APOLOGETICS STUDY BIBLE Q&A: "Bakit walang kinalaman si Jesus sa karahasan?"

Pag nagbabasa tayo ng Bible, specifically the Old Testament (OT), minsan mapapaisip ka talaga: Ang daming patayan, no?

When we read about the conquest of Canaan, kung paano bumagsak ang Jericho at kung paano dumaan sa espada ang mga siyudad, it can feel deeply unsettling. Para sa ating mga Pilipino na may mahabang kasaysayan ng pananakop at karahasan, madaling magtanong: Hindi ba delikado na may ganitong mga kuwento sa Bible? Puwede ba itong magamit ng mga Christians as justification para gumamit ng dahas, o worse, mang-ubos ng ibang tao in the name of God?

Ang mabilis at mariing sagot diyan ay: Isang malaking “Hindi!”

Kung titingnan natin ang buong kwento of Scripture, lalo na kapag pumasok tayo sa New Covenant na dala ni Jesus, makikita natin na the Bible never incites believers to commit acts of insurrection, murder, or genocide. Let’s break down exactly why.

Ang Konteksto ng Canaan: Situation-Specific Judgment

First of all, the OT accounts of the conquest of Canaan were entirely situation-specific. Yes, may explicit instruction ang Diyos to take the land by force at paalisin ang mga inhabitants (Numbers 33:52). Pero this was never an eternal, blanket permission for believers to wage war. It was for a highly specific time, place, and redemptive purpose.

Kaya sila na-judge ng Diyos ay dahil sa tindi ng kasamaan at brutalidad ng mga relihiyon nila. The Canaanites were literally sacrificing their firstborn children, sinusunog nila ang mga sanggol nang buhay as offerings to idols (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). This wasn't just an ancient myth; archeologists have actually unearthed thousands of charred remains of infants sa Carthage, a Phoenician (Canaanite) colony. Ganito kagrabe ang kultura na dine-deal ng Israel noon. The violence of the conquest was a localized divine judgment to stop a culture of horrific violence.

Walang Paborito: God’s Judgment on Israel

Baka isipin mo, “Eh ang unfair naman, bakit pag Israel ang gumawa, okay lang?” Actually, the Bible doesn’t play favorites.

Kahit ang mga Israelites ay nakaranas din ng parehong judgment noong ginaya nila ang mga practices ng Canaanites. Foreign armies were allowed to violently invade Israel and Judah as God’s judgment because they refused to distance themselves from pagan practices. Imagine, even kings of Israel and Judah were charged with the exact same sin of child sacrifice (2 Kings 17:17; Ezekiel 16:21). The Bible doesn't condone Israelite violence; it simply records God dealing with systemic evil, regardless of who commits it.

Hindi "Holy" ang Dahas

Kahit na pinayagan sa OT ang physical warfare para linisin ang lupain, the Bible never treats violence as something "sacred" or "holy." In fact, it's the exact opposite.

Tignan natin si King David. He was a great military leader who fought wars with God’s guidance. Pero alam niyo ba na hindi siya pinayagan ng Diyos na magtayo ng Temple sa Jerusalem? Ang rason: sobrang daming dugo sa mga kamay niya (1 Chronicles 28:3). Violence, throughout Scripture, is viewed as an inherently evil symptom of a corrupted, fallen world (Genesis 6:11). The prophet Isaiah looked forward to a day where violence would cease, pointing to a Messiah who would have zero record of violence (Isaiah 53:9).

Ang Bagong Tipan: Jesus and the Radical Paradigm Shift

This brings us to the ultimate game-changer under the New Covenant. As Christians, our defining question isn't just "What did the OT kings do?" but "What did Jesus have to do with violence?"

The answer? A systematic, radical rejection of it.

Under the New Covenant, the physical theocracy of Israel is over. Wala na tayong "Holy Land" na ipinaglalaban gamit ang pisikal na espada. Jesus made it crystal clear na ang Kingdom Niya is completely spiritual, not political. When Jesus was being arrested to be crucified, He completely renounced the use of force, famously telling Peter: "Ibalik mo ang espada mo sa pinaglagyan; dahil ang lahat ng gumagamit ng espada ay mamamatay sa espada" (Matthew 26:52).

He doubled down on this before Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight... But now my kingdom is from another place" (John 18:36). Walang physical holy wars under the New Covenant. Period.

Paano Yung "I came to bring a sword"?

May mga critics na ginagamit ang Matthew 10:34 against Christianity: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."

Context is everything. Kapag binasa mo yung buong chapter, Jesus was explicitly warning His disciples about the persecution they would face. Ang "sword" na tinutukoy Niya dito is not a literal weapon in their hands, kundi yung division and opposition na dadanasin nila dahil sa pagsunod sa Kanya. It was the sword that would be raised against them, not by them.

The Role of the State vs. The Role of the Church

This anti-violent stance was echoed heavily by Paul and Peter in the epistles. They urged early Christians to love their enemies, renounce retaliation, and overcome evil with good (Romans 12:14-21). Walang resbakan sa Christianity.

Does this mean all force is wrong? Not exactly. The New Testament recognizes that the civil government (yung State, even a pagan one) carries the sword to maintain public order and implement justice for the common good (Romans 13:1-7). Pulis, military, law enforcement—trabaho nilang panatilihin ang peace and order. Pero take note: fighting for the state is a matter of public civic duty, not a religious act.

"Ang bawat tao'y dapat pasakop sa mga pinuno ng pamahalaan, sapagkat walang pamahalaang hindi mula sa Diyos, at ang Diyos ang nagtatag ng mga pamahalaang umiiral. Kaya nga, ang lumalaban sa pamahalaan ay lumalaban sa itinakda ng Diyos; at sila'y paparusahan. Ang mga pinuno ay hindi dapat katakutan ng taong gumagawa ng mabuti. Ang mga gumagawa lamang ng masama ang dapat matakot. Kung ayaw mong matakot sa mga namumuno, gumawa ka ng mabuti, at pararangalan ka nila. Sila'y mga lingkod ng Diyos para sa ikabubuti mo. Ngunit kung gumagawa ka ng masama, dapat kang matakot dahil sila'y may kapangyarihang magparusa. Sila'y mga lingkod ng Diyos, na nagpaparusa sa mga gumagawa ng masama. Kaya nga, dapat kayong pasakop sa kanila, hindi lamang upang hindi kayo maparusahan, kundi alang-alang na rin sa inyong budhi. Iyan din ang dahilan kung bakit kayo nagbabayad ng buwis. Ang mga pinuno ng pamahalaan ay mga lingkod ng Diyos at ito ang kanilang tungkulin. Ibigay ninyo sa bawat isa ang nararapat sa kanya. Magbayad kayo sa mga dapat bayaran at magbigay kayo ng buwis sa dapat buwisan; igalang ninyo ang dapat igalang at parangalan ninyo ang dapat parangalan." Mga Taga-Roma 13:1-7 RTPV

Walang "Christian Holy War." Fighting is only ever considered just if it follows principles of objective justice applicable to everyone, not to advance Christianity over another religion.

The Tragedy of "Christendom"

Kung na-maintain lang sana ng mga Christians throughout history itong clear New Covenant distinction, the world would have been vastly different.

Nakakalungkot na starting in the 4th century with the rise of "Christendom" (the unbiblical merging of Church and State politics), tapos sinundan pa ng mga violent reactions tulad ng Crusades laban sa Islamic expansion, many deviated from the gospel. Nag-imbento sila ng aberrant theologies na kino-consider ang warfare against non-Christians bilang "holy," at yung mga namatay sa labanan bilang "martyrs."

Thankfully, the global Church today universally denounces that era. Real, biblical Christianity knows that under the New Covenant, our warfare is no longer against flesh and blood. Ang tawag sa atin ay magdala ng buhay, hindi kumitil nito.

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