There is violence, even of the lethal kind, on the part of Christians in the NT. BUT Christians will only be violent at the parousia, i.e., the establishment of the KOG on earth. After all, God had promised to answer the prayers of His servants by destroying their enemies: Ps 69:1-9; 22-28

• 23 may their fellowship become a trap (NIV);
• 24 Pour out Your rage on them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.
• 27a Add guilt to their guilt;
• 28a Let them be erased from the book of life….
• Applied to Jesus clearing the Temple courts, John 2.13-17.

Apocalyptic Parables

The first thing to NOTE is that one of the most used OT verses by the NT writers is Ps 21:9, “thrown in furnace, burned in fire.”

Parable of the Wedding Feast/Banquet: Mat 22.1-13

• 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 
• 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
• 13 Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Parable of the wicked vineyard tenants: Lk 20.9-16;

• Luke 20.15 what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 

16 He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others.

• Cp. Mat 21:41 He will completely destroy those terrible men.

Christians killing “Christians”! Mat 24.45-51

• Unfaithful servants will be “cut in two,” Cp. Luke 12.46

The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful. NLT

• False prophets “cut down/burned,” Mat 7.19;
• Lord, did we not prophesy, heal in your name? Matt 7.22-23.

For more read the whole book of Apocalypse!

• The wicked will be squeezed like grapes; so much blood flow that it will turn into a river, 180 miles long, deep enough to cover horses. Rev. 14.20
• From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. Rev 19.15

Why so much violence?

• God promised;
• Your vindication;
• The Nations will rebel, not accept his parousia, Ps 2

“The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one.” NLT

• The Restoration of all the Nations; God heals by striking: Isa 19:19-22.

The Role of Christians:

• To rule, manage a renewed world, 1Cor 6.
• The “army” of the Messiah, Mat 22.7; cp. Luke 19.27.

BUT NOT YET! Mat 26.47-56

• v.52: Jesus rebukes Peter and declares a prophetic word of judgment regarding all those who take up the sword…today!
• Tertullian writing in the 2nd c.

“In disarming Peter, Christ disarms all Christians.”

• Overturning yet another OC Law, Ex 22.2;
• v.54 fulfilling Luke 22:36-37.

Luke 9.51-56

• 54: The Apostles James and John rebuked:

“Sir, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?”

• Some manuscripts add to v.55.