P1470:1, 133:1.5
But Ganid was not fully satisfied. Many times they talked over these matters,
and Jesus told him some of his boyhood experiences and also about Jacob the
stone mason's son. On learning how Jacob appointed himself to defend Jesus,
Ganid said: "Oh, I begin to see! In the first place very seldom would any normal
human being want to attack such a kindly person as you, and even
if any one should be so unthinking as to do such a thing, there is pretty
sure to be near at hand some other mortal who will fly to your assistance, even
as you always go to the rescue of any person you observe to be in distress.
In my heart, Teacher, I agree with you, but in my head I still think that if
I had been Jacob, I would have enjoyed punishing those rude fellows who presumed
to attack you just because they thought you would not defend yourself. I presume
you are fairly safe in your journey through life since you spend much of your
time helping others and ministering to your fellows in distress -- well, most
likely there'll always be someone on hand to defend you." And Jesus replied:
"That test has not yet come, Ganid, and when it does, we will have to abide
by the Father's will." And that was about all the lad could get his teacher
to say on this difficult subject of self-defense and nonresistance. On another
occasion he did draw from Jesus the opinion that organized society had every
right to employ force in the execution of its just mandates.