Buy a sword

35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 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. 37 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.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.” - Luke 22:35-38 (ESV)

By the end of Luke’s Gospel, you can read a passage where Jesus instructs His disciples on some things, and among them to “buy a sword”. What did He mean by that?

Jesus first asked them when He sent them previously to preach the word of God (Mark 6:7-13) if they lacked anything. The passage goes like this:

“Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” - Mark 6:7-13 (NIV)

Now, on the other hand, Jesus is asking them to take money and a sword. He also quotes Isaiah 53:12, which states that He was numbered with the transgressors. Many interpretations could be made, but the vast majority of commentaries and scholars agreed that Jesus is speaking metaphorically about the fight the apostles will face after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, referencing the coming struggle of Jesus’s last days that would lead to his own death [1].

Now, under Satan’s influence, they are choosing a path of fear that requires means of self-protection. The fact that they already have two swords demonstrates how fear is controlling their actions [2].

However, the explicit reference Jesus made to Isaiah 53 tells us that Jesus is going to be perceived as a law transgressor by the Roman Empire, which eventually will lead to His crucifixion. Thus, it is most probable that:

A) Jesus is talking metaphorically, yes, but

B) The disciples understood literally and carried a real sword, and therefore were perceived as a menace to the Roman empire, aggravating Jesus' situation with Pilate.

It’s worth noting that Pilate affirmed that Jesus was a king (John 18:37), attempting to extract a confession (and condemnation) from Jesus, as Pilate was suspicious that Jesus might be a military leader trying to revolt against the Empire. If this is the case, it makes much sense for Jesus to talk metaphorically about being on guard and buying a sword, but also to be literally understood by the apostles and therefore fulfill God’s plan about the crucifixion, when the apostles will carry swords and be perceived as a menace. This act could be one more accusation on Pilate’s plate, adding to his decision to kill Jesus. Otherwise, why specifically quote Isaiah 53:12? The reinforcement that Jesus’ request is metaphorical is revealed when Peter, later on, cuts Malchus’ ear (John 18:10) when the guards are trying to arrest Jesus, where the LORD rebukes Peter and heals the soldier. Thus, the violence or even self-defence wasn’t supported by Jesus, who also said “do not resist an evil person, but offer the other cheek (Matthew 5:39). Therefore, it is improbable that Jesus is asking for a physical sword, but to be ready for the imminent fight that the apostles will face, but God also used the apostles’ misinterpretation to fulfill His perfect plan, confirming once more what Joseph said to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).

[1] Thomas R. Yoder Neufeld, Recovering Jesus: The Witness of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2007), 219.

[2] Robert C. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts: A Literary Interpretation: The Gospel according to Luke, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1991), 266–267.