The sayings of Jesus on the sword are sometimes used to make the case that Christians can kill their enemies. But does Jesus condone the use of the sword in these passages?
Matthew 10:34-36 – The sword of persecution
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.”
This saying comes in the broader context of Jesus’ teaching on coming persecution for his followers. He is not saying that they will use the sword, but that others will use the sword against them, as it were.
Verse 35, beginning with “for” shows us what Jesus is talking about. Following Jesus will not bring peace to your life, at least considered in terms of how others will treat you. Specifically here, members of your own family will reject you.
So Jesus is speaking of the sword in a metaphorical way; as something that divides as it cuts (see also Hebrews 4:12). Jesus brings a sword, in that, faithfulness to him will cause others to cut you off. There will be conflict. Families will be divided.
That this is the correct understanding of Matthew 10:34 is confirmed when we compare it with the same saying in Luke 12:51-52. Jesus says, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.” Here, instead of saying “sword,” he simply says “division.”
Luke 22:35-38 – Swords as a fulfillment of prophecy
“And he said to them, ‘When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?’ They said, ‘Nothing.’ He said to them, ‘But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.’ And they said, ‘Look, Lord, here are two swords.’ And he said to them, ‘It is enough.’”
Verse 35 begins by looking back to when Jesus sent the disciples out into the villages of Israel (Luke 9 and 10). Jesus sent them out as simple itinerate preachers. And when he did this he “dressed” them for the part. They could not take a moneybag, nor a knapsack to carry their possessions, nor could they wear sandals. Although the disciples went out without anything, their needs were supplied. Those they went to recognized them as preachers and were willing to house them and feed them.
In verses 36-38 Jesus “dresses” his disciples differently. Now they are to take a moneybag and a knapsack to carry possessions. And they are to get swords. The question is, ‘Why obtain swords?’ Did Jesus want them to get swords to protect him? Fortunately there is no doubt as to the answer to this question. For later in the narrative, when Peter actually used one of these very swords, Jesus stopped him. He said, “no more of this” (Luke 22:50). Then he healed the man whom Peter had wounded. We also learn from Matthew 26:52 that he said, “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.” It is clear that Jesus was not telling them to obtain swords to defend him, or themselves for that matter.
We do not need to speculate as to why Jesus said what he said, for he tells us the reason. Just after the sword saying Jesus said, “for I tell you, this Scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless.’” The disciples needed swords in order for the Scriptures to be fulfilled. Jesus was to be arrested with a band of people that fit the picture of the lawless ones of Isaiah 53:12. So, just as Jesus dressed his disciples to play their role as preachers, now he dresses them as bandits. This is why they needed swords, moneybags to carry away money and knapsacks to carry away possessions.
Jesus had a very clear picture of how his betrayal, arrest and death should transpire based on the Scriptures. This is just one aspect of it. He was to be arrested as if he were the leader of a group of bandits (Mark 14:48-49; Matthew 26:53-56). When the disciples say that they have two swords and Jesus responds “it is enough,” he means that two swords are enough for the prophetic picture to work. It was Jesus’ intention for them to have at least two swords in order to look like bandits. But judging from his response to Peter it was not his intention that they actually use them. They were to look like a group of bandits, not act like a group of bandits.
