Obscure 2 controls series#

If Jesus was not advocating violent resistance in telling the disciples to acquire a sword, what exactly was he saying? The answer to this question is really not that difficult when we place this statement in the larger context of Jesus’ provocative pedagogical technique. Nor is it legitimate to conclude (as some gun-rights bloggers argue) that in rebuking Peter and commanding him to put down his sword, Jesus was actually saying, “We are outnumbered at the moment the time is not right for violent resistance.” As Jesus’ rationale makes very clear, this is not a “the time is not right” kind of prohibition it is a “the time is never right” kind of prohibition. He did not intend to be taken in this crudely literal fashion, and he was not encouraging violent resistance.

Whether that was Luke’s precise intention is debatable, but the important point remains: we know that the interpretation of Luke 22:36 offered by gun-rights advocates is wrong because Jesus himself tells us as much in Luke 22:51. In fact, some commentaries (Bock, Neyrey) refer to Luke 22:50-51 as Luke’s own “commentary” on the obscure saying in 22:36 in order to correct, as Nolland puts it, “a rather pathetic misapplication of Jesus’ teaching” ( Luke, 1090). In Matthew’s account, Jesus adds the following rationale to his reprimand: “For all who take up the sword will die by the sword.” The reason why this incident in Gethsemane is so important for understanding Jesus’ earlier intent in Luke 22:36 regarding acquiring a sword is that Jesus seems to be correcting a misunderstanding of that earlier statement by someone who thought Jesus was actually suggesting that violent resistance was appropriate. Apparently, Peter interpreted Jesus’ enigmatic statement on acquiring a sword in the manner that gun-rights advocates suggest, as an endorsement of violent resistance- and is sternly rebuked by Jesus: “No more of this!” (Luke 22:51) “Put away your sword!” (Matt. We learn from John that the culprit is Peter, who actually sliced off the ear of the High Priest’s slave, Malchus (John 18:10). In their accounts of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest in Gethsemane, all four gospel writers record that one of Jesus’ followers draws a sword and attempts to meet violence with violence. However, I do want to consider in more detail the incident which most illumines Jesus’ obscure comment in Luke 22:36 on acquiring swords: his arrest in Gethsemane, which occurred only a few hours later. My previous post on this topic (“Seek the Welfare of the City”) already laid out some of this argument, so I won’t repeat myself here. Most commentaries, on the other hand, reject this interpretation (see below), because it is extremely difficult to reconcile with what Jesus consistently teaches (non-retaliation) and models (willing self-sacrifice). They interpret Jesus’ words as a call for his disciples to arm themselves and to be ready to use these weapons against those who threaten to harm them. What are we to make of this peculiar exchange? Christian gun-rights advocates in the blogosphere commonly argue that this passage legitimizes the use of lethal force in self-defense. He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.’” The disciples then produce two swords, which prompts Jesus to respond, “That’s enough!” (NIV) He then cautions them concerning difficulties to come: “Then Jesus said, ‘When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?’ ‘Nothing,’ they answered. Having just celebrated the Passover with his disciples, Jesus warns them of his impending betrayal and of Peter’s threefold denial. A recent doctoral dissertation on this pericope calls it “one of the most enigmatic texts in the gospels.” The setting is the final week of Jesus’ life. Luke 22:35-38 is a troublesome text for scholars, pastors, or anyone trying to correlate the obscure “call to arms” found in this passage with Jesus’ clear teaching and example elsewhere. In this installment I examine Luke 22:36, where Jesus tells his disciples, “And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.” Now I will begin looking at biblical texts used by Christian gun advocates to support their view that Scripture supports unrestricted access to lethal weaponry for private individuals. In the first installment ( “Seek the Welfare of the City”), I sketched the general theological case for sane restriction on guns, particularly assault weapons, and applied biblical principles to common objections.

Obscure 2 controls series#

This is the second post in a series of blogs dealing with gun control from a Christian perspective.