As long as Cæsar is there, we can give back to him what is his. For the
new man, money is nothing. We give back to Cæsar, vowed to eternal
nothingness, that silver nothingness which is none of ours. Jesus is
always looking forward with passionate longing to the arrival of the
second earthly Paradise and He takes no heed of governors because the
new land which He announces will not need governors. A people of holy
men who love each other would have no use for Kings, law-courts and
armies. On one occasion only does He speak of kings, and then only to
overturn the common established idea. “The Kings of the Gentiles,” He
says to His disciples, “exercise lordship over them, and they that
exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be
so, but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he
that is chief, as he that doth serve.” It is the theory of perfect
equality in human relationship. The great is small, the master is
servant, the King is slave. Since, according to Christ’s teachings, he
who governs must become like him who serves, the opposite is true, and
he who serves has the same rights and honors as he who governs. Among
the righteous, there may be some more ardent than others; there may be
saints who were sinners up to the last day; there may be other innocent
ones who were citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven from their birth.
Different planes of spiritual greatness may exist as variations of the
perfection common to all; but to the end of time every category of
superior and inferior, of master and subordinate, shall be abolished.
Authority presupposes, even if it is badly wielded, a flock to lead, a
minority to punish, bestiality to shackle; but when all men are holy,
there will be no more need for commands and obedience, for laws and
punishments. The Kingdom of Heaven can dispense with the commands of
Force.
In the Kingdom of Heaven men will not hate each other and will no longer
desire riches; every reason and need for government will disappear
immediately after these two great changes. The name of the path which
conducts to perfect liberty is not Destruction but Holiness. And it is
not found in the sophistries of Godwin, or of Stirner, or Proudhon, or
of Kropotkin, but only in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
SWORD AND FIRE
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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