Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 53

“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 22:35-38

“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.’” (Luke 22:35–38, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

Sermon

This passage that is open before us today has been interpreted and applied in some interesting ways throughout the history of the church. The difficult interpretive question is this: How are we to understand Christ’s words about obtaining swords? “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.’” Why did Christ tell his disciples to procure a sword, even if it required them to sell their cloak to obtain it? A little later in the passage, we read, “And they [the disciples] said [to Jesus], ‘Look, Lord, here are two swords.’ And he said to them, ‘It is enough.’” What is the meaning of the two swords? Are they to be taken literally, or do they symbolize something? And what did Jesus mean when he said, it is enough? 

You may know that some have interpreted the swords in an allegorical way. When Christ said, “And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one”, they think that Christ was speaking of a spiritual sword, namely, the word of God. And when it comes to the two short swords that the disciples pointed to, they interpret them to symbolize two aspects of the word of God. Some believe the two swords symbolize the Old and New Testaments. Others believe they symbolize the law and the gospel. Perhaps you have heard that some Roman Catholics view the swords as symbolic of the two-fold power and authority that they believe Christ has given to the church – power over things spiritual and power over things civil or political. 

I do not agree with these allegorical interpretations. It seems to me that when Christ told his disciples that they would need swords in the future, it was a warning that times of difficulty were soon to come. They would need swords for self-defense. And it seems to me that when the disciples said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords”, and Jesus replied, “it is enough”, he meant, the two short swords are enough – they will be sufficient for you as a band of disciples. In other words, Jesus was not commanding his disciples to arm themselves for physical combat or war (two short swords would not be sufficient for that). Instead, he was warning that difficulties were soon to come and that they would be wise to carry short swords for self-defence. In those days, when people would travel, they would carry a moneybag (with money in it), a knapsack (or a traveler’s bag), and a sword for self-defence. 

I do believe that this interpretation fits very well with the context, which I hope to demonstrate shortly. 

Christ Warned His Disciples Of Difficult Days Ahead

Why would Jesus need to warn his disciples of the difficult days ahead? 

The need for this instruction becomes clear when we recall that the disciples were arguing amongst themselves over who was to be regarded as the greatest in Christ’s kingdom. Clearly, at this point, they were oblivious to the difficulty that was soon to descend upon them. Clearly, they had high hopes and big dreams concerning the arrival of the Messiah’s kingdom. They must have thought that the kingdom would soon come in glory and that they would soon experience glorious and pleasant things on earth. But here Christ warns them that the glory would be delayed. First, there would be difficulty.

Look with me at verse 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.’” What is Jesus referring to here? He is reminding his disciples of the manner in which he previously sent them out to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. In the past, he sent them out to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom without natural provision or protection. God and Christ provided for them and protected them in unusual or supernatural ways. No doubt, this was a time of testing and training for the disciples. They learned to depend upon God as they went about their work.  

Luke tells us about this unusual mission in chapter 9, verses 1-6, of his Gospel. There we read, “And [Jesus] called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.’ And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere” (Luke 9:1–6, ESV). In Luke 10:1-12, we are told that Jesus sent seventy of his disciples out in much the same way. To them, Jesus said, “Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” 

Here in Luke 22:35, Jesus reminds his disciples of that mission and the manner in which he sent them out. But in verse 36, he clarifies that this will not be the norm in the future. “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’” (Luke 22:36, ESV). This is very important teaching from Jesus that we would do well to consider. 

I’m afraid that some Christians will read the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (and even the Book of the Acts of the Apostles), and expect that everything described there will be the common experience of all Christians living in every time and place. The thought is this: If Jesus sent the twelve, and later the seventy, out with no money, staff, bag, food, or change of clothes, then this is to be the manner in which all Christians live in all times and places. We can press this further: If the twelve and the seventy cast out demons and healed the sick, so should we. If the twelve and the seventy left houses and families to follow Jesus, we must do the same. But this is not true. The text that is open before us today helps us to see that not everything we read about in the Gospels (and even the book of Acts) is to be regarded as normative for the New Covenant people of God. Some things are! But some things are not. The reason is simple and clear. The Gospels and the book of Acts tell us about a very special and unique time in the history of redemption. These books of the Bible tell us about the earthly ministry of the Messiah, the Son of God incarnate, and the work of his special emissaries—his Apostles and other eyewitnesses of his life, death, and resurrection. 

It is true, for a time, Christ sent his disciples out to preach the gospel of the kingdom and to cast out demons, and commanded them to have no concern for their provision or protection. But here he clarifies that this manner of going is not to be regarded as normative: “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’”, Christ says (Luke 22:36, ESV).

Why have I said that this teaching from Jesus is important to consider? Because it helps to keep us from fanaticism or reckless and foolish living. Stated positively, this text helps us to see that Christians are to walk in wisdom and make use of common earthly means as they seek to obey Christ and fulfill the Great Commission.

This teaching gets really practical, really quick. 

What would you say to a professing Christian who says, I’m not going to get a job. Instead, I’m going to walk by faith just like the Apostles did when Jesus sent them out without provision. I hope you would say what the Apostle said: ”If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10, ESV).

Or what would you say to the aspiring missionary who says, I will not raise support or bother securing the backing of a local church. I will simply go just like the Apostles did when Jesus sent them out without provision. I hope you would say what the Apostle said: Brother, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:14–15, ESV). Were not Paul and Barnabus sent from Antioch? Did Paul not carry a moneybag filled by the generous support of the churches he served? 

Or what would you say to the congregation that failed to provide an adequate living for their minister whom they have set apart for full-time ministry, saying, but shouldn’t this minister of ours (along with his wife and children) walk by faith just as the Apostles did when Jesus sent them out without provision. I hope you would say what the Apostle has said: “‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages’” (1 Timothy 5:18, ESV). 

Another way to say this is that these disciples of Jesus were, in some respects, about to experience a major transition from the extraordinary to the ordinary. The days of the earthly ministry of the Messiah were extraordinary. But soon (after his death, burial, and resurrection), some things would return to normal.  

To illustrate this, we may compare Israel’s experience in the days of Moses with their experience after settling in the land of Canaan. When God redeemed them from bondage in Egypt through Moses, many miracles were performed through him. Once in the wilderness, God sustained them miraculously. They drank water from the rock. They ate manna from heaven. They followed the cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. After the conquest, however, things settled. Life became more ordinary for the Hebrews.     

As I say this, I do not mean to deny that God is able to work in supernatural ways during these more ordinary days, and sometimes does. And neither am I claiming that there is nothing to learn from those passages wherein Luke tells us of the sending out of the twelve and seventy without provision. No doubt, it is a valid point of application to say, we must learn to walk by faith and trust in God for provision and protection. But this passage that is open before us does help us to see that not everything experienced by the disciples of Jesus in the days of his earthly ministry is to be regarded as normative for us. “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’”, Christ says (Luke 22:36, ESV).

I promise, I do read commentators other than J.C.Ryle when preparing my sermons. I quote him often, though, one, because I often agree with him, and two, because I like the way he puts things. Listen to what he says about this passage: 

The general drift of this verse is to teach that from the time of Christ’s ascension into heaven, the disciples must not expect such a constant miraculous interposition of God on their behalf, as would make them independent of the use of means. On the contrary they must diligently employ all lawful and reasonable means for their support and protection. They were to work with their own hands, as St Paul did at tent making. They were to have regular gatherings of money for the support of those that [lacked] as the Corinthians had. They were not to despise their rights as subjects and citizens, but to use them in their own defence, as St Paul did before Lysias, and Festus, and at Philippi. The general purport of the verse appears to be a caution against the indolent [lazy] and fanatical [extreme] notion that diligence in the use of means is ‘carnal,’ and an unlawful dependence on an arm of flesh. To my own mind the whole verse supplies an unanswerable argument against the strange notions maintained by some in the present day, who tell us that making provision for our families is wrong, — and insuring our lives is wrong, — and collecting money for religious societie: is wrong, — and studying for the work of the ministry is wrong, — and taking part in civi government is wrong, — and supporting police, standing armies, and courts of law is wrong. I respect the conscientiousness of those who maintain these opinions. But I am utterly unable to reconcile them with our Lord’s language in this place.” (Ryle, Expository Thoughts On Luke, 311) 

When Christ instructed his disciples to procure a sword, even if it required them to sell their cloak to get one, I take this to mean, just as travelers would commonly travel with moneybags, travel bags, and swords for defence, the disciples of Jesus would be wise to do the same in the future, for the uncommon and special protections afforded to them during the days of Christ’s earthly ministry were soon coming to an end. Christ would still be with them! But in the New Covenant era, disciples of Jesus will be expected to make use of common means for their provision and protection. 

When Christ mentioned the need for a sword of defense, it was also, no doubt, an ominous warning that troubles were on the horizon. The disciples of Jesus assumed that Christ’s kingdom would soon come in glory and that they would sit on thrones ruling and reigning with him. Here, Jesus essentially says, Not so fast. You will not immediately be living as rulers in a settled kingdom (that day will come, but not yet! Instead, you will live as sojourners on the earth—as travelers in need of moneybags, knapsacks, and swords. And the trouble you face will be such that you would rather have a sword for defence than a cloak to keep you warm as you sleep at night. If you know anything about the trials and tribulations that the disciples of Jesus endured after Christ’s ascension, you will agree that this is true.

Christ Warned His Disciples That He Would Experience The Difficulty First

So you can see, Christ warned his disciples that difficult days were ahead. And he also warned them that he himself would experience the difficulty first. Look with me at verse 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” (Luke 22:37, ESV).

What Scripture was Christ referring to when he said, “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’”?  He was referring to the famous Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53. We read it earlier. It is truly a marvelous text of Scripture. About 700 years before Jesus the Messiah was born in this world, it was revealed by the Holy Spirit through the Prophet Isaiah that the Messiah would suffer, die, and be raised to atone for the sins of his people. Every time I read this text, I’m amazed at how clearly the gospel of Jesus Christ is revealed in it. Hear it again: 

“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt…” 

Clearly, this prophecy revealed that the Messiah, though pure and undefiled, would experience sorrows, suffering, and death. It also reveals that his death would be an atoning death — a death that removed the guilt and stain of sin. But it also reveals that the Messiah would be raised from the dead to bring salvation to many. In verse 10, we read, 

“he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:10–12, ESV)

Notice that Christ quoted a line from the very end of this prophecy, saying, “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” (Luke 22:37, ESV). By quoting a line from the end of this prophecy, he was urging his disciples to consider the whole thing. 

When Christ said, “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me”, he was reminding his disciples of something he had told them many times before — a little detail they seemed to always forget — the Messiah, though perfectly pure and unstained by sin, would have to suffer and die the death of a sinner to atone for sins, and then enter into glory. 

First, suffering, then glory. That would be the pattern. It was the pattern for Christ, and it would be the pattern for his disciples, too. First, suffering, then glory. This was not the first time Christ had spoken plainly about his suffering. In Luke 18:31, we read, “And taking the twelve, he said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise’” (Luke 18:31–33, ESV). That’s clear, would you agree? And yet the disciples had no place in their minds for suffering—not for Jesus and not for them. They only thought about the glory, and so they argued about who would be the greatest. This time, Jesus took them straight to the Old Testament text that speaks most clearly about the sufferings of the Messiah—Isaiah 53—saying, “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” (Luke 22:37, ESV).     

In verse 38, the disciples respond to Jesus by pointing to a pair of short swords in the room and saying, “And they said, ‘Look, Lord, here are two swords.’ And he said to them, ‘It is enough’” (Luke 22:38, ESV). As I said previously, I take the words of Jesus to mean, those will be sufficient. And why would the two small swords be sufficient?  Because Christ did not intend for his disciples to fight as if a small army or militia. The sword that he encouraged them to procure was a sword of self-defence, not of a soldier. By saying this, I do not mean to suggest that disciples of Jesus must never serve as soldiers under the authority of civil magistrates. Instead, I mean that disciples of Jesus are not called to bear arms and to wage warfare as disciples of Jesus. The church is not an army. The kingdom of God will not advance by the sword. It will advance by the preaching of the word and the working of the Spirit. 

This point is proven by what happened later that night as the disciples of Jesus were tempted to use the sword to defend Jesus from enduring the suffering that Isaiah 53 predicted. It was while they were in the garden of Gethsemane that “there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’ And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him” (Luke 22:47–51, ESV). The sword that Jesus urged his disciples to procure was a common sword of self-defence, not a sword for warfare, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4, ESV).

Conclusion

I’ll conclude with a few brief suggestions for application. 

One, this text encourages us not to despise the common and mundane things of this life as if they are somehow lacking or unrelated to Christ and his glorious kingdom. Sometimes we may be tempted to look back on the lives of the Apostles as they walked with Jesus on earth or as they furthered his kingdom in the days after his ascension, and think, Why am I not experiencing such exciting and glorious things in my walk with Jesus? Well, those were unusual times, brothers and sisters. Be grateful for the time in which we live, and seek to honor the Lord even in the mundane things.  

Two, do not assume that living responsibly and with wisdom is opposed to walking by faith. Yes, it may be that God will sometimes call you to take a leap of faith, that is to say, to obey his revealed will even though it is difficult and to trust that he will provide. But more often than not, God will call you to trust and obey him as you live responsibly in this world, for his glory, honor, and praise. Work diligently, brothers and sisters. Give generously, save, and invest. Make wise plans, saying, Lord willing, I will do this or that thing. Get an education or certification. Make progress in your career. Maintain and manage your home. Be prepared to protect yourself and those you love. Though these are earthly cares and concerns, they are not necessarily unspiritual. Do them to the glory of God, brothers and sisters. Do them, never losing sight of our mission to further God’s eternal kingdom on earth.       

Three, please do not forget this pattern: first suffering, then glory. Do not despise the trials and tribulations of life, brothers and sisters. Do not act as if the sufferings of this life are for nothing, for we know that  “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18, ESV)

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