35 And He
said to them, “When I sent you without money bag,
knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”
So they
said, “Nothing.” 36 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. 37 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.” 38 So they
said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He
said to them, “It is enough.”
Commentary
Vs. 35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”
When the Lord Jesus Christ sent the twelve out on their first apostolic mission to bear witness to the Kingdom of God as having come to men, He forbid them from bringing any supplies with them, for they were to be dependent upon those who would receive them (see Matt. 10:1-42; Mark 6:7-12; Luke 9:1-6). Thus, in recalling how that went when they trusted Him, He now asks them, “…did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” (Vs. 35)
Vs. 36-37 36 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. 37 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.”
However, given that now their; and any future disciples mission would be ongoing; possibly lasting throughout the rest of their lives, Jesus now tells the disciples that he who has a money bag, or knapsack, that they should take it with them. Thus, we should always take provisions with us when we go about doing His work. Now Jesus’ statement, “…and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.” Is not His exhorting us to become armed disciples ready for “battle,” as if we are to fight or wage war to establish or defend the Kingdom of heaven on earth (Matt. 5:44; 26:52; John 18:36 etc.). Indeed, even in self-defense it seems highly unlikely that we are to use lethal force to repel a personal assault on us as disciples of Christ. Again, this is about the Kingdom of God and not us, and if the Lord Jesus Christ didn’t use force to rebel those who sought to kill Him, neither should we. For down through the age’s saints and prophets and righteous men and woman have always been, and will always be martyred for their faith in God (Heb. 11; Rev.6:9-10; 20:4). This however does not mean that disciples of Christ in the execution of their duties as police officers or military personal are forbidden from using lethal force if they do so justly in the execution of their duties. Therefore, Jesus’ telling the disciples to sell their garment and buy a sword is very specific to the events that are to yet take place, and that is Christ’s upcoming arrest in Gethsemane, where the sword of man which they were reared on to rely upon will be proven useless to them. For we do not fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and the rulers and forces of darkness (Eph. 6:12) which we will only succeed against by Word of God and by His Spirit. For the Kingdom of heaven is not established, or maintained, or even protected by force or by might, but by My Spirit (Zech. 4:6). Therefore, after the Lord Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion, no apostle, from the Apostle Peter to the Apostle Paul, as the last apostle born out in due season, is ever seen brandishing a sword in the defense of the Gospel, or the church, or even themselves.
Vs. 37-38 37 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.” 38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ now makes it clear that His Will for them is not to become armed disciples, for there are things written in the Word of God which still must be accomplished in Him, specifically, ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ That is the prophecy given of Him as the saving Messiah in Isaiah 52:12, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself must fulfill by being crucified with transgressors, because in the sight of God we are all transgressors. Therefore, Jesus must be numbered with us all so as to save us all. Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ’s finial act after His being seized by the temple guards and their mob will not be to slay, or ordered slain, those who want to arrest and kill Him (Matt. 26:52-54). Rather it will be to be willingly numbered with transgressors so as to make the Atonement for them and for us all who repent and believe in Him! However, the disciples still were not seeing the big picture of what He was going to do, for them and for all, even as it was unfolding that very night! And so instead they only quickly take note of two swords sitting there in the room and say to Jesus, “Lord, look, here are two swords,” thinking that they are to now take up these as armed men ready to fight against Jesus’ enemies. And so, when Jesus heard their excitement at seeing the two swords, He said to them, “It is enough.” Which is better translated, “enough of that!” The Lord Jesus Christ then will be taken by lawless hands and put to death by evil and unjust men so as to fulfill the Word of God for us all (Isaiah 53:7).
Scripture Quotations
Commentary
Vs. 35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”
When the Lord Jesus Christ sent the twelve out on their first apostolic mission to bear witness to the Kingdom of God as having come to men, He forbid them from bringing any supplies with them, for they were to be dependent upon those who would receive them (see Matt. 10:1-42; Mark 6:7-12; Luke 9:1-6). Thus, in recalling how that went when they trusted Him, He now asks them, “…did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” (Vs. 35)
Vs. 36-37 36 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. 37 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.”
However, given that now their; and any future disciples mission would be ongoing; possibly lasting throughout the rest of their lives, Jesus now tells the disciples that he who has a money bag, or knapsack, that they should take it with them. Thus, we should always take provisions with us when we go about doing His work. Now Jesus’ statement, “…and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.” Is not His exhorting us to become armed disciples ready for “battle,” as if we are to fight or wage war to establish or defend the Kingdom of heaven on earth (Matt. 5:44; 26:52; John 18:36 etc.). Indeed, even in self-defense it seems highly unlikely that we are to use lethal force to repel a personal assault on us as disciples of Christ. Again, this is about the Kingdom of God and not us, and if the Lord Jesus Christ didn’t use force to rebel those who sought to kill Him, neither should we. For down through the age’s saints and prophets and righteous men and woman have always been, and will always be martyred for their faith in God (Heb. 11; Rev.6:9-10; 20:4). This however does not mean that disciples of Christ in the execution of their duties as police officers or military personal are forbidden from using lethal force if they do so justly in the execution of their duties. Therefore, Jesus’ telling the disciples to sell their garment and buy a sword is very specific to the events that are to yet take place, and that is Christ’s upcoming arrest in Gethsemane, where the sword of man which they were reared on to rely upon will be proven useless to them. For we do not fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and the rulers and forces of darkness (Eph. 6:12) which we will only succeed against by Word of God and by His Spirit. For the Kingdom of heaven is not established, or maintained, or even protected by force or by might, but by My Spirit (Zech. 4:6). Therefore, after the Lord Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion, no apostle, from the Apostle Peter to the Apostle Paul, as the last apostle born out in due season, is ever seen brandishing a sword in the defense of the Gospel, or the church, or even themselves.
Vs. 37-38 37 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.” 38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ now makes it clear that His Will for them is not to become armed disciples, for there are things written in the Word of God which still must be accomplished in Him, specifically, ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ That is the prophecy given of Him as the saving Messiah in Isaiah 52:12, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself must fulfill by being crucified with transgressors, because in the sight of God we are all transgressors. Therefore, Jesus must be numbered with us all so as to save us all. Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ’s finial act after His being seized by the temple guards and their mob will not be to slay, or ordered slain, those who want to arrest and kill Him (Matt. 26:52-54). Rather it will be to be willingly numbered with transgressors so as to make the Atonement for them and for us all who repent and believe in Him! However, the disciples still were not seeing the big picture of what He was going to do, for them and for all, even as it was unfolding that very night! And so instead they only quickly take note of two swords sitting there in the room and say to Jesus, “Lord, look, here are two swords,” thinking that they are to now take up these as armed men ready to fight against Jesus’ enemies. And so, when Jesus heard their excitement at seeing the two swords, He said to them, “It is enough.” Which is better translated, “enough of that!” The Lord Jesus Christ then will be taken by lawless hands and put to death by evil and unjust men so as to fulfill the Word of God for us all (Isaiah 53:7).
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson.
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