Splendour and Violence
 

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth! I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

The story of Jesus is a story of violence.

New Testament literature offers two accounts of the birth of Jesus. One of these is the infancy narrative according to Matthew.
 

The narrative presents the beginning of Jesus’ life: the special announcement of a pregnancy. It is also special because heavenly powers make an appearance here. They appear to Jesus’ father in a dream. The announcement of the name is the mediation: for the dream becomes reality and person in the newborn Jesus.

Mary, his mother, was engaged to Joseph; even before they had come together, it became clear that she was expecting a child – through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph, who was betrothed to Mary, was a decent man. He did not want to cause Mary any trouble and therefore planned to part from her quietly and without much fuss. Whilst he was still thinking about this, an angel of God appeared to him in a dream. The angel said: ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. The child she is expecting comes from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will save people from their sins.”

Thus was fulfilled what God had long ago announced through a prophet: a virgin would give birth to a child, a son who would be called Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’.

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel had told him and took Mary into his home. Until the birth of their son, they had no marital relations. And Joseph gave the child the name Jesus. (Mt 1:19–25)

But the story of his childhood continues.

For shortly afterwards, Joseph had another dream. This time, it was not Jesus’ birth that was announced, but the danger to which he was exposed. Herod, Rome’s client king of the Jews in Jerusalem, feared for his position. Wise men had prophesied to him the birth of a rival: a king.

Joseph is to flee to Egypt with his family and thus save Jesus’ life. “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt; stay there until I tell you otherwise; for Herod will search for the child to kill him,” says the angel to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 2:13). That very night, the family sets off.

What a nightmare! But it is reality. The dream is the medium; it points to the brutal reality of the danger in which Jesus finds himself. A bloody series of infanticides follows: when Herod realises after some time that he cannot find Jesus, he becomes very angry and orders the killing of all little boys in Bethlehem and the surrounding area of the age at which he suspects Jesus to be. All two-year-old male children in Bethlehem and the surrounding area are killed on his command.

Violence – everywhere. And this despite the fact that one of the most beautiful things has happened: a human being has been born. And yes, it is the Messiah whom the Jews await as their king, as this account of Jesus’ childhood in Matthew itself indicates: ‘But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ (Mt 2:6)

Did Jesus embrace this violence when – as the Gospel of Matthew later reports – Jesus says: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth! I have not come to bring peace, but a sword?” (Mt 10:34)

Jesus came into a world full of violence. Time and again, Jesus preaches peace. His vision of breaking the cycle of violence by refraining from using counter-violence is the ethos of the Sermon on the Mount. Love for one’s enemies – the ultimate commandment of love for one’s neighbour. Yet this claim also features in Jesus’ words. For Jesus is a powerful King who can truly overcome violence – even through weapons. His weapon, described here, is the sword. He fights with this weapon, but not to entrench injustice, but to bring justice. With the sword, he can destroy the weapons of others, disarming them. The statement is unsettling, but can be explained metaphorically in the context of statements about power. For injustices to be permanently eradicated, the means must be effective. Using the image of a weapon for this purpose is stark, but striking. Injustice would remain injustice if it were not fought with all available means.

The goal is peace. There are three astrologers from the East, from whom the Jewish client king hears that a new king has been born. They believe the child is in the palace and travel there. “When they saw the star, they were filled with great joy. ¹¹ They went into the house and saw the child and Mary, his mother; then they fell down and worshipped him. Then they brought out their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Mt 2:10–11) These kings acknowledge the King’s power; Herod acts in panic because his agenda does not recognise such divine power.

Whilst Herod resorts to brutal means out of fear of losing power and control, the kings from the East bring the most precious gifts, which are an expression of their service to the child. The heavenly star guides their way and lights their path through the dark night as they seek the child. Radiance and light lead the three men to Jesus; Herod, on the other hand, brings violence and fear and murders infants.

Christmas is a celebration for the family.

It is often children who take centre stage at this time of year: they receive presents and delight in parcels, sweets, and the twinkling lights in the towns and windows. I hope that everyone can enjoy this in an environment free from violence, and my thoughts go out to all those who are unable to experience this.

Jesus destroys the weapons of those who wield violence and power. The metaphor of the sword is stark, but effective: his power is to be taken seriously; it builds peace and community.

Aleksandra Brand