Luke 22:35-38

“ And He said unto them, When I sent you without purse and scrip and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing. 36. Then He said unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip. And he that hath no [sword], let him sell his garment, and buy one. 37. 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 are coming to an end....38.”

Till then, the apostles, protected by the favour which Jesus enjoyed with the people, had led a comparatively easy life. But the last conflict between Him and the Jewish authorities was about to break out, and how could the apostles, during all the rest of their career, escape the hostile blows? This is the thought which occupies our Lord's mind: He gives it a concrete form in the following figures. In Luke 22:35 He recalls to mind their first mission (Luke 9:1 et seq.). We learn on this occasion the favourable issue which had been the result of that first proof of their faith. The historian had told us nothing of it, Luke 9:6.

The object of μὴ ἔχων is evidently μαχαίραν (not πήραν or βαλαντίον): “ Let him who hath not [a sword], buy one. ” It heightens the previous warning. Not only can they no longer reckon on the kind hospitality which they enjoyed during the time of their Master's popularity, and not only must they prepare to be treated henceforth like ordinary travellers, paying their way, etc.; but they shall even meet with open hostility. Disciples of a man treated as a malefactor, they shall be themselves regarded as dangerous men; they shall see themselves at war with their fellow-countrymen and the whole world. Comp. John 15:18-25, the piece of which this is, as it were, the summary and parallel. The sword is here, as in Matthew 10:34, the emblem of avowed hostility. It is clear that in the mind of Him who said: “I send you forth as lambs among wolves,” this weapon represents the power of holiness in conflict with the sin of the world, that sword of the Spirit spoken of by Paul (Ephesians 6:17).

The καὶ γάρ, and in truth, at the end of the verse, announces a second fact analogous to the former (and), and which at the same time serves to explain it (in truth). The tragical end of the ministry of Jesus is also approaching, and consequently no features of the prophetic description can be slow in being realized.

The disciples seem to take literally the recommendation of Jesus, and even to be proud of their prudence. The words, It is enough, have been understood in this sense: “Let us say no more; let us now break up; events will explain to you my mind, which you do not understand.” But is it not more natural to give to ἱκανόν ἐστι this mournfully ironic sense: “Yes, for the use which you shall have to make of arms of this kind, those two swords are enough.”

Here we must place the last words of John 14: “ Rise; let us go hence. ” The Syn. have preserved only a few hints of the last discourses of Jesus (John 14-17). These were treasures which could not be transmitted to the Church in the way of oral tradition, and which, assuming hearers already formed in the school of Jesus like the apostles, were not fitted to form the matter of popular evangelization.