[OPINION] Live by the sword, die by the sword

“All who draw the sword will die by the sword.”

Those were the words of Jesus during his arrest at the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter defended his master by cutting off the ear of one of the soldiers. But Jesus was not pleased.

This line has been interpreted in many ways. 

In its specific sense, it was a rebuke of Peter. He interfered in the plan of God that was fast approaching for Jesus as the sacrificial messiah.

But the line also has its universal application. There is no good end in violence. Violence begets only violence.

Day of reckoning

In contemporary use, to draw the sword is to live by the sword. It refers to the vicious means by which people have achieved their successes, often at the expense of other people. 

We call them opportunists. They may not see it but their decisions in life have deliberate human consequences. 

Just think of friends who have taken advantage of our unassuming kindness. In the workplace, careerists have resorted to lies and manipulation to advance their professions. In politics, opportunists have latched on every chance to play up to the powerful. 

The unfortunate reality is that lies and manipulation are not just innocent fantasies to pursue one’s interests. These acts hurt the rest who are doing things the right way. 

And yet there is something far greater that gets sacrificed. Opportunists may not realize this but their character is at stake. 

This is because expediency, and not principle, compels them. They are willing to go so far as to sacrifice trust and relationships on the altar of ambition.

Character

When character is compromised, so too is the person’s destiny. 

How so? Opportunists may appear to be the most successful in our midst. But it is just a matter of time before the scaffoldings of their fragile achievements fall apart. Opportunism, after all, involves unethical acts. Sooner or later, the law, if not other people, will exact justice.

Examples abound in our midst these days. Former human rights lawyers, politicians, and government officials have become the very losers at their own game.

And so the pursuit of self-interest without regard for justice and the common good is not boundless. Those caught in their web of lies and deception will have their day of reckoning: those who live by the sword will die by the sword. 

That this is the case is comforting to those on the receiving end of injustices.

Moral design?

To die by the sword assumes that there is a moral design in the universe. That much is the conviction of religious beliefs. The Bible, for example, has many stories to prove this point. Many of the most powerful kings in the Old Testament suffered humiliating defeats. In Hinduism and Buddhism, karma is the effect of one’s thoughts, speech, or actions. These consequences may be encountered either in this lifetime or the next. And karma spares no one. 

But the principle is also sociological. This is because people are not forever blind to oppression. To be sure, many may accept the violence they experience, thinking that they are either deserving of it or helpless even if they tried to do something about it. According to behavioral theory, helplessness is learned as a result of repetitive negative experiences in life.

But all is not lost in helplessness. People have the ability to recognize the complexity of their situation and what they can do about it. 

When people are empowered to recognize their oppression, they can hold accountable perpetrators of violence. The work of teachers, counselors, and social workers is important in this regard.

In the final analysis, all of us have a responsibility to wake each other up. We cannot let these people have it their way.

They who live by the sword shall die by the sword. No one is exempt – not ordinary individuals, not politicians, not monarchs. – Rappler.com  

 

Jayeel Cornelio, PhD is a sociologist of religion at the Ateneo de Manila University. With Septrin John Calamba and Reemar Alonsagay, his current research is on the experiences of young people during the Marawi siege. Follow him on Twitter @jayeel_cornelio.