Jothar – take it to the next level answering lesschumras
re: Pinchas.
1) he asked the question and received the answer from the Gadol Hador. the difference here was that the leader (Moshe) didn’t give an order or even encouragement rather he answered the question asked.
2) he went to get his spear – meaning that he wasn’t carrying a spear looking for a confrontation but know when to get it when appropriate. the difference here is that today many people carry their spears looking for a place to use it as opposed to going and getting it only when necessary
3) the halacha was in his favor, yet he was still called a pursuer and if someone stepped in to kill him as he approached Zimri, they would have also had the halacha on their side. Therefore if Pinchas was considered a pursuer (yet ultimately redeemed and promoted) and he had asked and received the halacha from Moshe, how much more so are those that received orders to kill from a prime minister with no Torah guidance considered murderers.