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. This study will center on the non-violent nature of Yahushua’s teachings. Of course, he taught much more than non-violence, but the only "Yahushua" that the majority of Jews and 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, go to:
These "bad examples" have become a great stumbling block to many. Therefore, this study 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:
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:
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 the scribes and Pharisees in Yahushua’s day. On one occasion the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Yahushua that was caught in the act of adultery. According to the Torah, 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." (see John 8:3-7)
John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Yahushua was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
None of them were without sin. Yahushua, however, who was without sin, did not cast a stone at her. Instead, He forgave her and told her to sin no more.
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." (see 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 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.
At first, the disciples of Yahushua 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 do..." (Luke 23:34).
Stephen, an early disciple of Yahushua, was a living example of one who forgave his enemies in the face of death:
"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 true 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. Yahushua’s 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 truly 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
Many don’t 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 Satan’s 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 Spirit’s 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
Yahushua’s 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 has 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 dine 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)
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.