Luke 9:3 and Luke 22:36 seem to form an inclusio. In chapter nine, Jesus instructs the Twelve, “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.” But in chapter 22, he tells them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.”
What is being conveyed by this? It is strange that Jesus tells them to buy swords, but that two is enough. And just a couple verses later in 22:49-51 he has them put them away their swords. Why did Jesus have them buy swords then?
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