21 'But, lo, the hand of him delivering me up 'is' with me on the table, 22 and indeed the Son of Man doth go according to what hath been determined; but wo to that man through whom he is being delivered up.' 23 And they began to reason among themselves, who then of them it may be, who is about to do this thing.
24 And there happened also a strife among them—who of them is accounted to be greater. 25 And he said to them, 'The kings of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those exercising authority upon them are called benefactors; 26 but ye 'are' not so, but he who is greater among you—let him be as the younger; and he who is leading, as he who is ministering; 27 for who is greater? he who is reclining (at meat), or he who is ministering? is it not he who is reclining (at meat)? and I—I am in your midst as he who is ministering. 28 'And ye—ye are those who have remained with me in my temptations, 29 and I appoint to you, as my Father did appoint to me, a kingdom, 30 that ye may eat and may drink at my table, in my kingdom, and may sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'
31 And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon, lo, the Adversary did ask you for himself to sift as the wheat, 32 and I besought for thee, that thy faith may not fail; and thou, when thou didst turn, strengthen thy brethren.' 33 And he said to him, 'Sir, with thee I am ready both to prison and to death to go;' 34 and he said, 'I say to thee, Peter, a cock shall not crow to-day, before thrice thou mayest disown knowing me.'
35 And he said to them, 'When I sent you without bag, and scrip, and sandals, did ye lack anything?' and they said, 'Nothing.' 36 Then said he to them, 'But, now, he who is having a bag, let him take 'it' up, and in like manner also a scrip; and he who is not having, let him sell his garment, and buy a sword, 37 for I say to you, that yet this that hath been written it behoveth to be fulfilled in me: And with lawless ones he was reckoned, for also the things concerning me have an end.' 38 And they said, 'Sir, lo, here 'are' two swords;' and he said to them, 'It is sufficient.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 22:21-38
Commentary on Luke 22:21-38
(Read Luke 22:21-38)
How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than self-confidence, with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless we watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day into those sins which we were in the morning most resolved against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall; but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ. Our Lord gave notice of a very great change of circumstances now approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a purse, let him take it, for he may need it. They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, but he spake only of the weapons of the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.