John Calvin 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)

Put your sword again into its place. By these words, Christ confirms the precept of the Law, which forbids private individuals to use the sword. And above all, we ought to attend to the threat of punishment which is immediately added; for people did not, at their own pleasure, appoint this punishment for avenging their own blood; but God himself, by severely prohibiting murder, has declared how dearly he loves mankind. First, then, he does not choose to be defended by force and violence, because God in the Law forbade people to strike. This is a general reason; and he immediately proceeds to a special reason.

But here a question arises: Is it never lawful to use violence in repelling unjust violence? For though Peter had to deal with wicked and vile robbers, still he is condemned for having drawn his sword. If, in such a case of moderate defense, an exception was not allowed, Christ appears to tie up the hands of all.

Though we have treated this question more extensively²¹⁸ under Matthew 5:39, I will now state my opinion again in a few words. First, we must make a distinction between a civil court and the court of conscience;²¹⁹ for if anyone resists a robber,²²⁰ he will not be liable to public punishment, because the laws arm him against one who is a common enemy of mankind.

Thus, in every case when defense is made against unjust violence, the punishment which God enjoins earthly judges to carry into execution ceases. And yet it is not the mere goodness of the cause that acquits the conscience from guilt, unless there is also a pure motive.

So then, for a person to properly and lawfully defend himself, he must first lay aside excessive wrath, hatred, desire for revenge, and all uncontrolled outbursts of passion, so that nothing turbulent may mix with the defense. As this is a rare occurrence, or rather, as it scarcely ever happens, Christ properly reminds his people of the general rule, that they should entirely abstain from using the sword.

But there are fanatics who have foolishly misapplied this passage, so as to wrest the sword out of the hands of judges. They contend that it is unlawful to strike with the sword. This I acknowledge to be true, for no one is at liberty to take the sword at his own pleasure, so as to commit murder; but I deny that magistrates—who are God’s ministers, and by whom he executes his judgments—ought to be viewed as belonging to the ordinary rank.

And not only that, but by these words of Christ, this very power is expressly ascribed to them: for when he declares that murderers must be put to death, it follows that the sword is put into the hands of judges, so that they may take vengeance for unjust murders. It will sometimes happen, indeed, that people addicted to bloodshed are punished by other means; but this is the ordinary way in which the Lord determined that the fierce cruelty of wicked people should be restrained from running rampant with impunity.

Certain doctors of what is called Canon Law have dared to go to such lengths of impudence as to teach that the sword was not taken from Peter, but he was commanded to keep it sheathed until the time came for drawing it; and thus we see how grossly and shamefully those dogs have trifled with the word of God.

²¹⁸ Harmony, vol. 1, p. 298

²¹⁹ “Entre la jurisdiction externe ou civile, et le jugement spirituel, qui a son siege en la conscience;” — “between external or civil jurisdiction, and the spiritual judgment, which has its seat in the conscience.”;” — “between external or civil jurisdiction, and the spiritual judgment, which has its seat in the conscience.”

²²⁰ “Si quelqu’un use de violence pour repousser un brigand;” — “if any one use violence for repelling a robber.”;” — “if any one use violence for repelling a robber.”