Here's a post from long ago that deals with an issue that has come up among some blog members recently.  Was Jesus in favor of armed resistance?  Were he and his disciples armed?  Was he killed for insurrection because he actually *was* an insurrectionist?   Here is the question in one of the forms I have received it, and my response.   QUESTION: What is the scholarly view on this subject: did Jesus himself, his movement and then early Christians walk around with weapons (swords, e.g.) to protect themselves, despite preaching the love for enemies? Do we have any historical evidence of how things looked in this matter?   RESPONSE:  This is a hugely important question.  I dealt with it in my book Jesus Before the Gospels, and don't think I'm able to say it any better by putting it in other words.  So here is what I said there: ****************************** In all four Gospels, at least one of Jesus’ followers is armed when he is arrested.   In the Synoptics, this unnamed follower draws his sword [...]

Were Jesus and his followers armed?  That’s the question for this week’s Readers’ Mailbag.  I had started to address the question when I realized that I had already said what I have to say as well as I could say it in my recent book Jesus Before the Gospels.  And so I will give that discussion here.  So, here’s the question and my response   QUESTION: What is the scholarly view on this subject: did Jesus himself, his movement and then early Christians walk around with weapons (swords, e.g.) to protect themselves, despite preaching the love for enemies? Do we have any historical evidence of how things looked like in this matter?   RESPONSE:  (Taken from Jesus Before the Gospels) In all four Gospels, at least one of Jesus’ followers is armed when he is arrested.   In the Synoptics, this unnamed follower draws his sword and strikes the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear (see Mark 14:47).  In John’s Gospel we learn that the sword-bearing disciple was Peter (John 18: 10).   Jesus [...]