The whole point of the kingdom of God is Jesus has come to bear
The whole point of the kingdom of God is Jesus has come to bear witness to the true truth, which is nonviolent. When God wants to take charge of the world, he doesn't send in the tanks. He sends in the poor and the meek.
Hear the words of N. T. Wright, who declared: “The whole point of the kingdom of God is Jesus has come to bear witness to the true truth, which is nonviolent. When God wants to take charge of the world, he doesn't send in the tanks. He sends in the poor and the meek.” These words pierce the heart, for they remind us that divine power is unlike the power of men. The kingdoms of this world rise with swords, cannons, and armies, but the kingdom of God advances with humility, gentleness, and love. The world esteems force, but God esteems the poor and the meek, and through them, He overturns the mighty.
The true truth, as Wright calls it, is not adorned with violence or crowned with conquest. It is nonviolent, for it reflects the very heart of Christ, who when reviled, reviled not again; who when struck, raised not His hand in vengeance; who when crowned with thorns, prayed for the forgiveness of His persecutors. This truth is bitter to those who crave dominion and victory, yet sweet to the broken and oppressed. It tells us that strength is not measured in iron and fire, but in patience, mercy, and endurance.
Consider the story of Mahatma Gandhi, who, though not Christian by faith, embodied this principle in his struggle for India’s freedom. He raised no army, wielded no weapon, but instead called his people to resist oppression with nonviolence. Against the might of the British Empire, he sent forth the poor, the meek, the multitudes armed only with courage and the conviction that truth was greater than force. And in the end, the empire withdrew. Here we see reflected the wisdom of Wright’s words: when God desires to shape history, He does not march with tanks—He moves through the humble.
So too was it in the life of Martin Luther King Jr., who looked to the teachings of Jesus and Gandhi. In an age of hatred, firehoses, and lynchings, he spoke of love, forgiveness, and peace. His marchers were beaten, jailed, and slain, yet they conquered hearts and transformed a nation. They bore witness to the true truth, that justice is won not through violence but through steadfast nonviolence. Their meekness was not weakness, but power clothed in humility, and their cause revealed the presence of a kingdom not of this world.
This teaching is not easy. The human heart longs to fight, to strike back, to dominate. The world teaches that to be meek is to be powerless. Yet Christ turned the world upside down, declaring, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” What greater irony, what greater glory, than this—that the inheritors of the earth are not conquerors, but the gentle? It is here that Wright’s words burn with prophetic fire: the kingdom of God does not mimic the empires of men, but subverts them by offering a power deeper and more enduring than violence.
Therefore, O listener, take heed. When wronged, resist the urge to repay evil with evil. When faced with the storms of life, do not seek victory through force, but through faithfulness, patience, and truth. Let your strength be clothed in gentleness, and your courage be measured not by how many you defeat, but by how many you lift up. For in this way, you walk in the power of the kingdom that has no end.
The lesson is clear: trust not in the tanks of men, nor in the noise of armies, but in the true truth of God revealed in Christ. Stand with the poor, walk with the meek, and let nonviolence be your weapon. For though the world may laugh, though tyrants may rage, their thrones crumble while the meek inherit the earth. And when history remembers, it shall not sing of tanks and tyrants, but of those who bore witness to the eternal truth: that love conquers all.
DMLe Dieu My
This quote seems to suggest that true power in the world lies not in military might, but in the meekness and poverty that Jesus embodies. But could this concept be idealistic in the context of today’s geopolitical realities? Can we truly expect the poor and meek to change the world, or do we need more concrete action? How can the message of nonviolence be applied in real-world scenarios where force is often used to solve problems?
TAHoang Tuan Anh
It’s interesting how N. T. Wright contrasts the conventional idea of power with God’s approach to leadership. By saying that God sends the poor and the meek instead of tanks, is he suggesting that peace is a more effective weapon than force? Could this be an invitation to reconsider how we view conflict resolution in the world today? How might embracing nonviolence shift our approach to global problems?
KLNguyen Cao Khanh Ly
This quote emphasizes a countercultural view of how God's kingdom works. Rather than using force, it suggests that real power comes from humility and nonviolence. But in a world where strength and power are often equated with military might and dominance, can this message really resonate with people today? Is it realistic to think that the meek can truly bring about change, or is this more of an idealistic vision?
DADao Duy Anh
N. T. Wright's quote challenges our traditional views on power and influence. Instead of military force or dominance, God’s method of taking charge of the world is through the poor and meek. Is this a call for radical nonviolence, or does it imply that real power lies in humility and service? If the true truth is nonviolent, how can we reconcile this with the often violent actions of the world’s leaders throughout history?