What does it mean to live by the sword and die by the sword?

Now the bed-rock principle for the Lord's kingdom is SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE (Matt. 18). Note well the record of the Lord's arrest in the garden in Matthew's Gospel, the Gospel of the King. Peter believed that the hour had come in which to strike a blow for the Lord, but he was rebuked for having thoughts so contrary to the spirit of his Master. Jesus said, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all who take the sword shall perish by the sword (chap. 26:52). That saying was not addressed to the world in general, nor did it refer to nations quarrelling one with another, it was addressed to the thought in the hearts of His disciples, that His kingdom was to be established by the sword. Others of the Lord's people have had the same thought since that memorable night, and have perished by the sword as the Lord said they would, Zwingle of Switzerland being an example.

Now the bed-rock principle for the Lord's kingdom is SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE (Matt. 18). Note well the record of the Lord's arrest in the garden in Matthew's Gospel, the Gospel of the King. Peter believed that the hour had come in which to strike a blow for the Lord, but he was rebuked for having thoughts so contrary to the spirit of his Master. Jesus said, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all who take the sword shall perish by the sword (chap. 26:52). That saying was not addressed to the world in general, nor did it refer to nations quarrelling one with another, it was addressed to the thought in the hearts of His disciples, that His kingdom was to be established by the sword. Others of the Lord's people have had the same thought since that memorable night, and have perished by the sword as the Lord said they would, Zwingle of Switzerland being an example.

42 What we read in verse 10 is a principle for Christians The character of the patience and of the faith of the saints is not to resist at all. This is true at all times. If any one will use the arms of the flesh, he shall be made subject to them. Whosoever draws the sword shall perish by the sword.

As the Lord is taken by the crowd, one of His disciples (John tells us it was Peter-- Jn.10:10) used his sword to cut off the ear of the high priest's servant. But this did not issue in a fight, for the Lord Jesus, in perfect control of the circumstances, gives the royal command to put up the sword, adding that by taking the sword one is exposing himself to perishing with the sword. His faithful mercy in restoring the ear is not mentioned here, for His authority is more emphasized in Matthew, rather than His grace as in Luke (ch.22:51).

Changed Circumstances. — Consequent on the Lord's death the whole company would experience a change. The world's hatred, from which hitherto they had been screened, they would then prove. When sent out on their mission of preaching during the Lord's life He had cared for them, and men, we may conclude (9:4; 10:7-8), ministered to them. They had lacked nothing, though they had taken nothing with them. Henceforth, with the world against them, they would, as it were, have to provide for themselves: "He that has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip [or, wallet]; and he that has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one" (ver. 36). Did He intend them to take His word about a sword literally? They apparently thought that, as they said, "Lord, behold, here are two swords." His reply was sufficient to correct their misapprehension. What could two swords avail against the armed force that might be sent against them? And when Peter did use the sword in defence of his Master, the Lord's reproof recorded by Matthew (26:52), and fittingly in his gospel, as it indicated a dispensational change in dealing with opponents — that reproof, we say, was to set at rest for ever the idea of propagating the kingdom of God now by such weapons. "All they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword." And in a future time this same principle will hold good (Rev. 13:10). Great then indeed would be the change. Meanwhile Scripture had to be fulfilled. He was to be numbered with transgressors, for that which concerned Him had an end. Fulfilled it all would be.

107 Did Christ suffer nothing in it? Look at Him, weary with His journey, sitting at the well, and a poor wretched vile sinner coming to meet Him, to whom He gives the water of life. There He finds meat to eat that they know not of; and He says, "the fields are white unto harvest." He was as fresh and happy in His testimony, while sitting at the well with this poor woman, as if all Jerusalem had received Him; because the fountain was within. In Him was "a well of water, springing up," etc. So with us. If we are going on with Him, we shall be "troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; cast down, but not destroyed." The testimony is in the earthen vessel, it is true, but the fountain is within; and they were to be perfectly dependent on God, and independent of everything else. They were to expect to meet enemies, wolves. "Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves." You cannot turn a lamb into a wolf to defend itself. Peter was for taking a sword to smite off the servant's right ear. but the Lord forbids him, and says, "All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." It is difficult to receive everything and do nothing, to be a lamb among wolves - like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in prospect of the fiery furnace, saying, "we are not careful, O king, to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver," etc.

Such is man — yea, the very best of men! Self-confident, when he ought to be self-distrusting — sleeping, when he ought to be watching; and, we may add, fighting, when he ought to be submitting. "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." How incongruous, how utterly out of place, was a sword in company with the meek and lowly Sufferer! "Then said Jesus to Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?" Peter was entirely out of the current of his Master's spirit. He had not a thought in common with Him in reference to His path of suffering. He would fain defend Him with carnal weapons, forgetting that His kingdom was not of this world.

204 The Lord receives it with the calmness of One who, now in the path of obedience, had perfectly bowed to His Father's will. "Friend, wherefore art thou come?" For indeed, when He warned His disciples, He might have gone away, for it was dark, but for that He had not come. He could have had twelve legions of angels; but how then should the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be? It was now, having gone through all with His Father as to His path, a settled thing, not His feeling about it, but the divine path itself. It must be: scripture, the true revealed mind of God, had pointed out that path. What a testimony to scripture and its authority! In that greatest and lonely hour, that stands out from all and has none like it, it sufficed. How then should the scripture be fulfilled that thus it must be? It was by that the Lord conquered in the wilderness, by that He was as to authority determined in this moment in which He gave up all to glorify God and atone for our sins. It is to be remarked here that there is no healing of the servant which we know was wrought; another subject is set forth by the Spirit here, the obedient and submissive victim. He was going as a lamb to the slaughter. This was His place. He ever perfectly obedient, He was learning obedience by the things that He suffered; and that path is ours: human violence and human weapons in the Christian will meet with human weapons and stronger ones in the world; submission to God's will and the cross, is the path marked out for God's glory, as the world is - a wondrous lesson but a blessed one.

"All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" we are here told (ver. 52); and it would save us much trouble if we bowed to the word of God. "Do not ye judge them that are within? But they that are without God, judgeth." The time is coming when we shall judge the world, but now that would be going beyond our province. Besides, what seems so large in the eyes of man, when the potsherds of the earth are striving together, — what is that to the important things of God's assembly?

The Lord was the unresisting One, and the one that follows Him, has His especial care. If you stand up for yourself, He will stand by: you'll not be the object of His special care then.

A human application of them has led saints in this period of grace to take the sword and go armed into battle; not seeing the Lord's meaning when He said, if a man had no sword let him sell his garment and buy one. The disciples misunderstood and foolishly boasted of having two swords. Was not the Lord's meaning plain when He said, "It is enough?" If our warfare were with flesh and blood, would two swords be enough? Nay, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Not the material sword to resist the world, but an intimation that the sword of the world would be unsheathed against them, a warning from the Lord that they would have to meet the world's fiercest enmity. Peter failed to see, and in the garden used the sword of which he boasted against the high priest's servant. The Lord then spoke plainer, "Put up thy sword," and at once healed the servant's ear. Thus He rebuked by word and deed the fleshly impulse of Peter. Alas! how many saints notwithstanding the teaching of the Lord have followed not His teaching but Peter's example. And we are all exposed to the danger, the folly of going down to Egypt for help, of trusting in an arm of flesh.