Being a gun owner and adamant defender of the Second Amendment, I obviously have to justify my self-defense ideology with my faith, namely Christianity.  I was recently involved in a debate with another regarding this seemingly contradictory perspective.  Of course, the most commonly heard quote from Jesus is the mention of turning the other cheek, so that your enemy can slap it as well.  In other words, this doesn't seem to square with the idea of self-defense. 

During Jesus' ministry, He seemed not to want his disciples armed.  Why?  Common interpretation falls back on the previous statement; turn the other cheek.  But was that the real reason for being unarmed?  You have to understand that there was a strong feeling that Jesus was going to take the throne as the Messiah and rule from Earth.  Jesus countered this interpretation many times with expressions such as "My kingdom is not of this world."  So why did He want the disciples unarmed?

Jesus understood that He must be crucified, and therefore die, before the kingdom could come.  All sin must be atoned first.  We also know that Jesus consistently warned His disciples that many would seek to destroy them.  However, so long as the disciples were unarmed, they would not be able to save Jesus' life based upon the false idea that He had to live on Earth to rule the kingdom.

However, once Jesus died and was resurrected, the disciples would not be hindered by this Earth-based kingdom, and therefore would not seek to save His life.  For this reason, Jesus, close to his crucifixion, told them something which most certainly represents their need to defend themselves:

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?" So they said, "Nothing." Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end." So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And he said to them, "It is enough." (Luke xxii.35-38 - NKJV.)

So, it was not that Jesus did not want them to defend themselves, but rather He did not want them to defend Him.