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Many non-pacifist Christians refer to Jesus’ actions at the temple in Jerusalem to justify violence towards a righteous end. An account of this event is found in all four Gospels, with the most extensive account being found in the book of John:
It must first be noted that the original Greek term “ekballo,” which is translated above as “drove out,” does not indicate that physical force was used. The term is translated “send forth” (in the KJV) in the following verses (all examples of nonviolent situations):
Whether or not “ekballo” was used to indicate physical force is beside the point, however, because the passage does not indicate that the whip was used on any person. Jesus "drove them all out of the temple, both sheep and cattle." The whip was a herdsman’s instrument, used to shepherd the animals out of the temple. The whip, or what might be called the “weapon” if it had been used against the people, was of such little importance to the detailing of the event that of the four accounts, only the book of John even mentions it. Instead of justifying violence, Jesus provided an example of how people can assertively express their anger without doing physical harm to any person.
Written by Matthew J. Truitt, Harmless As Doves Ministries
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