Why we don't want to conquer the world

I'm currently reading a fascinating old history book, Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Empire by A.R. Burn published in 1947. I started reading the book as a way of increasing my knowledge of the ancient world. It's been a really interesting read. I've learned many things, for example that Alexander the Great was tutored by the great Aristotle himself.

Anyway, I was reading about Alexander's birth and childhood (Alexander was born in 356 B.C.) and the author commented on Alexander's aspirations as a youth, which were consistent with the prevailing culture and expectations of the time.

Perfectly naturally, Alexander grew up with the idea that conquest on a grand scale was the only life-work for a man such as he meant to be. It is needless to speculate as to his reasons for attacking Persia. As has been well said, "it never occurred to him not to." (p.16)

Conquest and victory was the expectation of a great leader and was a part of the culture of Alexander the Great - a man is made great through his victories. I must confess I almost fell over when I read the next piece of commentary by A.R. Burn,

To suppose, in fact, that a ruler like Alexander must have had his reason or excuse for conquest some benefit to mankind or to a nation is to read back into the Greek period the ethics - one need not say of Christianity, but of the Christian era. The idea that pure self-aggrandisement and desire to dominate is a disreputable motive, which requires cloaking or disguising has become held in Europe as a result of the teaching of Christ. Plato and other thinkers had seen the vanity of self-aggrandisement; and the give-and-take of life in the Greek cities had lead to the spread of ideas of justice and moderation, between citizens of the same Republic. But "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" is Jewish (Leviticus). Much less did Greeks - including Aristotle - think of Greeks as having any responsibility towards "barbarians," (pp.16-17, emphasis original)

This quote demonstrates how much Jesus has changed our thinking in our culture today and why we generally don't want to conquer the world. In the ancient world grand conquest for self-aggrandisement was a valid if not expected motive for war. It certainly motivated Alexander the Great.

Yet Jesus brought a radically different paradigm. He demonstrated humility and self-sacrifice, most clearly by dying on a cross for the sins of the world. He taught and showed that true greatness came through humility - not by being served, but to serve. Furthermore Jesus also demonstrated genuine love for all people (not just the fellow Greeks), loving neighbours regardless of who they were - Scythian, barbarian, slave or free - all were included in Christ. Jesus' values stood diametrically opposed to those of Alexander and his Greek culture and Jesus' ideas influence us today.

If we recoil in disgust at a man taking his country to war for his own selfish purposes, this demonstrates how much Jesus has changed us. For this would have been completely justified (indeed almost expected) in Greek culture.

Similarly, if we view all people as equal and worthy of dignity, again this reveals how much Jesus has changed us. For the Greeks only offered justice and moderation to 'fellow-Greeks' but there was no imperative for responsibility to those 'barbarians' on the outside.

History books record Alexander as "Great", but this is mainly because of his military victories and success. If viewed through the lens of Jesus, then our assessment changes. Indeed, if Alexander lived after Jesus, one wonders if he might have been great at all.