IN his epistle to the Ephesians Paul exhorts all true followers of the Master to "put on the whole armor of God," mentioning as a final requisite "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." On page 595 of Science and Health sword is defined as "the idea of Truth; justice. Revenge; anger." The sword which Jesus continually used and instructed his followers to employ was this "idea of Truth ; justice." With "the word of God," the powerful weapon of spiritual thinking, he stilled tempestuous elements, rebuked and cast out the devils of insanity, lust, malice, and hate, uprooted human incredulity, pride, and self-righteousness, healed the sick, raised the dead,— thus disclosing the signs of Love's immortal presence.
Not once did Jesus utilize the carnal weapon of "revenge; anger," for when on that dark day he counseled Peter to put up his sword, saying, "They that take the sword shall perish with the sword," he was referring to that implement of resentment which strikes to injure, meets evil with evil, and finally is overcome blow for blow through the self-defeating elements of rivalry and hatred. In his parable of the wicked husbandmen, who said, "This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours," Jesus illustrated the powerlessness of evil to accomplish its wicked plans. "What," he asked, "shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others."
While Jesus' doctrine was based upon love, and essentially taught non-resistance of evil, he nevertheless warned his disciples that he "came not to send peace, but a sword,"—the word of God, which overturns evil beliefs, disturbs their unrighteous, selfish rest, and quietly but effectually dislodges and removes them. This spiritual activity impels evil to fight for its seeming existence, often causing it to strike back at its tormentor, the divine idea which molests it, until self-destroyed. In order that his students might be prepared to meet the secret and open attacks which Truth's uncovering of evil frequently precipitates, Jesus taught them always to return good for evil and to combine the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove.
