Two Swords
One Year Bible (April 25)
“Two Swords” Luke 22: 35-53
Why does Jesus instruct his disciples “Take your money and a traveler’s bag and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak, and buy one!”? (Luke 22: 36)
Shortly after this instruction they leave the upper room and go to the Mount of Olives. It is there that Jesus pleads with them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation”. Jesus is praying with such agony that “Sweat like drops of blood” flow from him and an angel comes to minister to him. (Luke 22: 43-44)
Jesus begs them again, “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation”, but now Judas approaches Jesus with a kiss, and the disciples jump into action. (Was this the temptation they were supposed to be praying about?)
“Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” One of them struck the high priest slashing off his right ear.” Jesus replies, “No more of this” and he heals the man who would take him captive. (Matthew 26 tells us that Jesus rebuked this man who was Peter.)
There is so much that is confusing about this night. Are we sleeping too or are we catching what is going on here? Is Jesus setting these guys up? They seem to have enough trouble on their own with getting into more, but now the Master told them, “Buy swords” and then “Put away swords” and then “Those that live by the sword die by the sword?” (Mt. 26: 52-53)
What in the world is going on here?
Yes, that is the exact question we need to ask because Jesus answers that exact question for them (and for us). When standing before Pilate, Jesus explains why his servants were not to fight. “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight…” (John 18: 36)
Then why were they to take the swords and be tempted to defend their Messiah? Are two swords “Enough” to defend a Messiah who does not want to be defended? Yet, Jesus says to his disciples that these swords were “Enough”.
What do we know of this King whose kingdom is “not of this world”?
Isaiah 53: 12, “For it is written: "He was numbered with the transgressors”.
Jesus didn’t set the disciples up. He set himself up to be accused of “Leading a violent rebellion”. The swords were needed for them to have any kind of evidence to give him a trial. He delivered himself into their hands. He gave himself… Prayerfully. Willingly. Knowingly. Painfully. Fully.
He was found innocent by Pilate, Herod, and then sent back to Pilate where the crowds pushed for his crucifixion. Jesus could have “delivered himself” at any time, but then he would not have “delivered us”.
So, back to the “Two Swords” …
Yes, Jesus CHOSE the “Two Swords”! It was ENOUGH to seal our destiny.
“This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took on our infirmities and carried our diseases.” (Matthew 8:17)
For Discussion: Do you ever struggle like the disciples did understanding God’s ways and then figure out that He had a plan all along even when you couldn’t see?
