In reflecting on the transition from Jesus’ command to carry swords to His healing of the servant’s ear, we recognize the tension between fulfilling prophecy and practicing the ethics of the Kingdom. We understand that while the disciples were quick to use force to protect their interests, Jesus’ firm “no more of this” sets a definitive boundary against violence and retaliation. We acknowledge that in our own lives, especially in the heated climate of social media, we are often tempted to “lop off ears” in a show of misplaced righteousness. By following the example of the one who healed His enemy even in the moment of His own arrest, we commit to the difficult path of peace, trusting that God’s purposes are never achieved through the “power of darkness” but through the transformative power of humble service and healing.

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Good morning! I hope you are staying safe and warm today. We certainly aren’t built for this kind of ice in Mississippi, and that “PTSD” from ’94 is real for a lot of folks. It’s a good day to stay in, eat those snow snacks, and keep our neighbors who lack adequate shelter close in our prayers.

Today we are looking at two passages from Luke 22 (35–38 and 47–53) that, when stitched together, show us the sharp contrast between our human instincts and the way of Jesus.

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The Sword and the Prophecy (Luke 22:35–38)

Jesus begins by reminding the disciples of when He sent them out with nothing, and they lacked for nothing. But then He gives a strange, new command:

“But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one.”

Why the Sword?

At first glance, it sounds like Jesus is calling for an armed rebellion. But He immediately gives the reason in verse 37: it is to fulfill the prophecy from Isaiah 53:12, which says, “And he was counted among the lawless.” To be arrested as a “bandit” or a revolutionary, Jesus’ group had to look the part. They needed to be “counted among the lawless” to complete the script of the suffering servant. As you noted, the “sword” here (the machaira) wasn’t a tiny pocket knife; it was a substantial blade, much like a large hunting knife. The disciples, still stuck in the mindset of an earthly kingdom, see the swords and think, “Finally, it’s time to rumble.”

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“No More of This” (Luke 22:47–53)

The scene shifts to the garden. Judas arrives with a kiss, and the disciples—sensing the moment they’ve been waiting for—ask, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” Before Jesus can even answer, an ear is on the ground.

The Healing Hand

Jesus’ response is immediate and firm: “No more of this.” He doesn’t just stop the violence; He heals the damage done by His own follower. This is a profound ethical boundary. Just as He told them earlier, “Not so among you,” He now says, “No more of this.” He refuses to allow His Kingdom to be established through the very same “power of darkness” (the swords and clubs) used by those arresting Him.

Modern-Day “Ear Lopping”

It is so easy to feel righteous when we “lop off an ear”—especially on social media. We find the “bad guys,” we sharpen our words like that machaira, and we strike. We tell ourselves we are defending the truth or standing up for Jesus.

But as the late Rich Mullins once suggested, we aren’t holy enough or wise enough to hold the power of life and death—or even the power of reputation—in our hands.

Hatred destroys. * Peace builds. The path of least resistance is to strike back. The “better way” that Dr. King spoke of—the way of non-violence and restorative love—is much harder. It requires us to drop the sword and, like Jesus, reach out to heal the very people who might be standing against us.