Jesus' Sword
by Rod Jackson
All verses are quoted from the NASB anything in [square brackets] is added by me for clarity.
"Do not think that I [Jesus] came to cast peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34
Here we see that Jesus, the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6), declares that He did not come to bring peace but a sword. Is this a literal sword? Obviously not, because later Jesus rebuked Peter for cutting off Malchus' ear, with a sword.
"Jesus therefore said to Peter, 'Put the sword into the sheath;...' John 18:11a
"Then Jesus said to him [Peter], 'Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by it.'" Matthew 26:52
"But Jesus answered and said to him [Peter], 'Stop! No more of this.' And He touched his [Malchus'] ear and healed him." Luke 22:51
Since we can see that it was not a literal sword then what sword could it be? In the book of Revelation there is a symbolic description of Jesus and it says.
"And in His [Jesus'] right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the the sun shining in its full strength." Revelation 1:16
Here is a clue. Notice that the sword comes out of Jesus' mouth! (cf. Revelation 2:16, 19:15 & 21).
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
"And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17
These two verses are clear, the bible is the sword. So Jesus slew people with his words, the words of God!
"For though we [Christians] walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
So in the same way that Jesus used the sword of His mouth, so too Christians should be using the sword of their mouths against falsehood.
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