The Peace of Jesus Christ

The peace of Jesus Christ is the cross. The cross, however, is God’s sword on this earth. It creates
disunion. Son against father, daughter against mother, housemates against the head of the house, and
all for the sake of God’s kingdom and his peace—that is Christ’s work on earth. Is it surprising that
the world finds him guilty of hatred toward human beings, him who brought God’s love to human
beings? Who, then, is apt to speak thus about the love of father or mother, about loving one’s son or
daughter, if not either the destroyer of all life or the creator of a new life? Who can lay such exclusive
claim to the love and sacrifice of human beings other than either the misanthrope or the savior of
human beings?... God’s love of human beings on the one hand, and human beings’ love of their own
kind on the other, are much too dissimilar. God’s love of human beings means cross and
discipleship, and yet precisely as such it means life and resurrection. “Those who lose their life for
my sake will find it” (Matt. 10:39). This assurance is given by him who has power over death, the Son
of God who goes to the cross and to resurrection and takes his followers with him.

– from The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945)