Peace Is a Deliberate Choice Made by the Dominant One

The call is for violence (Luke 9: 51-56). This is a common reaction when people face frustrations, do not get what they want, or don't make as much profit as they desired—they conquer others through violent and ugly means.

Jesus was at the height of his ministry. Look at chapter 9, he sends out his disciples to preach, he shows his majesty and glory in transfiguration, he feeds thousands of people, he is able to send people ahead of him to get this ready. To use a modern term, Jesus was influential, powerful, and dominant. James and John frustrated by the nonacceptance of Jesus by a Samaritan village wanted to bring down fire from above and destroy them. Jesus was definitely able to destroy that village even without bringing down fire from above. He could even initiate a communal violence for he had a very large following. But note the response of Jesus to the call for violence. He not only refused it but also rebuked them. Peace is a deliberate choice made by the dominant one.

Stoic wisdom provokingly says, don't call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you are not capable of violence, you are not peaceful—you are harmless. Don't mistake the absence of conflict for the presence of peace. Real peace is a choice—not a limitation. We could read the scriptural indication of peace in Isaiah 11 in this light; the wolf/lion shall live with the lamb. It is not that the wolf or lion would lose its power, but shall not use it against the lamb as a choice.

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