Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 26:52

"Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." — Matthew 26:52 (ASV)

All they that take the sword — St. Matthew’s record is here the fullest. St. Mark reports none of the words. St. Luke gives only the calming utterance, Suffer ye thus far (Luke 22:51). St. John adds to the command to put the sword into its sheath the words, The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it? (John 18:11), a manifest echo of the prayer that had been uttered before in the hour of His agony.

The words which St. Matthew gives are obviously not a general rule declaring the unlawfulness of all warfare, offensive or defensive, but are limited in their range by the occasion. Resistance at that time would have involved certain destruction. More than that, it would have been fighting not for God, but against Him, because it was against the fulfillment of His purpose.

It is, however, a natural inference from the words to see in them a warning applicable to all analogous occasions. In whatever other cause it may be lawful to use carnal weapons, it is not wise or right to draw the sword for Christ and His Truth (Compare to 2 Corinthians 10:4).