Politicians and political activists argue about labels. Some demonize all Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank: They are all terrorists or sympathizers of terrorism. There are no innocent people. They don’t deserve to live. Others dismiss Israeli grief over the indefensible Hamas attacks of October 7: They are guilty of apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide. They got what they deserved. Everyone speaks of war as the path to tranquility and security: It’s self-defense. It’s resistance. It’s our right.
In politics, the interest of this debate is clear; the vocabulary we use shapes what is politically achievable. But it also shapes our ethics, and language like this locks us into an ethical vision that justifies war and bloody violence. This is not a Christian ethic, but too many churches simply apply these labels instead of offering a peaceful prophetic vision, a counter-cultural and distinctly Christ-like position.
Meanwhile, violence reigns. People are suffering and being killed. However, we want to celebrate Christmas. We want to look at the embodiment of perfect humanity, the baby Jesus. Can we also honor and serve him as our Prince of Peace?
Palestinians and Israelis need a call for peace to replace the drums of war. Nearly 14 million people live between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. About half are Palestinians, including Palestinian Israeli citizens, and the other half are Jews.
War will not resolve our conflict. We have tried many wars, but the results are always the same: peace is lost on both sides. Nobody really wins. We are losing our young men and women, our children, our dignity and even our humanity. Wars will not heal our land, nor our souls, nor our suffering. Killing our neighbor will not solve our problems.
Instead, we need the courage of peace. We need a peace in which Palestinians and Jews can live together in equality and justice. We need a peace that overcomes ethnic differences. We need the peace of Jesus Christ, the vision of a kingdom in which “he himself is our peace” and has “put to death (our) enmity” (Eph. 2:14-16).
At Christmas time we remember this attribute of Christ. The birth of the Prince of Peace reminds us of a deeper truth than what we read in the headlines. We seek wise men to offer wisdom that political establishments do not have (Matt. 2:1-12). We seek peace not only between God and humanity but also between Israelis and Palestinians.
This is not a small or easy vision. This requires difficult forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35); love for one another, including the enemy (Matthew 5:43-48); teach godliness (2 Peter 1:5-7); and advocate for missionary justice (Isaiah 1:17). Christ himself, who broke “the power of him who has the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14), is the embodiment of this vision. His life is the lesson we must continue to study (1 Peter 2:21, John 13:12-15).
The alternative to this true peace is false security, or even eternal war. Already, thousands of people Was killed. Hundreds of thousands are moved. Many are deceived and believe that killing is the only answer to the evils and injustice we see. This is a satanic lie!
The security of Israelis cannot be separated from the security of Palestinians and vice versa. We live in the same country! We are God’s gift to each other, but unfortunately, we have become a source of pain to each other.
This is not God’s vision for us. We must repent, stop killing each other, and build a new future in which we honor each other. God’s vision is life, not death; love, not hate; mercy, not cruelty; equality, not injustice. “He will have mercy on the weak and the needy and will save the needy from death,” says Psalm 72:13-14. “He will deliver them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight. »
The global Church must also learn this lesson of the peace of Christ. He must insist on the lives of Palestinians and Israelis. It must affirm God’s love and mercy for both peoples. It must offer hope to both Palestinians and Israelis – not a cheap hope that bypasses forgiveness and justice, nor a political hope rooted in war, murder, hatred and revenge.
We now celebrate Christmas. How to embody the Prince of Peace for the Palestinians as well as for the Israelis?
I suggest we call for a ceasefire. We serve all those who suffer. We pray for a long-term solution in which Palestinians and Israelis can live together in peace. We empower God’s people in this country – Messianic and Palestinian Christians – to keep the faith and follow Christ who taught us to love our enemies, forgive our murderers, and create a new kingdom of “righteousness.” , peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Spirit” (Rom. 14:17).
It’s a Christmas call. May God have mercy on us all.
Yohanna Katanacho is currently the Academic Dean of Nazareth Evangelical College and a Visiting Professor at Regent College in Vancouver. He is a Palestinian Israeli evangelical who studied at Bethlehem University (BS), Wheaton College (MA), and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (MDiv, PhD). He is the author of several works including Praying through the Psalms And Reading the Gospel of John through Palestinian eyes.
