FAQ-33: Was Jesus Peaceful by calling for Swords?

Jesus is in the upper room with his disciples the day before the crucifixion, and in Luke 22:36 he tells his disciples that he was leaving them. Therefore, they were to sell their cloaks, and buy swords, which suggests that he was calling his disciples to now use swords for violence. But is it? Look at the context. To begin with, what were swords doing on a table? The fact is these weren’t swords, but foot long daggers (known as Makhaira in Greek), which were used to cut the meat, and for cleaning one’s finger nails; even used by Paul to cut his tents. They were one of the most important implements for a male in the first century. That’s why Jesus was telling them to now go and buy one, and sell their cloaks if need be to do so. Jesus had been taking care of them for three years, and now that he was leaving them, he wanted them to now take care of themselves. Two Makhairas at a table would not be sufficient for an insurrection (that was the number Peter held up, followed by Jesus stating that was enough). As an application, the next day in the garden of Gethsemane (in Matthew 26:52), Peter took out his Makhaira and cut off the ear of a servant. Jesus put the ear back, and then turning to Peter said, “Put away your sword, for he who lives by the sword (Makharia), dies by the sword”. Unlike Muhammad who praised his disciple for killing Asma Bin Marwan, a widow with 6 children, stabbing her in her heart as she was suckling her baby simply because she had written poetic verses against him, Jesus never allowed his disciples to defend him. Likewise, we are not permitted to use any swords, or knives, or daggers for the Kingdom of God; because it is a kingdom which requires no violence for its defense. © Pfander Centre for Apologetics - US, 2019 (21,400)