<P> Motyer, Stibbs and Wiseman in New Bible Commentary: Revised Third Edition (1977) states: </P> <P> 35 - 38 - Finally, Jesus spoke of the new situation . Formerly, when the Disciples had gone out, on mission, they had not lacked anything . Now they would need a purse, a bag and even a sword . The saying is heavily ironical, for Jesus knew that now He would have to face universal opposition and be put to death . But the disciples misunderstood Him and produced weapons .' That is enough', said Jesus to end a conversation which they had failed to understand . The way of Jesus, as they should have known, was not the way of the sword, but of love . </P> <P> Theologian John Gill said in his Exposition of the Entire Bible: </P> <P> These words of Christ are not to be understood literally, that he would have his disciples furnish themselves with swords at any rate, since he would never have said, as he afterwards does, that two were sufficient; which could not be enough for eleven men; or have forbid Peter the use of one, as he did in a very little time after this: but his meaning is, that wherever they came, and a door was opened for the preaching of the Gospel, they would have many adversaries, and these powerful, and would be used with great violence, and be followed with rage and persecution; so that they might seem to stand in need of swords to defend them: the phrase is expressive of the danger they would be exposed to, and of their need of protection; and therefore it was wrong in them to be disputing and quarrelling about superiority, or looking out for, and expecting temporal pomp and grandeur, when this would be their forlorn, destitute, and afflicted condition; and they would quickly see the affliction and distress begin in himself . In "seven" ancient copies of Beza's, it is read in the future tense, "he shall take, he shall sell, he shall buy". </P>

Sell everything you own and buy a sword