Jesus -- Teaching and Doing Nonviolent Resistance

EVERY CHURCH A PEACE CHURCH STARTS WITH JESUS, RIGHT HERE

ARE YOU OPEN TO A FRESH ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS? Let him speak to you. Try it by discussing these stories from the Gospels, with a group or with a partner.
We recommend these Bible studies as your very first point of investigating the message of ECAPC. They take you into M. L. King's understanding of Jesus as a teacher and example of nonviolent resistance.

Mark 3:1-6 Jesus in the Synagogue on the Sabbath

• Read the passage aloud. It was written to be read aloud.
• Name some ways Jesus could have avoided conflict with the Pharisees. Why didn't he avoid conflict with them?
• Describe the atmosphere, the kind of tension in the air in the synagogue.
• How do you think the man felt when Jesus said "come forward"?
• Consider the question which Jesus asked. How did it change the agenda under consideration from religious dogmas to human consequences? Where could the synagogue worshippers turn for an answer to Jesus' question?
• Discuss the two emotions which are attributed to Jesus. How do you feel about them?
• Was Jesus a peacemaker in this situation? See Luke 6:8.
• Is it important for Christians to be advocates for justice, and to challenge unjust power structures as Jesus challenged the Pharisees?
• Could challenging unjust power structures be implied in Jesus' command "take up your cross" (Mark 8:34)? How was Jesus' cross related to his challenge of unjust power structures (e.g. the Pharisees)? How might our cross be related to our challenge of unjust structures?
• What was Jesus' method of advocating for justice? What kind of power did he use?
• How would you answer Jesus' question: "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" What exceptions or qualifications would you put in your response to Jesus? Do you think he intended for that question to apply only to behavior on the Sabbath?
• As you read this story, do you find that personal and corporate, life and death, questions of security and survival are at stake in the encounter?
  For what the Apostles' Creed left out, see article on Jesus by J. Stoner

Luke 9:51-56 Fire from Heaven
Failure to be hospitable was a great offense in Jesus' time.

• How did Jews feel about Samaritans? Why?
• Did Jesus' disciples know any stories about calling down fire from heaven? Read II Kings I, the story of Elijah and the king's messengers.
• What motivated Jesus to rebuke his disciples?
• What does the Bible teach about how to deal with "enemies," or "offenders," or "the other"? What are some of the differing responses to enemies which we find in the Bible? How do we explain these different ways of responding to enemies?
• How did Jesus respond to enemies? What did he say about how to respond to enemies?

Matthew 5:43-48 "But I say to you, Love your Enemies"

• In what ways does Matthew's gospel portray Jesus as a new Moses and a new lawgiver? (For example, forty days, ascending a mountain.)
• How has the church historically responded to Jesus as a new lawgiver who is giving some new laws, such as "love your enemies"? Has the church added Jesus' commandments to the "Ten Commandments"? Why not?
• In Luke's gospel, "Love your enemies" is the first imperative (command) which Jesus addresses to the crowds (ch. 6). In light of the fact that Jesus began his public teaching with "love your enemies," what do you think of churches which hold back, or gloss over, this teaching of Jesus because people may be offended or driven away by it?
• Are you satisfied that the church's response has been good enough?
• What specific behavior of God does Jesus say that his disciples should imitate?
• Was it easy or difficult for Jesus to love his enemies? How will it be for us?