Why did Jesus tell his disciples to buy a sword?I've heard Christians use this verse as proof that we should bear arms and fight back.
However, the scripture tells us that Jesus had his disciples buy and bring swords so that he would be 'numbered with the transgressors', thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53.
In Luke 22, Jesus says, "...he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end."
In the garden, when Peter cut off the ear of one of the Roman guards, Jesus said, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"Then Jesus healed the soldier's ear.
Christians that read their Bible know that our battle is spiritual, not physical. Ephesians 6 says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
Jesus never picked up a sword nor any weapon to use against anyone and neither should we if we His followers.
Jesus tells us to love our enemies.
War is wrong, ESPECIALLY for those who claim to be Christians.
MATTHEW 5
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
ISAIAH 53
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
2 comments:
Cathy is wrong when she claims Jesus never took up a weapon or used violence.
Jesus made himself a scourge, a whip made of many short leather thongs.
Jesus used this scourge to get up close and personal with the crowd in the temple, and chased them all out.
Jesus violently threw the tables and strew the money everywhere, and pretty much trashed the place.
So what she says is just plain not true.
Further, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. It's true that "vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord," and to turn the other cheek -- but this has to do with personal hurts. This does not mean we are to stand by like helpless blobs of Jello when our neighbor is being attacked, or if our family is invaded by thugs and rapists.
If we have a gun or knife we can use it to defend against wild animals, but not human wild animals?
The Bible also says specifically in Proverbs that we are to rescue the innocent who are led to the slaughter, that if we don't do so that God will judge us.
Proverbs 24:11 If thou forebear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
Jesus made a scourge of small cords and he drove the money changers and the animals they were selling out of the temple.
Did Jesus kill anyone? No.
Can a whip like Jesus used kill someone? No.
I am saying it is wrong for a Christian to kill. Period. We are to trust the Lord and like Jesus, do what our heavenly Father is showing us and say what our heavenly Father is telling us.
The most important thing that I am concerned about is that souls get saved and that the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified.
Have you ever read Foxes Book of Martyrs? The disciples of Christ and those who were killed for their faith did not take up arms nor did they organize a revolution against the government. They trusted God. Some were freed but most were killed while praising the Lord and praying for their tormentors.
Stephen who was stoned to death did not pull out a knife nor did he resist his killers. He trusted God who allowed him to be killed. Saul watched this and later this same Saul who persecuted Christians converted and wrote most of the New Testament.
Bottom Line: Trust and obey. Christians are to trust the Lord Jesus Christ and not take matters into our own hands. We are to love our enemies; not kill them nor take revenge. This is what my Bible says.
John 2
14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto your own understanding."
Jesus says in Matthew 5
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Acts 7
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
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