This incident in Luke 22 happened when the Lord was with His disciples in the upper room.  Having instituted the Lord’s Supper, the Lord spoke to Peter of how he would soon deny the Lord. 

Now let’s read Luke 22:35-38, “And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he 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. 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 have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.”  We read how the Lord had earlier sent His disciples out without provision in Mark 6:7-8, “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse.”  They took just the bare essentials and admitted to the Lord that they had lacked nothing. 

Things were about to change.  The Lord was about to leave His disciples by going to the cross to die.  Afterwards, He would be raised from the dead and would then ascend into Heaven.  Going out in service to the Lord, without His physical presence would bring new challenges and dangers.  They would be exposed to danger, poverty, hunger, etc.  So, now the disciples were instructed to take a purse and a scrip (a leather bag to carry food).  It was important for them to have a sword.  So much so that they should sell their clothes to buy one if need be.  Why would the Lord want His disciples to have swords?  Would He want them to use swords to defend themselves against evildoers?  That doesn’t seem right in view of the Lord’s words in Matthew 5:39, “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”  I think the swords were probably for protection against wild animals they might encounter in their travels. 

At that point, the disciples produced two swords and showed them to the Lord to show Him they were prepared to use them, possibly to defend the Lord and themselves against evil men.  When the Lord said, “It is enough”, He was most likely telling His disciples that they had spent enough time talking about the swords.  The warning had been given, and provision for upcoming dangers had been stated.  It seems His meaning had not been apprehended thoroughly.  The Lord wanted to move on from that subject.  It was then that the Lord walked to the mount of Olives and to the Garden of Gethsemane.

I encourage you now to read John 18:1-12.  Here, the Lord was leaving the Garden of Gethsemane and was approached by Judas and a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees.  We read in verses 10-11, “Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”  In his ignorant zeal, Peter tried to protect the Lord from His captors.  The Lord reminded Peter that there was a cup of sorrow and suffering that He must experience.  He must go to the cross.  He instructed Peter to put away his sword and then He healed the guard’s ear. (Luke 22:50-51). 

How gracious is our Lord to heal the ear of one of the very guards that would take Him to be crucified!  He would not allow Peter’s sword to stop Him in completing His purpose.  Philippians 2:8 says of the Lord Jesus, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”  (CC)  (571.4)