Polar Opposites: Part 3 >> Jesus and Crusaders are polar opposites

This is part three of four on discussing misunderstandings about Jesus, religion, religious expansion and conversion.  In Part 1 we looked at established religion and in Part 2 we looked at religious leaders and in both parts we see that these are polar opposites of Jesus. This is Part 3: Jesus and Crusaders are polar opposites

Misunderstanding 4. Jesus asked us to set up His Kingdom on earth. FALSE.

When Jesus taught a model for the simple and straight forward prayer, He included a phrase to ask of God "may your kingdom come". What does that mean? It means asking God to establish heaven on earth by booting out evil completely not a hint for any human to assume this mantle and set up kingdoms in God's name.  The new testament eyewitness accounts quote Jesus referring to the phrases “Kingdom of heaven” or “Kingdom of God” 86 times according to the NIV translation. Not once in these 86 quotes does Jesus ask for any human help to establish the Kingdom of God. So what does Jesus say in these 86 times He talks about the Kingdom of God? 

• Describes what the Kingdom of God is like
• Talks about the unlikely candidates who will find it easy to enter it, 
• Talks about the likely candidates who will find it hard to even understand it leave alone enter it
• Talks about it becoming accessible to humans because of Him 
• Presents several parables to help people understand it’s somewhat unexpected and surprising characteristics. 
• Asks humans to proclaim that the kingdom of God is within reach and to tell about it  
• He NEVER tells anyone to build a kingdom, conquer lands or establish it or force or coerce people into it.

When Pontius Pilate the Roman governor asked Jesus whether he was a king trying to start an uprising as accused by the Jewish religious leaders he told him clearly that His goal was not to conquer like earthly kings. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” - John 18:36  

Misunderstanding 5. The crusaders were following Jesus’s commands to wage war and conquer lands and countries in order to establish The Kingdom of God on the earth. FALSE. 

Jesus does not need anyone's help to do whatever He wants about bringing an end to evil and finally uniting heaven and earth i.e. "God's Kingdom on earth".  He prevented the use of violence when his followers wanted to use swords to defend themselves. 

When Jesus' followers  tried to attack the soldiers that came to arrest Jesus, He told them that this was not the way. “Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” - Matthew 26:50-52 and  they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. - Luke 22:49-51 and  "Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away!” - John 18:10-11

Jesus told people to not attack back, not retaliate nor seek revenge. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. - Matthew 5:3

He has more powerful ways to do whatever He wants about His Kingdom that do not need human assistance to establish it nor wage wars to enforce it: “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.” - Matthew 13:14 and “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous” - Matthew 13:49 and “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” - Matthew 26:53 and “And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.” - Mark 13:27

What this reveals is that the Crusaders were like any other power hungry group only this time they were motivated by religious leaders who incited them to use violence and justified it as holy duty to establish the Kingdom of God. In reality, the religious leaders were establishing their "own kingdom" no different than some politicians of today who use what is fundamentally good to twist it for the establishment of their own power and authority.