Put Your Sword In Its Place (all references NKJV)                          29 July 2010

Matt 26:51-52  And suddenly, one of those who was with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.  But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."

This has been one of the most misunderstood scriptures concerning " the sword".  Jesus is not just telling Peter don't use the sword.  He's telling him to put it in its place.  First, let's look at the scripture every Christian uses when they take up the sword.

Luke 22:35-38  And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  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.  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."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."

I believe the Bible is the Word of God and every word of it is true.  That even if someone tried to monkey with it or mistranslate that the Holy Spirit supernaturally got it to our hands correctly.  I also believe that I have one of several good translations in the NKJV.  That having been said, I'm not here to dispute, be first or right.  I've read no man's book, only the Bible to derive the following.

For us to take the scriptures above from Matthew and then Luke at face value, not knowing the history of the words of the prophets concerning the sword, they look contradictory, they are not.  When Jesus asked them if they lacked anything, they were being obedient and went without moneybag, knapsack and sandal.  They were totally trusting God in other words.  But, he who has a moneybag was not doing what God told his disciples to do, that's why he has a moneybag and so forth.  Jesus is saying, if we're going to trust in our own means, we'd better have a sword.   In Luke 22:38 when He says, "It is enough."  He's saying, you don't get it, but God will use it.  We still don't get it.

A very important statement made about the sword is found in Isaiah.

Is. 2:4  He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

After you have prayerfully read Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, and asked the Holy Spirit to open your understanding that you might comprehend the scriptures (Luke 24:45), then judge these words.  Jesus is telling Peter, beat your sword into a plowshare, put it in the ground, in its place and till this garden with Me like Adam was supposed to.  I am swiftly coming to the conclusion that no war since Jesus  and the finished work of the cross is approved of God.  I thought that as His disciples, not just converts,  we should want to not just  be used, but approved of God.   I'm not saying that God has not used war since Jesus to accomplish His will.  I am saying it is not His best and has not been.   May God bless the memory of all who have paid the supreme sacrifice.

 There is a pivotal date in the history of Israel that concerns the church today.  It is 586 BC.  More about that later...