Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Follow the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | RSS
Jesus told His disciples to carry swords to prepare them for the hostility they would face as His followers. In Luke 22:36–38, His words point to the changed reception awaiting them after His rejection. The disciples focused on physical swords, but Jesus wanted them ready for spiritual warfare. We prepare for that battle through prayer, God’s Word, fellowship, and dependence on Him.
Table of contents
The saying, “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight,” originated in the American West during the late 19th century, when people carried guns for protection, and disputes were often settled with duels. Today, the phrase has become a figure of speech to describe someone being ill-equipped or unprepared to handle a difficult challenge or task.
We could adapt the saying for the disciples: “Don’t bring a physical sword to a spiritual fight.” They misunderstood Jesus’s words. He wanted them to prepare for spiritual warfare, but they thought He wanted them to prepare for physical combat.
The Context for Jesus’s Words about Spiritual Warfare
Jesus just celebrated the Last Supper with the disciples. He’s about to leave the upper room and head to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He will pray and be arrested, and He wants them to know that after that happens, things will change for them dramatically:
Luke 22:35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”
This refers to when Jesus earlier sent out the disciples to preach the kingdom of God when Jesus was at the height of His popularity. The disciples were His royal ambassadors preaching the kingdom for the King of Kings. Everyone loved them because everyone loved Jesus. Things were going to go so well for the disciples that they didn’t need to bring a moneybag, knapsack, or sandals. They could rely on people’s generosity and hospitality. But after the cross, things were going to be very different:
Luke 22:36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.
This is a radical shift. The kindness and generosity the disciples knew would be replaced with cold looks, opposition, and persecution. They were previously welcomed into people’s homes, but now they would be pilgrims traveling in a hostile world. The obvious question is, why such a dramatic change in the disciples’ treatment? Jesus tells us in the following verse:
Luke 22:37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”
This is a quote from Isaiah 53:12.
New Testament Authors Don’t Ignore Old Testament Context
There is a tendency to think that when an Old Testament verse is quoted in the New Testament, the context doesn’t matter. The New Testament author quoted the Old Testament verse simply because it captured what he was trying to say. The problem with this is that it would mean the New Testament author is violating one of the primary rules of Bible interpretation: consider the context. The truth is that God quotes Old Testament verses because of their context.
So, why would Jesus quote Isaiah 53:12 to the disciples at this moment? We can answer this by thinking of the context for Isaiah 53:12. The chapter is primarily about the Messiah’s rejection and suffering:
Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Verses 4-6 are about His substitutionary atonement. Then we read:
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
There are verses in Isaiah 53 about God the Father afflicting Jesus, but this verse is about Him being afflicted by man; specifically, His trials are in view. And here’s the part that Jesus quoted:
Isaiah 53:12b He [referring to Himself] was numbered with the transgressors;
Why did Jesus choose this specific phrase? The answer is contained in the word transgressors. Jesus was viewed as a criminal, so much so that He experienced criminals’ trials, a criminal’s death – crucifixion – and He was murdered between two notorious criminals. There’s no way He could look more like a criminal.
Jesus’s Followers Must Expect To Be Treated Like Him
If Jesus is viewed as a criminal, who else will be viewed as criminals? The disciples. Criminals have accomplices, and the disciples will be viewed as Jesus’s accomplices. It’s like Jesus said, “If they arrest Me, they will arrest you too. If they treat me like a common criminal, they will treat you like a common criminal.” We’ve been reading through Acts as a family, and it’s pretty much a record of the apostles being treated like criminals. Consider these times Jesus told His disciples to expect to be treated like Him:
Matthew 10:24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
“If they say I’m the devil, how do you expect them to treat those following Me?”
John 15:18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”
“You don’t get to be treated better than Me. Expect the world to treat you like it treated Me.”
Jesus’s Listeners Often Mistook The Spiritual For The Physical
Before reading the disciples’ response, I want to set you up to interpret it correctly because it’s one of the most misinterpreted verses in the Gospels. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that Jesus was probably the most misunderstood Person in all of human history. And the most common way He was misunderstood is that He was speaking spiritually, but people thought He was speaking physically. Consider just a few examples from John’s Gospel:
John 2:18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Jesus was referring to His resurrection on the third day, but because they interpreted His words physically instead of spiritually, they thought He was referring to the temple.
John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus was talking about spiritual birth, but Nicodemus thought he was talking about physical birth.
John 4:13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
Jesus was talking about spiritual water that leads to eternal life, but the Samaritan woman thought He was referring to physical water from the well, which satisfies physical thirst.
John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus was referring to people consuming Him spiritually, but because they interpreted His words physically, they thought He wanted them to become cannibals.
The Disciples Mistook Spiritual Preparation for Physical Preparation
Jesus was often speaking spiritually, but He was interpreted physically, and that’s precisely what happened in Luke 22:38:
Luke 22:38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”
Because they misunderstood Him, they took a private inventory of what they had available and said, “Here you go. We’ve got two swords.” Consider these commentaries’ explanations:
Warren Wiersbe wrote, “[The disciples’] words, ‘here are two swords!’ Must have grieved the Lord, for they indicated that the disciples had missed the meaning of His words. Did they think that He needed their protection or that He would now overthrow Rome and establish the kingdom?”1
And it’s pretty silly if you play out what this would have looked like if the disciples were right: two swords against the armed mob arresting Jesus, and then two swords against countless Roman soldiers.
So, what did Jesus mean when He said, “It is enough”? He meant, “Enough of this kind of talk,” or “Enough of this discussion.” It is more of a weary dismissal than anything. Charles John Ellicott wrote in his commentary, “Here is a touch of grave irony. The ‘two swords’ were enough, and more than enough, for [Jesus] who did not mean them to use the swords at all.”
The Disciples’ Problems Caused by Misunderstanding Jesus’s Words about Spiritual Warfare
The context for the following verses is the garden of Gethsemane, where they went right after Jesus’s words to the disciples in Luke 22:35-38:
Matthew 26:38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Watch is synonymous with pray. Jesus asked the disciples to pray with Him, but they fell asleep. Jesus rebuked them, so let’s see if things improve:
Matthew 26:42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
They fell asleep again and again. Peter wouldn’t pray when he should, one of the primary ways to deal with spiritual warfare, but guess what he would do? Take out his sword and start swinging! When they come to arrest Jesus:
Matthew 26:51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Now, if there was any doubt in your mind about whether Jesus wanted them to use physical swords, it should be dispelled now, because if there was one time that it looked like they should use those swords, it’s when this mob came to arrest Jesus. Instead, He rebuked Peter for using his sword because Jesus never wanted His disciples using physical swords.
Matthew 26:53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?
In Hezekiah’s day, one Angel killed 185,000 Assyrians. I can only imagine what 12 legions of angels could have done. In other words, Jesus didn’t need their help.
Matthew 26:54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
This verse reveals the disciples’ problem: they were looking at things physically instead of spiritually. If they had been looking at things spiritually, they would have known the Scriptures had to be fulfilled and Jesus had to go to the cross, and even this wicked betrayal was part of that. It is reminiscent of one of Peter’s most famous moments when Jesus told the disciples He would be killed and Peter rebuked him:
Matthew 16:22 Peter took [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God (spiritual matters), but on the things of man (physical matters).”
Jesus’ point is that Peter was looking at things physically rather than spiritually.
The Irony with Peter and Us
Do you see the irony with Peter? He’s willing to fight physically but not spiritually. He’s willing to take out a sword and risk his life fighting the mob, but he’s not willing to stay awake and pray. He wants to rely on himself rather than on God. He wants to use his strength and courage instead of using the spiritual resources God wants him to use.
Peter reveals the common human tendency to deal with things physically instead of spiritually. We are like him. How often do we prefer to deal with things physically rather than spiritually? How many of us want to rely on ourselves rather than on God? How many of us want to use our strength and courage instead of using the spiritual resources God wants us to use?
I know I relate entirely to Peter. I don’t pray enough. I try to handle things physically instead of spiritually. I deal with things in my own strength rather than turning to the Lord. I would much rather fix something myself than pray for an hour.
Jesus Wants His Disciples To Prepare For Spiritual Warfare.
As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, all Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. But not everything is written to us. God spoke things to people and nations that He’s not speaking to us, which I’m thankful for. I wouldn’t want Him saying to me the same things he said to Cain, Ahab, Babylon, and Assyria.
And everything Christ said to the 12 disciples is not told to us. Luke 9:1 says He told them they had “power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.” He didn’t tell us that. So, what about Jesus’s words in Luke 22:35-38? He could say this to us: He wanted the 12 disciples to prepare for spiritual warfare and He wants us to do the same. A soldier is one of the most common analogies for Christians. For example:
2 Timothy 2:3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
Consider the way Paul praised faithful Christians:
Philippians 2:25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need
Philemon 2 Archippus our fellow soldier.
We even have a lengthy passage describing the armor we are supposed to wear and the weapon we are supposed to use. Let me quickly read through these familiar verses and draw your attention to a few points:
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (the enemy we face is not a physical one but a spiritual one). 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (we aren’t fighting a physical battle), but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (we are fighting a spiritual battle). 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
These are the pieces of spiritual armor and the spiritual weapon for the spiritual warfare we’re engaged in.
2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh (though we’re physical), we are not waging war according to the flesh (we aren’t fighting a physical battle). 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh (they’re spiritual) but have divine power to destroy strongholds (spiritual ones!).
Get an elevated view of the book of Acts for a moment. Here’s what you repeatedly read: the apostles got arrested, and even killed. Here’s what you don’t read: the apostles took out their swords, fought back, and defended themselves.
This sermon isn’t a commentary on self-defense. I’m not saying we don’t have guns to protect ourselves and our families. Physically protecting our families is a responsibility of fathers and husbands. But I am saying we’re not Muslims. We don’t advance the Kingdom of God through violence or worldly force.2 The weapons of this world do not advance the kingdom of God. Instead, it is advanced by the cross of Christ. We use the spiritual resources, or weapons, that God has given us: prayer, God’s Word, godly counsel, and fellowship.
Two Questions We Should Ask Ourselves
I don’t want to push the analogy with the swords too far, but knowing Christ also wants us to prepare for spiritual warfare, I want us to try to apply His words in Luke 22:35-38. First, when we face difficulties, do we default to our own “two swords”: our strength, wisdom, and resources? Or do we approach things spiritually by turning to prayer, the Bible, fellowship, and godly counsel?
Second, what would it look like for us to buy a sword? In other words, what is one practical way we can prepare for the spiritual warfare we will face? Maybe it is committing to a Bible reading plan, setting aside time for dedicated prayer, getting up earlier to have a longer devotional time, a greater commitment to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ?
The disciples were going to face spiritual warfare in the coming years. But so will we, whether it’s temptation from our flesh, the devil, or the world, or trials that tempt us to turn from God. We must prepare for it as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, so we can please Him who enlisted us as soldiers.
- Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1: Matthew-Galatians (Colorado Springs, CO; David C. Cook, 1989), 267. ↩︎
- Pacifism is inconsistent with the Bible’s teaching on loving others. If I’m a pacifist, and someone is attacking my neighbor, love requires that I help my neighbor, rather than not stand back and allow him to be assaulted or killed. ↩︎
