Spiritual warfare is not just a concept—it’s a daily reality for every believer. Unpack why Jesus instructed His disciples to carry swords, revealing deep biblical truths about preparing for spiritual warfare in a hostile world. Through Luke 22:37-38, we learn that spiritual warfare requires discernment, courage, and readiness—not physical weapons, but the armor of God. Spiritual warfare is not about attacking people but standing firm against the enemy’s schemes with the right weapons, such as prayer, God’s Word, and fellowship.

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Table of contentsThe Context for Jesus’s Words about Spiritual WarfareNew Testament Authors Don’t Ignore Old Testament ContextJesus’s Followers Must Expect To Be Treated Like HimJesus’s Listeners Often Mistook The Spiritual For The PhysicalThe Disciples Mistook Spiritual Preparation for Physical PreparationThe Disciples' Problems Caused by Misunderstanding Jesus’s Words about Spiritual WarfareThe Irony with Peter and UsJesus Wants His Disciples To Prepare For Spiritual Warfare.Two Questions We Should Ask Ourselves

The saying, “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight,” originated in the American West during the late 19th century, when people carried guns for protection, and disputes were often settled with duels. Today, the phrase has become a figure of speech to describe someone being ill-equipped or unprepared to handle a difficult challenge or task.

We could adapt the saying for the disciples: “Don’t bring a physical sword to a spiritual fight.” They misunderstood Jesus’s words. He wanted them to prepare for spiritual warfare, but they thought He wanted them to prepare for physical combat.

The Context for Jesus’s Words about Spiritual Warfare

Jesus just celebrated the Last Supper with the disciples. He’s about to leave the upper room and head to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He will pray and be arrested, and He wants them to know that after that happens, things will change for them dramatically:

Luke 22:35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”

This refers to when Jesus earlier sent out the disciples to preach the kingdom of God when Jesus was at the height of His popularity. The disciples were His royal ambassadors preaching the kingdom for the King of Kings. Everyone loved them because everyone loved Jesus. Things were going to go so well for the disciples that they didn’t need to bring a moneybag, knapsack, or sandals. They could rely on people’s generosity and hospitality. But after the cross, things were going to be very different:

Luke 22:36 He said to them, “But 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.

This is a radical shift. The kindness and generosity the disciples knew would be replaced with cold looks, opposition, and persecution. They were previously welcomed into people’s homes, but now they would be pilgrims traveling in a hostile world. The obvious question is, why such a dramatic change in the disciples’ treatment? Jesus tells us in the following verse:

Luke 22:37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”

This is a quote from Isaiah 53:12.

New Testament Authors Don’t Ignore Old Testament Context

There is a tendency to think that when an Old Testament verse is quoted in the New Testament, the context doesn’t matter. The New Testament author quoted the Old Testament verse simply because it captured what he was trying to say. The problem with this is that it would mean the New Testament author is violating one of the primary rules of Bible interpretation: consider the context. The truth is that God quotes Old Testament verses because of their context.

So, why would Jesus quote Isaiah 53:12 to the disciples at this mome...