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WHAT DO THE SWORDS IN LUKE 22:38 REPRESENT? Renette Vermeulen
[Acknowledgement to the person who compiled and published this image]
“Sell your cloak [if you cannot afford] to buy a sword,” Jesus commanded His disciples just before He went to pray in Gethsemane. “Are you the [political] king of the Jews?” Pontius Pilate demanded the very next day. “My Kingdom is not of this world,” Jesus declared. “If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would [physically] fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My Kingdom is not from here. [It is a Spiritual Kingdom, and has no earthly origin, source, or political aspirations,]” (Jn. 18:36.) Þ So, what was Jesus really saying in Luke 22:36, when He commanded His disciples to “sell your cloak to buy a sword?” Þ —————————————————————————— © COPYRIGHT NOW UNBANNED PUBLICATIONS —————————————————————————————
Þ What can the two swords between eleven disciples “being enough,” possibly mean? Þ Is Luke 22:38 a commandment to extend Christianity to build a “physical” Kingdom of God through war and bloodshed? Þ Is it a commandment to defend ourselves physically when in danger? Þ Why then did Jesus tell Peter that same night, “Put away your sword. He who lives by the sword will die by the sword?” Þ And why did Jesus tell Pilate the next day that His disciples will not physically fight to protect Him from crucifixion? Þ Are the two swords an analogy of “selling” everything to get “the Sword of the Spirit;” God’s Word? Þ Are the two swords a symbol of Jesus’ Truth that will separate even those in one household?”
TO UNDERSTAND SCRIPTURE, THE CONTEXT OF EVERY VERSE IN THE BIBLE IS MOST IMPORTANT The Bible was given to us in two very different Testaments or Covenants for a good reason. Our understanding of the Bible depends on this fact. All churches blend these two separate covenants to bind believers to a physical building as “the house of god,” (Acts 7:44-50,) where they extort time, money, and service from believers to enrich and glorify themselves. This was Paul’s fight “with those from the circumcision,” who accepted Jesus of the New Covenant, but kept to the ousted, ceremonial or ritual temple laws of the old covenant as well, (Heb. 8:13.) He commanded in Ephesians 5:1-6, “Stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with an [old covenant] yoke of bondage… If you [conform to ceremonial, Judaist temple laws,] Christ will profit you nothing... You who attempt to be justified by [Messianic Judaism and other church ritualism] have fallen from [the New Covenant] grace [in Jesus Christ…]” The Old Testament only pertained (past tense) to God’s Old Covenant with the Hebrew nation; all Gentiles or non-Hebrew nations excluded. So, the Man Jesus ministered to the Hebrews under the Old Testament Covenant before the cross and Pentecost, (Jn. 1:1-14.) During that time, the old temple sacrifices only “covered” the sin of the Israelites as symbols of the Perfect Sacrifice, the Lamb of God, Who was to come, (Jn. 1:29; Col. 2:9-10.) That is why the Old Hebrews were still subject to indwelling demons; they could not experience Jesus’ blood-cleansing atonement and Holy-Spirit indwelling because the “Spirit was not yet given, [at Pentecost after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension,]” (Jn. 7:37-39.) The Holy Spirit still, before the cross, only “came upon” them as no one could be spiritually born again “from darkness into God’s [Kingdom of] Light,” to be the holy temple of the indwelling Holy Spirit, (1 Pt. 2:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:15-20.) Thus, Jesus tried to turn Israel’s attention away from the Old Covenant, which would be utterly fulfilled and done away with to establish His Eternal New Testament Covenant at Golgotha, to include true believers from all the Gentile, (non-Hebrew,) nations as well, (Mt. 5:17; Jn. 3:16; Heb. 8:13, chapters 7-9.) Hence, only after the cross, all true believers from all the tribes, tongues, and nations, (Israel as well,) could be completely “washed” by Jesus’ blood atonement in their place, through personal faith in Him, (Jn. 3:16-17; Col. 2:9-15; Rev. 1:5-8.) After that, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, for the first time in all of history until the end of this world, fully and constantly indwelt (and indwells) Jesus’ blood-cleansed believers as His spiritual, fully “anointed,” holy temple on earth, (Mt. 28:18-20; Rom. 8:9; 1 Jn. 2:20, 27.)
JESUS’ FIRST COMMISSION TO ‘THE SEVENTY’ BEFORE THE CROSS AND PENTECOST In Luke 10:1-20, as a demonstration of what was to come for all true believers from all nations after the cross and Pentecost, Jesus commissioned seventy disciples to minister the power of His coming New Testament Covenant to the Hebrew nation. He did not send them out as hyper-anointed supermen, but “as lambs among wolves” to preach His “peace” or coming New Covenant Gospel, and His miracles [effortlessly] “followed” them, (Mark 16:15-18.) They told all those who would experience His power through personal faith in, and acceptance of Him, “The Kingdom of God has come near to you,” as the Kingdom of God could still not be “within them” until after the cross and Pentecost, (Lu. 17:21 KJV.) The Seventy were to carry no provisions; relying completely on God’s care. They were not to greet anyone on their way, as their commission was so urgent. Those who would refuse to accept Jesus’ peace and healing, actually refused God Himself. So, The Seventy had to “wipe their dust off their feet against them [as a testimony that those people chose to remain in darkness, bondage, and under the curse without the Savior God. Because they rejected Jesus,] it will be more tolerable for Sodom, [Tyre, and Sidon] in That Day, [when everyone must give and account at Jesus’ return.]” Those who reject the truth and power of Jesus will receive a “greater condemnation” than the citizens of those cities received, (Lu. 10:8-16.) When The Seventy returned, they rejoiced, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name.” But Jesus warned, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I gave you the authority to trample [on demons,] and over ALL the power of the enemy, and nothing will by any means harm you. But do not rejoice that demons are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
JESUS’ SECOND COMMISSION TO ‘THE TWELVE’ BEFORE THE CROSS AND PENTECOST Next, in Matthew 10:5-6, Jesus commissioned “The Twelve,” saying, “Do not go [to] the Gentiles [because before the cross and Pentecost, His mission remained focused on the Old Testament/Covenant Hebrews, Jn. 1:1-14.] Preach that the Kingdom of God is at hand, [as the cross and Pentecost were now much closer.] Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. [Verses 16-26,] But beware of men. For [during My New Covenant after the cross,] they will deliver you to councils and scourge you in their synagogues [and churches.] You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake as a testimony to them… and be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved… Do not fear them. There is nothing covered that will not be revealed...” ¨ As an even clearer example of New Testament/Covenant discipleship that will manifest after the cross and Pentecost, The Twelve had to go beyond The Seventy disciples' commission as an example of Jesus’ New Testament commission that was to come at His ascension into heaven, (Mt. 28:18-20.) But just as The Seventy, The Twelve still had to carry no provisions because God would take care of them, and ask no money for their service. They also had to “shake the dust from their feet” from all those who refused to accept Jesus and His New Covenant Truth. A “stricter judgement” will also overcome those blasphemers. The Twelve were also sent “as sheep among wolves. Thus, [they had to be] as wise [not malicious] as serpents and as harmless [sincere] as doves.”
JESUS THIRD COMMISSION PERTAINS TO ALL HIS DISCIPLES WORLDWIDE, (Matthew 28:18-20.) In Luke 22:35-38, just before Jesus went to pray in Gethsemane where the Judaist Sanhedrin arrested Him, He asked The Eleven, [Judas fell away,] “When I sent you without [provisions,] did you lack anything?” They answered, “Nothing.” Then He commanded, “[But now, after the cross and Pentecost,] he who has a money bag let him take it, [Paul demonstrates this later on,] and likewise a knapsack, and he who has no sword let him sell his garment and buy one.” ¨ Of course “the sword of the Spirit” is the Word of God. But in this passage, Jesus was speaking about physical, New Covenant evangelization through active discipleship and servanthood. The two previous commissions of The Seventy and The Twelve disciples construct the context of these commandments. And here is the vital verse, which most interpreters of Scripture miss. Luke 22:37, “For I say to you that [the Scriptures] must still be [fulfilled] in Me: ‘He was numbered with the transgressors.’” Paraphrased, Jesus warned, ‘On your third mission after the cross, the scene will change. Just as I prophesied in Matthew 10:5-21, persecutions are coming and a disciple is not above his teacher. I will shortly be taken by brute force, tortured, and murdered. So, after My resurrection, I will commission you for the first time to enter the dangerous worlds of the Hebrews and the Gentiles. You must be on your guard because they will do the same to you as they are about to do to Me,’ (Mt. 28:18-20.) ¨ So, they said, “Lord, here are [only] two swords [and we are eleven men.]” ¨ According to their prior commission in Matthew 10:5-26, the disciples knew the Lord was warning them to watch out for themselves on a physical and emotional level on their next worldwide mission by taking money and provisions, and they were already carrying swords. Jesus never objected, although He never carried a sword. ¨ The Lord answered them, “[Two swords are] enough.” ¨ Contextually, this cannot be a mere metaphor that refers to standing on the Scriptures, and Jesus was not referring to a false or other part of His disciples. The contextual meaning of this conversation is straightforward. Of course they must be vigilant spiritually and emotionally, and they should not depend on physically providing for and defending themselves, but they now, where necessary, they had to also be willing to take responsibility for themselves.
Still, when Pontius Pilate asked Jesus at His trial if He were coveting the throne of Caesar as the physical king of the Hebrews, He stated that His Kingdom is spiritual, otherwise His disciples would physically fight so that He would not be handed to the Hebrew Sanhedrin to murder Him, (Jn. 18:36.) ¨ From this statement, we must understand that Jesus warned, His coming, unseen Kingdom in the born again ‘hearts’ or human spirits of true believers must not be extended by force as during the Christian crusades and cruel inquisitions, although there will come times when His disciples will have to endure hardships to expand His spiritual Kingdom on earth, (1 Ths. 5:23; Mt. 28:18-20; 1 Pt. 4:12-19!) His previous commissions to The Seventy and The Twelve were indeed to prepare His New Covenant disciples for this worldwide commission after the cross and Pentecost.
From the entire context of these passages, we can conclude the following: Þ The missions of The Seventy and The Twelve symbolize the first sword of the disciples before the cross. By first sending His disciples out on two missions without any provisions or physical protection, the Holy Spirit taught them to fully rely on His provision as they lacked nothing. That forever settled the certainty that God’s provision is always “enough.” Þ But now, schooled in complete reliance upon God’s provision, the situation changed. After the cross and Pentecost, they had to go beyond Israel’s borders to proclaim Jesus’ Gospel to the whole world. At Jesus’ ascension into heaven, He commanded, “[At Pentecost, I will give you all My full authority through the indwelling Holy Spirit, 1 John 2:20,27.] So, go into all [the Hebrew and the Gentile] world, and make disciples [by preaching My True Gospel to those who would choose to accept Me, Jn. 3:16-18] Then, [water] baptize [those believers] in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things I [and not church dogma,] have commanded you. And I Am with you always [inside you as the temple of the Holy Spirit,] even to the end of the world,” (1 Cor. 6:15-20; Romans 8:9-11!!!) Þ For this worldwide mission, the second sword is their responsibility to physically take care of themselves as far as possible while relying totally on the first sword; God’s supernatural provision and protection. They should do the necessary things themselves, not because they doubt God’s provision and protection, but because they are going out into a broken, violence-filled world. In fulfilling Jesus commission to evangelize the world, they had to carry their own purses or provide for themselves. Not because God does not fulfill all their needs, but because it remains His commandments to live as His custodians of everything He had entrusted to them while they earn their bread as far as possible, (Gen. 17-28, 2:15; 3:19.) Paul testified, “We did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but worked day and night not to be a burden to anyone… as an example of those who follow us...” (2 Ths. 3:8-10; 1 Tim. 5:8.) Þ Furthermore, in fulfilling Jesus’ worldwide commission, they had to carry knapsacks or backpacks to provide for their physical needs, (Lu. 22:35.) Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:23-33, “I am in labors… stripes.. prisons… deaths… stoned… shipwrecked… in perils of robbers [and everything else…] weariness… sleeplessness… hunger… thirst… nakedness…” God took care of Paul and the other disciples on a supernatural level, but they surely did not face those dangers without their knapsacks. Acts 18:3-7 explain, “[Paul stayed with Aquila and Pricilla and worked with Aquila as they were both tentmakers.] And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath to persuade [the Hebrews to accept Jesus as The Savior that was prophesied in the Old Testament.] But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he departed [and went to the Gentiles with the Gospel.]” No one goes on such a journey without carrying his own ‘backpack,’ because in His commission of The Twelve already, Jesus commanded us to “freely give as we have freely received,” (Mt. 10:8.) Paul, as far as possible, modelled his obedience to this commandment to all Jesus’ disciples. Þ In this dangerous world on such a death-defying mission, Jesus plainly illustrated that the physical lives of His disciples also matter, (1 Cor. 6:15-20.) So, should the situation call for it, it is so important to carry a sword to defend themselves, they should sell some of their necessities such as clothing to buy a sword. There is no clue in these passages that suggest we must interpret this commandment symbolically. Jesus was speaking of a physical sword. Yet, as with all other things, this literal sword can only operate in combination with the first spiritual sword. Furthermore, the second sword only pertains to human capabilities in certain situations and not to situations that warrant suffering in God’s will. So, the second sword or the vigilance and human resources of the disciples, (the physical sword they must carry,) was also “enough,” as Jesus knows how to take care of those Who belong to Him.
CONCLUSION — WHEN NOT TO UNSHEATHE THE SECOND SWORD OR HUMAN RESOURCES It is also impossible to dismiss the explanation of “the two swords that are enough” as a symbol of Jesus’ Truth that will separate even those in one household — the “two edged sword,” Mt. 10:35-39; Heb. 4:12.) It is clear that in Luke 22:35-38, Jesus was speaking of provision and protection on God’s supernatural and physical levels for His disciples to advance His spiritual Kingdom in the hearts and minds of all true believers across the whole earth, (Mt. 28:18-20; Rom. 12:1-2.) ¨ Nevertheless, when Jesus warned that circumstances and His disciples’ responses to danger would drastically change after the cross and Pentecost, He was not suggesting that they were to use force to extend the Gospel. Neither was He saying they must violently make church members like both Catholic and Protestant church hierarchies did during the dreadful Christian crusades, which were actually en masse, human sacrifice to Satan. Nor were the disciples to do their own will even while under threat, as the Holy Spirit must guide all their responses. We must not lose sight of the fact that there is also a time for Jesus’ disciples to suffer for righteousness in the will of God, when even natural, logic, legitimate self-defence is inappropriate, (2 Tim. 3:12; Acts 20:22-24; Heb. 5:8, KJV.) In Luke 22:49, when the soldiers of the high priest came to violently arrest Jesus, although totally outnumbered, His disciples were nonetheless ready to defend Him and asked, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” But before Jesus could answer, Peter drew his sword and cut off Malchus’ ear. Jesus calmly said, “Put your sword back into it’s sheath. [Jesus did not even suggest that Peter should dispose of his sword, but healed the man because Peter blundered the situation.] Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me? [Jn. 18:10-11.] All who live by the sword [or rely on self-defence alone without the leading of the Holy Spirit,] will perish by the sword [without God’s will and almighty protection.] Do you think that… My Father cannot provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels to protect Me? [There were 6,000 soldiers in a Roman legion; that is 72,000 angels.] But how could the Scriptures be fulfilled if this does not happen now?” (Mt. 26:51-54.)
The two swords function firstly for us from the spirit world where God’s throne is seated, and then in this natural world in Holy-Spirit leading and power through our own awareness, our God-given capabilities and Holy-Spirit gifts, our obedience to His True Word, and according to His will for every situation, (1 Cor. 12:4-11; Mt. 6:10!) There is indeed a time to physically defend ourselves with God’s permission on a multilevel, should circumstances call for physical action. Jesus commanded, “Watch [or do what you must do in Holy-Spirit discernment,] and pray [while totally depending on Him,] that you do not enter into temptation [or spiritual, emotional, and physical danger that can be avoided by God’s grace…]” (Mt. 26:41.) Even so, we must literally lock our doors and guard our spiritual, emotional, and physical ‘gates,’ although we pray for God’s protection. ‘Watching’ is not unbelief. It is doing what God called us to do on a physical and mind level, (Rom. 12:1-2.) The two swords truly operate on all levels of life. God does His part to keep us safe, but we must also be “sober and vigilant, for our adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour,” (1 Pt. 5:8.) The first commandment God gave to Adam when He placed him in the garden in Eden, was to “tend and keep [or work and protect] the garden,” (Gen. 2:15.) We can now interpret “the garden” as everything God had entrusted to us from the spiritual and physical worlds. Nonetheless, only God can do the impossible so we can follow Him through all the difficulties of life. “In Him, we [breathe,] live, move, and have our being,” (Acts 17:28.) No matter how self-sufficient man becomes, he will always be totally dependant upon the provision and protection of our Lord God Almighty. Relating Article: Are born again believers allowed to defend themselves against murder, land-theft, and other crimes? The Power of Praise in Deliverance from Affliction A PRAYER FOR SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WHOLE WORLD ¨ What gives life to the Image of the Beast, which the whole world will worship? ¨ COVID LOCKDOWN IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE 1964 SONG ‘THE SOUND OF SILENCE’ Personal Responsibility and Accountability form the crux of Fruitful Lives on earth Can our Charity (Love) save people and change the world? Psychopaths that Deceive and Control us Dealing with Abuse and Abusers God’s Way Þ Dealing with Continuous Sin and Wilfully Unrepentant Spouses Great Irreconcilable Differences between Psychiatry and Scriptural Truth Þ The Great ‘Deliverance’ Deception ¨ SOUL TIES: HOW TO OVERCOME ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE AND OTHER ADDICTION Þ Mourning the Death or Loss of a Loved One Þ The book, What a Narcissist Clan can do to their Unsuspecting Victims Þ How to Avoid Getting Stuck in Bad Relationships Þ Does God speak through fear? What is fear and how do I control it? Witchcraft (Pagan & Christian) What is That? Origins and their Pentecostal/Charismatic superpower baptism of tongues Origin of Pentecostalism and its “Tongues Superpower” for Supermen and Wonder Women Jesus Scriptural Baptism With The Biblical Holy Spirit |
