Matthew 26:52

52 Then sayde Iesus vnto him: put vp thy swearde into his sheathe. For all that ley hond on ye swearde shall perisshe with ye swearde.

Matthew 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.

Matthew 26:52 In-Context

50 And Iesus sayde vnto him: frende wherfore arte thou come? Then came they and layed hondes on Iesus and toke him.

51 And beholde one of them which were with Iesus stretched oute his honde and drue his swearde and stroke a servaunt of the hye preste and smote of his eare.

52 Then sayde Iesus vnto him: put vp thy swearde into his sheathe. For all that ley hond on ye swearde shall perisshe with ye swearde.

53 Ether thinkest thou that I cannot now praye to my father and he shall geve me moo then .xii. legions of angelles?

54 But how then shuld the scriptures be fulfylled: for so must it be.