6. May Christians Bear the Secular Sword?
taught rebellion and made self-willed people, unwilling to benefit or serve anyone; when in reality it makes a Christian the servant of everyone. Thus in Mat 17:27,1 Christ gave the tribute money that He might not offend them, although He did not need to do it.
Thus you observe in the words of Christ quoted above from Mat 5:39, that He indeed teaches that Christians among themselves should have no secular sword or law. He does not, however, forbid one to serve and obey those who have the secular sword and the law; since you have no need of them and are not to have them, much more are you to serve those who have not progressed so far as you, and still need them. Although you do not need to have your enemy punished, your weak neighbor does. You should help him, so that he may have peace and so that his enemy may be curbed; this is not possible unless power and authority are honored and feared. Christ does not say, "You shall not serve the State or be subject to it," but "You shall not resist evil." As though He said, "Take heed that you bear everything, so that you may not need the State to help and serve you and be of profit to you, but that you may on the other hand, help, serve, and be of profit and use to it. I would have you be far too exalted and noble to have any need of it, but it should have need of you."
6. May Christians Bear the Secular Sword?
You ask whether a Christian, also, may bear the secular sword and punish the wicked, since
Christ's words, "You shall not resist the evil," are so clear and definite that the sophists have had to make a counsel of them. I answer, You have now heard two propositions. The one is that the sword can have no place among Christians; therefore you cannot bear it among and against Christians, who do not need it. The question, therefore, must be directed to the other side, to the non-Christians, whether as a Christian you may bear it there. Here the other proposition applies, that you are under obligation to serve and further the sword by whatever means you can, with body, soul, honor, or goods. For it is nothing that you need, but something quite useful and profitable for the whole world and for your neighbor.
Therefore, if you were to see that there is a lack of hangmen, beadles,2 judges, lords, or princes, and find that you are qualified, you should offer your services and seek the position, so that necessary government may by no means be despised and become inefficient or perish. For the world cannot and dare not dispense with it.
The reason you should do this is that, in this case, you would enter entirely into the service and work of others, which benefited neither yourself nor your property nor your character, but only your neighbor and others; and you would do it not to avenge yourself or to recompense evil for evil, but for the good of your neighbor and for the maintenance of the safety and peace of others. As concerns yourself, you would abide by the Gospel and govern yourself according to Christ's word, gladly turning the other cheek and letting the cloak go with the coat, when the matter concerned you and your cause. (Mat 5:39, 40) In this way, then, things are well-balanced: you satisfy at the same time God's kingdom inwardly, and the kingdom of the world outwardly; at the same time you suffer evil and injustice, and yet punish evil and injustice; at the same time you do not resist evil, and yet you resist it. For in the one case you consider yourself and what is yours, and in the other you consider your neighbor and what is his. In what concerns you and yours, you govern yourself by the Gospel and suffer injustice for yourself as a true Christian; in what concerns others and belongs to them, you govern yourself according to love, and permit no injustice for your neighbor's sake; the Gospel does not forbid this, but rather commands it in another place.
1 Mat 17:27 "Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first.
And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."
2 A parish constable; the sheriff or policeman.
In this way all the saints wielded the sword from the beginning of the world: Adam and his descendants; Abraham when he rescued Lot, his brother's son, and killed the four kings, though he was a thoroughly evangelical man. (Gen 14:15) Samuel, the holy prophet, slew
King Agag (1Sam 15:33), and Elijah slew the prophets of Baal (1Kng 18:40). So did Moses,
Joshua, the children of Israel, Samson, David, and all the kings and princes in the Old
Testament. Daniel and his associates, Ananias, Asarias and Misael, did the same in Babylon;
Joseph did the same in Egypt, and so on.
Should any one advance the argument, that the Old Testament is abolished and avails no more, and that therefore such examples cannot be set before Christians, I answer, That is not correct. For St. Paul says in 1Cor 10:3, "They did all eat the same spiritual meat as we, and did drink the same spiritual drink from the rock, which is Christ"; that is, they have had the same spirit and faith in Christ as we and were Christians as well as we are. Therefore, wherein they did right, all Christians do right, from the beginning of the world unto the end.
For time and external circumstances matter not among Christians. Neither is it true that the Old Testament was abolished in such a way that it need not be kept, or that it would be wrong for anyone to keep it in full, as St. Jerome and many more erred in thinking. It is indeed abolished in the sense that we are free to keep it or not to keep it; and it is no longer necessary to keep it on penalty of one's soul, as was formerly the case.
For Paul says in 1Cor 7:19 and Gal 6:15, that neither uncircumcision nor circumcision avails anything, but a new creature in Christ; that is, it is not sin to be uncircumcised, as the Jews thought, nor is it sin to be circumcised, as the heathen thought, but either is right and permissible for him who does not think he will be saved by so doing. This is true also of all other parts of the Old Testament; it is not wrong to omit them nor wrong to do them, but all is permissible and good, to do and to leave undone. No, if they were necessary or profitable to one's fellowman for his salvation, it would be necessary to keep them all; for everyone is under obligation to do what is for his neighbor's good, whether it be Old or New Testament,
Jewish or heathen, as Paul teaches in 1Cor 12:13,1 for love pervades all and transcends all, considers only what is for the profit of others, and does not ask whether it is old or new.
Hence, the precedents for the use of the sword also are matters of freedom, and you may follow them or not, but where you see that your neighbor needs it, there love constrains you so that you must do what otherwise would be optional and unnecessary for you to do or to leave undone. Only do not suppose that you will grow pious or be saved thereby, as the Jews presumed to be saved by their works, but leave this to faith, which without works makes you a new creature.
To prove our position also by the New Testament, the testimony of John Baptist in Luke
3:142 cannot be shaken on this point. It was his work to point to Christ, to witness for Him, and to teach about Him; and the teaching of the man who was to prepare a people for Christ and lead them to Him, has of necessity to be purely New Testament and evangelical. And he endorses the work of the soldiers and says they should be content with their wages. If it had been an unchristian thing to bear the sword, he ought to have censured them for it and told them to abandon both wages and sword, or he would not have taught them the Christian estate correctly. So also, when St. Peter in Acts 10:34 3 preached Christ to Cornelius, he did not tell him to abandon his work, which he would have had to do if it had prevented
1 1Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
2 Luk 3:14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."
3 Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
Cornelius from being a Christian. Moreover, before he was baptised, the Holy Ghost came upon him. St. Luke also lauds him as a pious man previous to Peter's sermon, and does not find fault with him because he was a captain of soldiers and under a heathen emperor. (Acts
10:44)1 What the Holy Ghost permitted to remain and did not censure in Cornelius' case, it is meet that we too should permit and not censure.
A similar case is that of the Ethiopian captain, the eunuch, in Acts 8:30, whom Philip the evangelist converted and baptised and permitted to remain in his work and to return home again; although without bearing the sword, he could not possibly have been so high an official under the queen in Ethiopia. It was the same with the governor in Cyprus, Sergius
Paulus in Acts 13:12, whom St. Paul converted, and yet permitted to remain governor among heathen and over heathen. Many holy martyrs did the same, who were obedient to heathen
Roman emperors, and went under them into battle; and doubtless they also slew people for the sake of preserving peace, as is written of St. Maurice,2 St. Achacius,3 St. Gereon,4 and many others under the emperor Julian.5 Beyond these, we have the clear, definite statement of St. Paul in Rom 13:1, where he says, "The powers that be are ordained of God"; and again,
"The power does not bear the sword in vain, but is the minister of God for your good, an avenger unto him that does evil." (Rom 13:4) Do not be so wicked, my friend, as if to say, 'A Christian may not do that which is God's peculiar work, ordinance, and creation.' Otherwise you must also say, 'A Christian must not eat, drink or be married, for these are also God's work and ordinance.' If it is God's work and creation, it is good, and so good that everyone can use it in a Christian and saving way; as Paul says in 1Tim 4:4, "Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected by the believing and those who know the truth."
Among "every creature of God" you must reckon not simply food and drink, clothes and shoes, but also government, citizenship, protection and administration of justice.
In short, since St. Paul here says the power is God's servant, we must admit that it is to be exercised not only by the heathen, but by all men. (Rom 13:1)6 What else does it mean when it is said it is God's servant, except that the power is by its very nature such that one may serve God by it? Now, it would be quite unchristian to say that there is any service of God in which a Christian ought not and dare not take part, when such a service belongs to no one so much as to Christians. It would indeed be good and profitable if all princes were real and good Christians; for the sword and the government, as a special service of God, belong by right to Christians more than to all other men on earth. Therefore you should cherish the sword or the government, even as you cherish the state of matrimony, or husbandry, or any other handiwork which God has instituted. As a man can serve God in the state of matrimony, in husbandry, or at a trade, for the benefit of his fellowman — and must serve
Him if necessity demands it — just so he can also serve God in the State. And he should serve
Him there, if the necessities of his neighbor demand it, for the State is God's servant and workman to punish the evil and protect the good. Still it may also be omitted if there is no
1 Act 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
2 St. Maurice, patron saint of the city of Magdeburg, was the commander of the Theban Legion, which was exterminated by the Emperor Maximian because of its refusal to aid in the suppression of Christianity. Catholic
Encyclopedia, x, 38 f.
3 St. Acacius, bishop of Mitylene in the third century, probably a victim of the Decian persecution (249-251 A.D.).
See Catholic Encyclopedia, i, 83.
4 St. Gereon, a centurion of the Theban Legion.
5 The Apostate (A.D. 361-63).
6 Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
need for it, just as men are free not to marry and not to farm if there should be no need of marrying and farming.
You ask, Why did not Christ and the apostles bear the sword? Tell me, Why did He not also take a wife, or become a cobbler or a tailor? If an occupation or office is not good because
Christ Himself did not occupy it, what would become of all occupations and offices, with the exception of the ministry which alone He exercised? Christ fulfilled His own office and vocation; but he did not thereby reject any other. It was not fitting that He should bear the sword, for He was to bear only that office by which His kingdom is governed and which properly serves His kingdom. Now it does not concern His kingdom that He should be a married man, a cobbler, a tailor, a farmer, a prince, a hangman or a beadle; nor is the sword or secular law of any concern, but only God's Word and Spirit by which His people are inwardly governed. This office which He exercised then, and still exercises, always bestows
God's Word and Spirit; and in this office the apostles and all spiritual rulers must follow
Him. For they are kept so busily employed with the spiritual sword, the Word of God, in fulfilling this their calling, that they must indeed neglect the worldly sword, and leave it to those who do not have to preach — although it is not contrary to their calling to use it, as I have said. For everyone must attend to his own calling and work.
Therefore, even though Christ did not bear the sword or prescribe it, it is sufficient that He did not forbid or abolish it, but rather endorsed it; just as it is sufficient that He did not abolish the state of matrimony, but endorsed it, though He Himself took no wife and gave no commandment concerning it. He had to identify Himself throughout with the occupation and work which properly and entirely served the furtherance of His kingdom — so that no occasion and binding example might be made of it, to teach and believe that the kingdom of God cannot exist without matrimony, and the sword, and such externals (since Christ's examples are binding), when it is only by God's Word and Spirit that it does exist. This was and had to be Christ's peculiar work as the supreme King in this kingdom. Since, however, not all Christians have this same office, though innately it belongs to them, it is fitting that they should have some other, external one, by which God may also be served.
From all this we see what the true meaning is of Christ's words in Mat 5:39, "Do not resist evil," etc. It is this: that a Christian should be so disposed that he will suffer every evil and injustice, not avenge himself or bring suit in court, and in nothing make use of secular power and law for himself. For others, however, he may and should seek vengeance, justice, protection and help, and do what he can toward this. Likewise, the State should, either of itself or through the instigation of others, help and protect him without complaint, application, or instigation on his part. When the State does not do this, he ought to permit himself to be robbed and despoiled, and not resist the evil, as Christ's words say.
Be quite certain, also, that this teaching of Christ is not a counsel of perfection, as our sophists blasphemously and falsely say, but a universal, strict command for all Christians.
Then you will learn that all those who avenge themselves, or go to law and wrangle in the courts over their property and honor, are nothing but heathen masquerading under the name of Christians. It cannot be otherwise, I tell you. Do not look to the multitude and to the common practice, for, have no doubt, there are few Christians on earth; and God's Word is something very different from the common practice.1 You see that Christ does not abolish the law when He says, "You have heard that it was said to them of old: An eye for an eye; but I say to you that you should not resist evil," etc. (Mat 5:38) But He expounds the meaning of the law as it is to be understood, as though He were to say, "You Jews consider it right and
1 TERTULLIAN, De velandis virginibus, Migne, ii, 889, "Christ did not say, 'I am the common practice, but I am the truth.'"
good before God if you recover by law what belongs to you; and you rely on what Moses said,
'An eye for an eye,' etc. I say to you, however, that Moses gave such a law for the wicked, who do not belong to God's kingdom, that they might not avenge themselves or do worse things, but be compelled by such outward law to desist from evil-doing, in order that by outward law and rule they might be kept under authority. But you should so conduct yourselves as not to need or invoke such a law. Although the secular authority must have such a law by which to judge unbelievers, and although you yourselves might use it to judge others, still you should not invoke or use it for yourselves and in your own affairs. You have the kingdom of heaven; therefore you should leave the kingdom of earth to anyone who wants to take it."
You see, then, Christ's words do not mean that He abolishes Moses' law, or prohibits secular power, but He excepts His own. They are not to use them for themselves, but to leave them to unbelievers, whom they may indeed serve with the law. For unbelievers are not Christians; and no one can be compelled to be a Christian. But that Christ's words apply only to His own is evident, since He afterward says they should love their enemies and be perfect like their heavenly Father. (Mat 5:44, 48) He, however, who loves his enemies, lets the law alone and does not use it to demand an eye for an eye. Nor does he oppose the nonChristians who do not love their enemies and wish to use the law; no, he lends his help that these laws may restrain the wicked from doing worse.
In this way, I take it, the word of Christ is reconciled with the passages which establish the sword, so that this is the meaning: No Christian shall wield or invoke the sword for himself and for his cause; but for another he can and ought to wield and invoke it, so that wickedness may be hindered and godliness defended. Even as the Lord says, in the same passage, A Christian shall not swear, but let his word be Yes, yes; No, no— that is, for himself and of his own choice and desire, he should not swear. (Mat 5:34ff.) However, when need, welfare, and salvation, or God's honor demand it, he should swear; thus he uses the forbidden oath to serve another, just as he uses the forbidden sword in another's service; as Christ and Paul often swore to make their teaching and testimony valuable and credible to others, as men do and have a right to do in covenants and compacts; of this Psa 63:11 says,
"They shall be praised who swear by His name."
But you ask further, whether the beadles, hangmen, jurists, advocates, and their ilk, can also be Christians and in a state of salvation. I answer: If the State and its sword are a divine service, as was proved above, that which the State needs in order to wield the sword must also be a divine service.
There must be those who arrest, accuse, slay, and destroy the wicked, and protect, acquit, defend, and save the good. Therefore, when such duties are performed, not with the intention of seeking one's own ends, but only of helping to maintain the laws and the State, so that the wicked may be restrained, there is no peril in them, and they may be followed like any other pursuit, and be used as one's means of support. For, as was said, love of neighbor does not seek its own, does not consider how great or how small, but how profitable and how necessary the works are for neighbor or community. (1Cor 13:5)1 You ask, Why may I not use the sword for myself and for my own cause, with the intention by so doing not of seeking my own interest, but the punishment of evil? I answer, Such a miracle is not impossible, but it is quite unusual and hazardous; where there is such affluence of the Spirit, it may be done, for so we read of Samson in Jdg 15:11, that he said, "I have done to them as they did to me"; yet on the contrary, Prov 24:29 says, "Do not say, I will do to him as he has done to me"; and Prov 20:22, "Do not say, I will recompense evil." For Samson was called by God to harass the
1 1Cor 13:4-5 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;