In Luke chapter 22, we find Jesus attending the Passover meal or what has been labeled "The Last Supper". During this time, Jesus is speaking to those around Him. In Luke 22:36, Jesus makes reference to buying a sword.
Read Luke 22:36 Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a sack, and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."
What did Jesus mean when he said, "Buy a sword"?
Do you suppose that He was referring to a physical sword?
We know that Jesus quite often spoke figuratively. He taught in parables and made spiritual applications of physical things. For example, in the parable of the sower, the seed is the word of God. In the parable of wheat and tares, the field is the world, the wheat are the sons of the Kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
Just a few verses further on, there is evidence that Jesus is again speaking in a figurative sense.
Read Luke 22:48-51 But Jesus said to him, "Judas are you betraying the Son of man with a kiss?" When those around him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" And one of them (Peter) struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him.
One could image that just as Peter was about to strike with the sword, Jesus yelled, "Pet......er!!" But it was too late. Jesus, by healing the servant was saying to Peter, "No! No! That is not what I meant when I said, purchase a sword."
So, what is the spiritual meaning of the sword? Let's go to Ephesians 6:17.
Read Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
The Greek word for "word of God" is "rhema of God". Rhema means "that which is spoken". Since it's the sword of the spirit, then the sword is "that which is spoken by the Spirit".
In Acts 2, while waiting in Jerusalem for the promise of receiving the power of the Holy Spirit, there came suddenly "a sound from heaven, as of a rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
The experience in Acts 2 is an example of "rhema" or that which is spoken by the Holy Spirit.
But, two swords were mentioned in Luke 22.
Read Luke 22:38
"Then they said, 'Lord, look, here are two swords.' And He said to them, 'It is enough."
What could the second sword be?
Perhaps, it is Logos.
In Greek, logos means, "a thing uttered or expressed in words".
John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Greek word used here is Logos. In John 1:14, we know that the Word that became flesh is Jesus. In John 1:4, we find that "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life....." In John 8:12, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." John 1:5 says, "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
Logos is the expression in utterance or words of life or light.
What is the difference between the two swords; the sword of the Spirit and the sword of light?
Going back to John 1, John the Baptist comes along in verses 6 through 8 and brings understanding to the light. What was different about John the Baptist that he was able to bring understanding to the light?
Turn to Luke 1:15 "He (John) will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb."
John took the sword of the Spirit (the rhema of God) and separated the light from the darkness. When light is mixed with darkness, it is difficult to comprehend what is true and what is false. The Holy Spirit of Truth will separate this the light from the darkness.
In Genesis 1:4, God saw the light, "that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
One sword was Logos, life, light, truth, knowledge of God. This sword was used to pierce the darkness of our souls. The second sword separated the truth, the true life from the darkness. It was the understanding of God.
"And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
The disciples followed Jesus because John gave them the understanding needed to convince them that Jesus was the Son of God. He was the forerunner. Jesus needed this understanding in order to make people see Him as the Son of God. Therefore, He needed to be baptized by John. John had the sword of the Spirit, therefore, he did not need to be baptized by Jesus.
Remember the narration concerning the eunuch from Ethiopia in Acts 8? When Philip approached the eunuch while he was in his chariot reading Isaiah, Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading. The eunuch responded with a "no". Philip then preached to him and with words of understanding, the eunuch believed that Jesus was the Son of God. Philip was able to provide this understanding because he was filled with the Spirit (see Acts 6:3,5).
The sword of Jesus was the Logos of God. It was shining before John the Baptist was born, it was shining at the time of the Last Supper, and continues to shine today. That is way Jesus said to purchase only one sword. The sword of the Spirit arrived with John the Baptist. Until the death of John the Baptist, John and Jesus were the only ones wielding the sword of the Spirit. After the ascension of Jesus, the sword of the Spirit departed, leaving only the sword of Logos.
Jesus told his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem. Why? In Acts 1:4,5, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit and that those who receive it shall be witnesses to Him. Just as John the Baptist bore witness of the light, the disciples were to bear witness of Jesus the light of the world. The sword of understanding, the sword of witnessing, the sword of the Spirit separates the light from the darkness so that people will know the difference between truth and error, right from wrong, .....
Invite those who have not received the power of the Holy Spirit to come forward for the laying on of hands to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
E-Mail: cottrell@praisenet.com