Why the change in instructions in Luke 22?

[Richard King]

I have an anticapitalist son who loves to quote the first verse and I refuse to ignore the next one...

First Christ said:

Luke 22:35

...And he said to them, "œWhen I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?" They said, "œNothing."

Then he said this:

Luke 22:36
He said to them, "œBut now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.


why the change?

 

[alwaysreforming]

It seems like He's saying: "From here on out, Gentlemen, things are gonna get a little rough. The times as you have known it, are changing!"

Whether He meant this literally or not, I do not know. Perhaps He was teaching that persecution was going to come on a scale previously unknown.

 

[Puritanhead]

I think the Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil... not money itself... Quite a bit of what Jesus has to say, revolves around stewardship of resources, and by implication finances. If you want my rebuttal of liberation theology... it is, 'thou shall not steal.'

 

[Richard King]

That is my take. It seems he is saying...Gird up your loins boys and get ready. It is going to be tougher.
To my son I have small faith if I concern myself with preparing for a time when I might have a need.
Silly me.

 

[Puritanhead]

Originally posted by Richard King
To my son I have small faith if I concern myself with preparing for a time when I might have a need.
Silly me.

Didn't Noah show his faith by preparing for a time when he would have a need? Arks don't build themselves after all.

 

[Timothy William]

If I can speculate a litttle: Jesus sent his disciples first to the Jews, who may have been, if not more receptive to the Gospel, then at least more inclined to offer hospitality to travelling teachers / evangelists. The world at large would be less accomodating. The disciples needed to learn, of first importace, that God provides, and second that in the world one must make sensible provisions for material matters.

 

[BrianBowman]

Originally posted by Timothy William
If I can speculate a litttle: Jesus sent his disciples first to the Jews, who may have been, if not more receptive to the Gospel, then at least more inclined to offer hospitality to travelling teachers / evangelists. The world at large would be less accomodating. The disciples needed to learn, of first importace, that God provides, and second that in the world one must make sensible provisions for material matters.

What Timothy has written is one of the best practical summaries of this that I've seen.

 

[Puritanhead]

Matthew Henry's Commentary:

IV. Concerning the condition of all the disciples.

1. He appeals to them concerning what had been, v. 35. He had owned that they had been faithful servants to him, v. 28. Now he expects, at parting, that they should acknowledge that he had been a kind and careful Master to them ever since they left all to follow him: When I sent you without purse, lacked you any thing? (1.) He owns that he had sent them out in a very poor and bare condition, barefoot, and with no money in their purses, because they were not to go far, nor be out long; and he would thus teach them to depend upon the providence of God, and, under that, upon the kindness of their friends. If God thus send us out into the world, let us remember that better than we have thus begun low. (2.) Yet ye will have them own that, notwithstanding this, they had lacked nothing; they then lived as plentifully and comfortably as ever; and they readily acknowledged it: "Nothing, Lord; I have all, and abound." Note, [1.] It is good for us often to review the providences of God that have been concerning us all our days, and to observe how we have got through the straits and difficulties we have met with. [2.] Christ is a good Master, and his service a good service; for though his servants may sometimes be brought low, yet he will help them; and though he try them, yet will he not leave them. Jehovah-jireh. [3.] We must reckon ourselves well done by, and must not complain, but be thankful, if we have had the necessary supports of life, though we have had neither dainties nor superfluities, though we have lived from hand to mouth, and lived upon the kindness of our friends. The disciples lived upon contribution, and yet did not complain that their maintenance was precarious, but owned, to their Master's honour, that it was sufficient; they had wanted nothing.

2. He gives them notice of a very great change of their circumstances now approaching. For, (1.) He that was their Master was now entering upon his sufferings, which he had often foretold (v. 37): "Now that which is written must be fulfilled in me, and this among the rest, He was numbered among the transgressors-- he must suffer and die as a malefactor, and in company with some of the vilest of malefactors. This is that which is yet to be accomplished, after all the rest, and then the things concerning me, the things written concerning me, will have an end; then I shall say, It is finished." Note, It may be the comfort of suffering Christians, as it was of a suffering Christ, that their sufferings were foretold, and determined in the counsels of heaven, and will shortly determine in the joys of heaven. They were written concerning them, and they will have an end, and will end well, everlastingly well. (2.) They must therefore expect troubles, and must not think now to have such an easy and comfortable life as they had had; no, the scene will alter. They must now in some degree suffer with their Master; and, when he is gone, they must expect to suffer like him. The servant is not better than his Lord. [1.] They must not now expect that their friends would be so kind and generous to them as they had been; and therefore, He that has a purse, let him take it, for he may have occasion for it, and for all the good husbandry he can use. [2.] They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce upon them than they had been, and they would need magazines as well as stores: He that has no sword wherewith to defend himself against robbers and assassins (2 Cor. xi. 26) will find a great want of it, and will be ready to wish, some time or other, that he had sold his garment and bought one. This is intended only to show that the times would be very perilous, so that no man would think himself safe if he had not a sword by his side. But the sword of the Spirit is the sword which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves with. Christ having suffered for us, we must arm ourselves with the same mind (1 Peter iv. 1), arm ourselves with an expectation of trouble, that it may not be a surprise to us, and with a holy resignation to the will of God in it, that there may be no opposition in us to it: and then we are better prepared than if we had sold a coat to buy a sword. The disciples hereupon enquire what strength they had, and find they had among them two swords (v. 38), of which one was Peter's. The Galileans generally travelled with swords. Christ wore none himself, but he was not against his disciples' wearing them. But he intimates how little he would have them depend upon this when he saith, It is enough, which some think is spoken ironically: "Two swords among twelve men! you are bravely armed indeed when our enemies are now coming out against us in great multitudes, and every one with a sword!" Yet two swords are sufficient for those who need none, having God himself to be the shield of their help and the sword of their excellency, Deut. iii. 29.[.quote]