26:52 (14) Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that {y} take the sword shall perish with the sword.
(14) Our vocation must govern our zeal.
(y) They take the sword to whom the Lord has not given it, that is to say, they who use the sword and are not called to it.
26:52 They that take the sword shall perish with the sword. A general law. The violent usually die violent deaths.
26:52 All they that take the sword - Without God's giving it them: without sufficient authority.
26:47-56 No enemies are so much to be abhorred as those professed disciples that betray Christ with a kiss. God has no need of our services, much less of our sins, to bring about his purposes. Though Christ was crucified through weakness, it was voluntary weakness; he submitted to death. If he had not been willing to suffer, they could not conquer him. It was a great sin for those who had left all to follow Jesus; now to leave him for they knew not what. What folly, for fear of death to flee from Him, whom they knew and acknowledged to be the Fountain of life!
