Matthew 26:52

Put up again thy sword. These words of Jesus make it amply clear that His earlier statement (see Luke 22:36, 38) was not to be construed as approval of the use of force in furthering the interests of His kingdom. During the course of His trial Jesus said, “If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight” (John 18:36). It is only when Christians mistakenly come to believe that Christ’s kingdom is of this world that they resort to force in defending what they take to be its interests. Peter’s rash act could easily have been construed by the Jewish leaders as evidence that Jesus and His disciples were a band of dangerous revolutionaries, and this charge might have been pressed against Him as valid proof that His death was in the public interest. But as far as the record goes nothing was said about this unfortunate incident. Except for the instant healing of the ear, it might have been otherwise.

They that take the sword. Those who resort to force may, sooner or later, find themselves at the mercy of cruel and heartless men. Furthermore, since Heaven does not approve of resort to force, those who profess to be God’s servants cannot expect divine protection and assistance when they violate Heaven’s principles. The power of the gospel is the power of love. Victories won by force or by other devious methods are at best temporary, and in the end result in greater loss than the immediate gains can possibly counter-balance. For the experience of an apostate religious organization that has resorted to the use of the sword see on Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:10.