Is Jesus the Prince of Peace?
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34)
Obviously The Bible is a powerful book, it has had a massive effect on the course of human history, and it continues to be revered by vast numbers of people. Personally, it has been a powerful presence in my life. I love the Bible. It is a challenging read, and it presents a mixed message. In one place God is described as perfect universal love and mercy (Matthew 5:43-48), and yet elsewhere in the Bible, especially throughout the Old Testament, God is clearly depicted as given to wrath and vengeance, often inflicting terrible punishment and suffering on humanity. Why is there this obvious inconsistency? Is God capricious and inconsistent? Does God only love first the Jews, and then decide He will also include those who believe in Jesus? Why does Jesus preach all manner of gentleness, mercy, humility, kindness, forgiveness, and then seem to reserve eternal salvation for only those who are his disciples? Why is Jesus called “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6), and then proclaim that his mission on earth is to sow discord (Matthew 10:34-36) ?
The answer to these questions is found in understanding God’s agenda in creating humanity, and the role that scripture plays in achieving His purpose.
God is Love. Love endeavors to make others happy through giving of Itself. We are created from God to receive love and happiness. Love is reciprocal; it is a phenomena which requires us to have an actual self, from which we can respond. In order for our self to be free, it is required that we have a choice. We are first given form by the Divine, and then gradually we realize our ability to become what we choose to be.
There exist 3 levels of reality, natural, spiritual, and celestial. We are first only conscious of the natural level, with the potential to become spiritual. The original natural self is orientated to external realities, concerns which are of time and space. The first, natural self is not established in true freedom. The spiritual level of reality is not bound by time and space, it is essential, and more abstract. The spiritual level is formed by internal qualities such as love and wisdom, goodness and truth, and also evil and falsity. When we first recognize the existence of the spiritual level this marks the beginning of our spiritual birth process. Our higher self is spiritual, it is our rational mind; it is this inner part of us, our heart and mind which will continue in existence beyond the grave. God is in the business of helping to establish our existence as spiritual beings capable of receptivity of life to eternity.
Scripture serves as a bridge between the natural and spiritual levels of our consciousness. It speaks to us everywhere on our spiritual journey. If we are still naturally oriented, we can receive from it natural level teachings which will help us to establish the lower self in a state of integrity, through simple, blunt moral teachings such as the ten commandments. However, if we continue to ponder scripture, we will be lead to consider life from an new, increasingly elevated perspective. Contradictions in scripture exist in order to free our minds from being bound by external appearances, bound by the parameters of time and space. Spiritual truth is present symbolically within the literal level of scripture. Much of scripture is irrational of taken only literally. Some of the teaching in scripture is meant literally and directly. However, there is obviously much blatant symbolism in the Bible. Both the apostle Paul and Jesus himself taught that we should endeavor to understand scripture spiritually (2 Cor. 3:6, John 6:63). It also says that Jesus always spoke in the manner of a parable (Matthew 13:34)
The spiritual birth requires travail. There is a conflict that arrises between the natural and the spiritual self. Jesus is the Word made flesh, a symbol of Spiritual Truth. Spiritual Truth will cause conflict in our natural mind (the earth). Once we become spiritual, and leave the natural, selfish desires behind, there will exist a state of peace which will abide to eternity. Eternal peace is real peace.
Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
This passage is not to be taken literally. It is symbolic. “Those of one’s own household, which are enemies”, are elements of our lower, natural consciousness, selfish, externally oriented desires and ideas. The passage is describing the conflict which will arise between old, natural desires and ideas, and the new spiritual affections and spiritual truths which will guide us to an enlightened state.
If we study the Bible, and rationally ponder its very challenging content, it will cause conflict in our consciousness, and upset our peace as mere animals, inspiring us to attain to spiritual understanding, and ultimately enlightenment, and lasting peace.
