I love studying the life of Jesus. In particular, the part of Jesus’ life that I find the most fascinating is the last 24 hours before His sacrificial death on the Cross. The reason why I love studying this time period so much (aside from it being THE expression of God’s love, 1 John 4:8-10) is because there are just so many (for lack of a better word) “cool” things in Scripture about it. And, it seems like, every time I study it, I find something else that is really “cool.”
Most recently, I was reading through Luke’s account of that night. And, right before, Jesus and His disciples leave the upper room for the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told them to prepare for what was about to happen. And, they told Jesus that they had two swords to which Jesus replied, “That’s enough” (Luke 22:35-38).
What I find interesting about that is Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), told His Apostles, if they needed to do so, to sell their garments and buy a sword. That has always been strange to me. But, something that I find even more interesting is what happens just a little while later (Luke 22:47-53).
While Jesus was speaking with the Twelve (minus Judas the Betrayer), Judas arrived in the Garden with a mob to arrest Jesus. Jesus twice identified Himself to the mob (John 18:4-8). Then, Judas betrayed Jesus, “the Son of Man,” his “Rabbi” (Mark 14:45) his “Friend” (Matthew 26:50), with a kiss. And, when the mob had laid their hands on Jesus, Peter drew his sword (Of course, Peter had one of the swords and, of course, he was the one that used it!) and cut off the right ear of Malchus, one of the servants of the chief priest (John 18:10). At that point, Jesus stopped everything, asked the mob officials for permission to do something, and then miraculously healed Malchus’ ear (Luke 22:51)! He just popped the ear right back on and made it like brand new (maybe?) and continued on like nothing had happened.
All of that story is so interesting to me. But, the part that I find the most interesting is that, almost immediately after Jesus told His Apostles to take some swords with them, the moment one of them used one of those swords, Jesus told him to “Put that thing away right now” (John 18:11). I mean, why even bring them if not for this sort of thing?!
Now, we understand that Jesus told him to put away the sword because all of this had been prophesied about and written down centuries before that night; Jesus needed to be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9), to be arrested, tried, beaten, mocked, spat upon, (Isaiah 53) and to be crucified (Psalm 22) for Scripture to be fulfilled, for God to be true, and for God’s gracious law for our salvation to be written on this reality with His precious shed blood.
But, why did Jesus bother telling them to take some swords with them? Friends, I do not know the answer to that question; I’m not going to bother speculating about it. But, I do know what Jesus had previously told His Apostles. Earlier that night, He had told them that they would be persecuted for following Him and teaching His ways and even be killed for it (John 15:18-16:4). Also, when giving them the “Limited Commission,” He told them that they would suffer for their efforts (Matthew 10:16-31). Additionally, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told His disciples to “turn the other cheek” and “love your enemies,” praying for (not “punching”) those who “spitefully use you” (Matthew 5:38-48). And, just a few hours after His arrest, He would tell Pilate that His servants were not going to fight a physical battle in order to deliver Him from Pilate’s custody (John 18:36). And, there are a ton of other Scriptures which speak of the battles Christians must fight: the spiritual “good fight of faith” against the Devil in order to save “the Lost” and to keep “the Saved” (including ourselves) saved (Revelation 12:17; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Timothy 1:18; 6:12).
My friends, my point in writing all of this is to encourage each Christian to always consider the two “swords” before you every day. One is the “sword” used to hurt others (for whatever the reason). The other is “the Word of God which is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword,” a “sword” used to help everyone (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). Which one do you think that you need to take up to fight the spiritual battles we know that we must fight (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17)? Which one do you think that you need to take up in order to fulfill the “Great Commission” (Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:18-20)? So, Christians, choose the right sword, the Sword of the Lord, His word, the Bible. Take it up and “cut the ear” (not literally, of course) of everyone that comes near you and let Jesus heal them and make them whole!
If you would like to talk more about this issue or if you would like to learn more about what the word of God says about anything, then please contact one of the members at the Northwest church of Christ. We’d love to help you learn what the Bible says and how it relates to you.
–Curtis Carwile