Matthäus 26:52

52 Da sprach Jesus zu ihm; Stecke dein Schwert an seinen Ort! denn wer das Schwert nimmt, der soll durchs Schwert umkommen.

Matthäus 26:52 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 26:52

Then said Jesus unto him
That is, unto Peter,

put up again thy sword into its place,
or sheath. This Christ said not only to rebuke Peter for his rashness, but to soften the minds of the multitude, who must be enraged at such an action; and which was still more effectually done by his healing the man's ear: and indeed, had it not been for these words, and this action of Christ's; and more especially had it not been owing to the powerful influence Christ had over the spirits of these men, in all probability Peter, and the rest of the apostles, had been all destroyed at once.

For all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword.
This is not to be understood of magistrates who bear not the sword in vain, are ministers of God for good, and revengers of evil works; but of private persons that use the sword, and that not in self-defence, but for private revenge; or engage in a quarrel, to which they are not called; and such generally perish, as Peter must have done, had it not been for the interposition of almighty power. Though this seems to be spoken not so much of Peter, and of the danger he exposed himself to, by taking and using the sword, and so to deter him from it, but rather of these his enemies: and as an argument to make and keep Peter easy and quiet, and exercise patience, since, in a little time, God would avenge himself of them; and that the Jews, who now made use of the sword of the Roman soldiers, would perish by the sword of the Romans, as in a few years after the whole nation did.

Matthäus 26:52 In-Context

50 Jesus aber sprach zu ihm: Mein Freund, warum bist du gekommen? Da traten sie hinzu und legten die Hände an Jesus und griffen ihn.

51 Und siehe, einer aus denen, die mit Jesus waren, reckte die Hand aus und zog sein Schwert aus und schlug des Hohenpriesters Knecht und hieb ihm ein Ohr ab.

52 Da sprach Jesus zu ihm; Stecke dein Schwert an seinen Ort! denn wer das Schwert nimmt, der soll durchs Schwert umkommen.

53 Oder meinst du, daß ich nicht könnte meinen Vater bitten, daß er mir zuschickte mehr denn zwölf Legionen Engel?

54 Wie würde aber die Schrift erfüllet? Es muß also gehen.