Christ Quote by John Milton
“We read not that Christ ever exercised force but once; and that was to drive profane ones out of his Temple, not to force them in.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: The Reason of Church and State, 1642
Christ used force only once, to remove impurity, not to compel entry.
In simple terms: Christ only used force to drive out bad people, not to force them in.
Key Takeaway
Understand the distinction between protective action and coercive intrusion.
Themes
faith
authority
violence
ethics
religion
Mood
reflective
serious
thoughtful
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- church leadership
- political power
- social reform
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
just war theory
religious authority
moral restraint
Questions to Reflect On
- Is force ever justified to protect sacred spaces?
- How does this view align with contemporary religious tolerance?
A Different Perspective
The quote reflects historical theological debate; modern contexts differ.
![“No one in this earthly prison of the body has sufficient strength of his own to press forward with a due degree of watchfulness, and the great majority [of Christians] are kept down with such great weakness that they stagger and halt and even creep on the ground, and so make very slight advances.” quote by John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1b1/john-calvin-490_body_no-one-in-this-earthly-prison-of-the-bod_1212392.jpg)
![“T]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people - the new covenant, blood-bought people of God. That's why Paul said, 'Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her' (Eph. 5:25). He didn't give himself up for a…” quote by Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7a4/mark-dever-3175_blood_t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-bu_3297.jpg)
