
in Yahushuas hands; trusting Him to perfect His work in us no matter
what it takes. If we defend ourselves, we are only working against His
purifying process.
YHWH loves you and will give you a new heart if you will believe that He
sent Yahushua to save you. The glad tidings of Yahushua clearly reveal
that we all need a new heart in order to obey the commandments; and
this heart is received by faith: Believe that Yahushua died for your sins
and is risen to give you a new life. Ask for a new heart, believing that
you will receive it. Ask YHWH to give you His Spirit and nature. Pray
that He will make you the person He wants you to be. Absorb the
kingdom message. Spend time with the Heavenly Father and get
thoroughly acquainted with Him in the prayer closet. In time, we will all
hopefully become a clear reflection of the real Yahushua in a sin sick
world. Yes, the time may come when you are called on to literally die
for Yahushua. Nevertheless, ask Him to come into your heart and to
enable you to follow Him to the end. Yahushua reminds us:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and
open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with
Me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His
throne" (Revelation 3:20-22)
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And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, "Write, 'Blessed are
the dead which die in the Master from henceforth.'"
"Yea," saith the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labours; and
their works do follow them." (Revelation 14:13)
In the name and authority of Yahushua the Messiah, love justice, show
mercy, and be forgiving.
Questions or Comments
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