ردع الاعتراضات الجاهلة علي (وَمَنْ لَيْسَ لَهُ فَلْيَبِعْ ثَوْبَهُ وَيَشْتَرِ سَيْفًا.)

[Mary Naeem]

8- Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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But now] This was an intimation of their totally changed relation to the world. There was no spontaneous hospitality, no peaceful acceptance, no honoured security, to be looked for now.he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one] Rather, lie that hath not (either purse or scrip to buy a sword with), let him, &c. Of course the expression was not meant to be taken with unintelligent literalness. It was in accordance with that kind ****phorical method of expression which our blessed Lord adopted that His words might never be forgotten. It was to warn them of days of hatred and opposition in which self-defence might become a daily necessity, though not aggression. To infer that the latter is implied has been one of the fatal errors which arise from attributing infallibility to wrong inferences from a superstitious letter-worship.

37. he was reckoned among the transgressors] A quotation from Isaiah 53:12. Hence clearly the sword could not be for His defence, as they carelessly assumed.
for] Rather, for indeed.
have an end] The end (telos) was drawing near; it would come on the following day (Tetelestai, John 19:30).
38. here are two swords] It was a last instance of the stolid literalism by which they had so often vexed our Lord (Matthew 16:6-12). As though He could have been thinking of two miserable swords, such as poor Galilaean pilgrims took to defend themselves from wild beasts or robbers; and as though two would be of any use against a world in arms ! It is strange that St Chrysostom should suppose ‘knives’ to be intended. This was the verse quoted by Boniface VIII., in his famous Bull Unam sanctam, to prove his possession of both secular and spiritual power! .And he said unto them, It is enough] Not of course meaning that two swords were enough, but sadly declining to enter into the matter any further, and leaving them to meditate on His words. The formula was one sometimes used to waive a subject; comp. 1Ma 2:33. See p. 384. “It is a sigh of the God-man over all violent measures meant to further His cause.”