JESUS: And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”
So they said, “Nothing.”
Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be [e]accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” – Luke 22
“He who has a money bag’ refers to a christian armed with truths from the Word, who in his or her heart has confidence in the great mission of Christ. Jesus sent the disciples out on a mission twice to teach and evangelize the people. The first time he said to bring nothing. The verse above is the second time, when He told the disciples that they are to bring a purse and a scrip (knapsack).
The disciples where at two different stages when Jesus sent them out into the world and gave the disciples these instructions. The first time they had little knowledge of the end purpose of His mission; the second time He wanted them to be ready for the time when He would have to suffer the cross, and also be able to teach the people about His mission and purpose; He wanted them to develop confidence in the restorative power of knowing who He is.
The internal sense of ‘to have money and a Knapsack’ is to have the inner knowledge and truths to stand up to evil and the battles that the world will throw against them. Jesus was preparing them, and teaching them that everything written must be fulfilled by the Lord, especially that He was about to suffer the passion of the cross, and that He would overcome. He knew his coming death would distress and distract the minds of the people who loved Him, and the minds of the disciples. He knew it would cause them to have doubts concerning Him and His kingdom, and so bring them into temptations; and since these can be shaken off only by means of truths, the Lord says, “He that hath a purse and a scrip, let him take them.” This is the invaluable ability to understand the truth of His mission, and have confidence in them. He needed the disciples to teach and lead the people in this confidence.
The greatest truth He needed to teach them was that it is foretold that Christ would suffer and be put to death, but would then resurrect and redeem mankind! For by this they would perceive that He is God Himself! So He told them before hand all that would take place, so that when it happened they would finally take in this greatest of all truths. This is the Rock upon which He built His church. It is only by the love and belief that Jesus is God himself that His full presence is opened and received. He used this faith in His disciples, and all that perceived it, to build and multiply His church on earth.
He knew that the disciples and people must strengthen themselves lest their faith be taken away. That He said, ‘But he who hath not, let him sell his garments and buy a sword’, signifies those who have heard but not yet taken in the Word should reject their own natural way of thinking, which the world had smothered them in. These need to learn truths for themselves, by which they are able to fight against falsities and evil. Jesus empowers them and us with inner truth. A sword signifies the ability to combat from confidence in Christ’s promise against the destructive lies of evil, to reject the inertia of the world that attempts to destroy faith in Christ.
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