Matthew 26:52, commentary and pictures

Jesus ordered Peter to sheath his sword, rebuking his rash strike that cut off the servant's ear and forbidding armed defense to stop the arrest. He warned that all who resort to violent force will themselves be destroyed by it. His refusal came not from helplessness, for He could have asked His Father for more than twelve legions of angels, but He chose to submit to binding and drink the appointed cup so the Scriptures would be fulfilled, even healing the wound by freeing His bound hands to touch the ear. His kingdom is not built or defended by physical force as earthly kingdoms are, so His church must banish carnal weapons and coercion and His followers must not join in war and bloodshed but cooperate with Him to save lives.

Gethsemane Arrest Setting

The words were spoken on the way to and in the garden of Gethsemane on the night after the Passover supper with His disciples. In company with His disciples He slowly made His way to the garden under the broad and full Passover moon shining from a cloudless sky while the city of pilgrims' tents was hushed into silence. This came after His long agony in the garden in conflict with satanic agencies striving to divorce Him from God, when great drops of blood came from the pores of His skin.

Judas, one of His professed disciples, betrayed Him with expressions of love, with a kiss. He was arrested by a band of men and soldiers with staves and spears, including Roman soldiers who held His hands and chief priests and captains of the temple who came with swords and staves though He had taught daily in the temple, with cords brought to bind Him. His disciples all forsook Him and fled. He was taken to Annas, then to Caiaphas, then to Pilate, then sent to Herod who found nothing to condemn yet mocked Him with insult and mockery, then sent again to Pilate, from insult to renewed insult, from mockery to mockery, twice tortured by the scourge. Through it all He bore Himself with dignity through the disgraceful farce of a trial and spoke no word but that tended to glorify God, not one syllable more than was essential. After the Sanhedrin condemned Him to death He was brought before Pilate for legal condemnation because execution required Pilate's confirmation.

The disciples expected Him to free Himself by the power that could strike down and prostrate the mob. When they saw Him make no effort to escape arrest they blamed Him and could not understand His submission. In anger and indignation Peter rashly drew his sword to prevent the binding and struck the crowd, cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant.

Christ Refuses Armed Rescue

Jesus ordered Peter to put his sword back again into its place, rebuking his rash violence in cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant and forbidding any armed defense of Himself to stop the arrest. The command rejected Peter's attempt to prevent the binding and refused the use of armed force to keep Jesus free. The reason given was a warning that all who take up and resort to the sword will perish and face destruction by the sword. Violent resistance and reliance on the sword were thus rejected because of their deadly consequences.

He enforced the lesson by freeing His own bound hands held by soldiers to touch and instantly heal the wounded ear. Though His hands were held by Roman soldiers, He released them to restore the servant and then ordered the sword returned to its place and refused to fight. His refusal was not helplessness or lack of power to resist and stay free. The same power that had prostrated the mob could have kept Him free. He could pray to and ask His Father for more than twelve legions of angels and could have stopped the arrest by calling for angelic help.

He deliberately chose not to escape by force or to call for angelic rescue. Instead He submitted to binding and allowed Himself to be taken. He accepted the suffering appointed to Him and drank the cup His Father had given Him. He did so that the Scriptures that it must be so would be fulfilled.

No Sword for Followers

Christ's kingdom is not established or defended by physical force, and unlike earthly kingdoms that use war and destruction to gain power, the church must banish carnal weapons and every instrument of coercion. War and bloodshed do not pattern after Christ, for He came not to destroy lives but to save them. His followers therefore must not join in deadly conflict but cooperate with God in His work of salvation by proclaiming the truth now and pressing to the mercy seat to claim promised power as co-workers with Christ.

Those who use violent force to gain strength will themselves perish by violence, and this applies to nations pursuing power through robbery and violence. In wars and rumors of wars, rivalries and unholy ambition drive nation to rise against nation, with selfishness and covetousness producing violence, crime and all kinds of wickedness. Nation watches nation for advantage, one concession only brings demand for another, and presumptuous, daring deeds rob others to gain power. Men who do these things face certain destruction by the very violence they employ, though they do not realize it.

The same violent wickedness existed in the old world described in Genesis, when the wickedness of men became so great that God would no longer bear with them but washed the earth of its moral pollution by the flood. Christ's followers must not answer opposition with a combative spirit or take up the sword. Acting in their own spirit instead of relying on Jesus can damage the cause, and the harm done may take months or years to undo.