What would it take to change your mind?

[CoxRox]

So if I understand you correctly - when you say Jesus is in favour of the death penalty you mean the penalty that all humans (and all other life?) suffer - death. We all die in the end. You only mean that? The killing isn't done by Jesus but by people? Right?

No. I don't mean that. As I understand the claim of Christianity, Jesus being a Jew upheld the Mosaic laws and that included capital punishment. When he started his ministry at the age of 30, he started to demonstrate on a small scale what sort of power the Kingdom of God would one day accomplish ie healings of sick people, dead people coming back to life. When he had an opportunity to take part in a stoning, he advocated forgiveness. Jesus does allude to a future time of judging, and punishment and the orthodox view is that Jesus will kill his oponents when He returns to the earth.

If this is so - does that suggest that you think that when Jesus said - to paraphrase, -: "I come not to bring peace, but a sword" - he was just being metaphorical? Right?
Correct? Wrong? Thoughts?

And IF that is the case. How do you know its a metaphor? Or where is there evidence that its a metaphor to make it at least probable that its one?

[/b]When He came the first time he brought a 'spiritual sword'. There is nothing in the New Testament to suggest he ever used a sword literally or took part in any capital punishments. When He returns the second time it is understood He will use not so much a literal sword (although it could be read literally I suppose)but literal punishment by death at the battle of Armageddon. This is a real war waged by real armies. (Rev11:18, Rev 16:14, Rev19:11-16) Once this battle is fought and His enemies have been destroyed, the 1000 year Kingdom will be established and after the thousand year reign, He will resurrect all those people who have ever lived and died. Rev19:17-21 Rev 20:1-15. Rev21:1-7[/b].
evf

This is a big subject and the few scriptures I've provided don't really do it justice. Basically we can conclude that Jesus was in favour of a 'life for a life'. God's justice (as claimed by the Bible) requires the punishment of death for sinning. Jesus gave his life and was willing to die to put an end to the sin-death cycle. [/b]