It is a common misunderstanding—both among Christians and their critics—that followers of the Lord Jesus are commanded to be passive, even in the face of evil. Some argue that Lord Jesus demands total pacifism as a prerequisite for entering the Kingdom of God. While peace is indeed a divine virtue and should be pursued where appropriate, the Gospel as preserved in the Evangelicon demonstrates that resisting evil is not only permissible but sometimes required for true peace to be realized.
Misreading the Call to Peace
The Lord’s teachings in the Evangelicon are often cited to support pacifism. Consider Evangelicon 4:31:
“And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.”
The act of “offering the other cheek” is not cowardice; it is deliberate defiance of the power structures that demean and dehumanize. It compels the aggressor to confront the humanity of the one he strikes. It is resistance through divine strength.
At first glance, this appears to teach absolute submission. However, the phrase “forbid not” implies an active moral discernment rather than passive acquiescence. This passage emphasizes the abandonment of vengeance and the embrace of mercy—but not the erasure of personal dignity or the abdication of justice.
Stand with Dignity, Not Submission
In first-century society, especially across the Hebraic and Roman worlds, the right hand was the clean hand; the left was considered unclean, used for impure tasks. A backhanded strike to the right cheek was an intentional insult—used by superiors toward inferiors.
To “turn the other cheek” is not to welcome abuse. It forces the aggressor to strike with the open hand, a gesture of equality. In other words, it challenges the aggressor’s power. Lord Jesus is not commanding believers to be doormats. He is empowering them to assert their God-given dignity, not by returning evil for evil, but by confounding injustice with fearless righteousness.
An Ethic of Generous Resistance
In Evangelicon 4:32, the Lord continues:
“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.”
Here, the emphasis is again on generosity, not helplessness. We are not commanded to be indifferent to wrongdoing, but to meet it with the generosity of one who places full trust in God. Lord Jesus deepens this ethic in Evangelicon 4:37:
“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of God: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”
These are calls to spiritual transformation, not to moral indifference. Christ commands us to overcome evil with goodness—not to ignore evil altogether. His standard is not pacifism but holiness: the courage to love amid conflict and injustice.
Righteous Anger and Moral Action
The Apostle Paul, in Laodiceans 4:24–27, writes:
“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness… Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.”
Here, anger is not condemned. Rather, it is recognized as a human response that must be governed by righteousness. When we allow evil to go unchecked, when we let the sun go down on justified wrath, we surrender moral ground to the adversary. Paul’s words encourage action, not apathy.
Christ’s Own Forceful Actions
The example of Lord Jesus driving out the money changers from the Jewish Temple is powerful. As written in Evangelicon 2:14–15:
“And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overthrew the tables.”
This was not a spontaneous outburst. Lord Jesus deliberately crafted a whip, a scourge of cords, and expelled those who profaned sacred space. This act required time, thought, and holy indignation. It was not violent for its own sake—it was righteous confrontation. This moment should eliminate any notion that the Lord was committed to absolute pacifism.
Lord Jesus and the Two Swords
A further moment of practical instruction appears in Evangelicon 20:60:
“And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.”
On the eve of His betrayal, Lord Jesus is told by His disciples that they have two swords. He does not reject the weapons or rebuke them for possessing them. Instead, He declares, “It is enough.” This is not poetic metaphor—it is plain acknowledgment that, while violence is not the way of the Kingdom, readiness is not a sin.
Had the Lord desired total disarmament, this would have been the moment to command it. Instead, He validates their preparation. The swords were not for conquest but for defense and protection amidst turmoil. This further affirms the Marcionite view that the Lord’s Gospel is not pacifist ideology but spiritual liberation guided by wisdom.
A Strong Man Armed
Later, the Lord gives a striking parable in Evangelicon 10:21:
“When a strong man fully armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace.”
Though part of a broader teaching, this line recognizes the legitimacy of defense. Peace is not secured through passivity but through vigilance. The Lord makes no moral judgment against the strong man for being armed; instead, He uses the imagery to convey the reality that protection requires preparation.
Paul affirms this idea in Romans 11:4:
“But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
While this refers to earthly governance, the principle is clear: the sword has a place when used under just authority. Justice does not preclude the use of force—it demands that it be used rightly.
Overcome Evil with Good
Even so, Paul is careful to qualify all such power with the higher command of love. In Romans 10:9-13, he exhorts:
“Recompense to no man evil for evil… avenge not yourselves… Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
This is the balance: resist evil, but never become evil in doing so. The sword is not our savior—the Lord is. Yet readiness and righteousness go hand in hand.
Paul even uses military language when describing his companions. In Philippians 2:25, he calls Epaphroditus:
“My brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier.”
The Christian life is not passive. We are soldiers—not in the violent sense of conquest, but in the disciplined, spiritual sense of preparation, courage, and loyalty to the Kingdom of God.
Conclusion: Peace Through Righteousness
Lord Jesus never commands that His followers abandon all resistance to evil. He never teaches that violence must never occur—only that it must never arise from pride, hate, or vengeance. The Kingdom of God is not built by the sword, but neither is it sustained by cowardice.
He calls us to be people of peace, but also of courage. As Evangelicon 4:24 proclaims:
“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you… for the Son of man’s sake.”
To follow Christ is to face opposition boldly, not by becoming like the world, but by remaining faithful, loving, and resolute.
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, as preserved in the Testamentum, is a Gospel of power—not worldly power, but the divine strength to overcome evil with good, to forgive without surrender, and to resist injustice with truth.
Marcionite Christians are called to be peacemakers, yes—but never passive. Peace must be made, not merely awaited. We are commanded to love our enemies, but also to confront evil where it arises. We are instructed to put on the new man, created in righteousness, not in retreat.
Pacifism, when it leads to moral paralysis, betrays the very peace it seeks. Our Lord did not suffer and die so we could become spectators of injustice. He called us into His Kingdom—not to be ruled by fear, but to walk in boldness, mercy, and truth.
