The scripture that says, "He was counted among the lawless," must be fulfilled in Me.

 

The scripture that says, "He was counted among the lawless," must be fulfilled in Me.

 

Luke 22:36–38: "He said to them, 'But now, let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in Me: "And He was counted among the lawless." For what is written about Me is reaching its fulfillment.' They said, 'Lord, look, here are two swords.' And He said to them, 'It is enough.'"

This is a reference to Isaiah 53:12: "Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

The fall of Israel, the destruction of the Temple, and the subsequent exile in Babylon forced Israel into a period of deep reflection. Throughout the years—sustained by the pride of being God’s chosen people and the arrogance of being the custodians of the Law—they had, in fact, grieved God’s heart, immersed themselves in idolatry, and allowed their souls to become sick and devastated. They came to realize that their captivity in Babylon was the consequence of this state. They began to re-examine the Law—which they had stubbornly disobeyed—and to reflect upon their history of persistent rejection of God. The conclusion they reached, however painful, was an acknowledgment that their situation was God’s judgment upon them for their own corruption. Ever since then, there has been an earnest longing for the grace, presence, and saving hand of God—the One who bestows justice and salvation. To the people of Israel, who were harboring a profound misconception by expecting a Messiah of sheer power, the prophet Isaiah presents a Messiah of an entirely different nature: "Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

For Israel to be restored, the sins of the past had to be definitively addressed. Thus, Isaiah testifies that the Messiah sent by God is One who bears the responsibility for sin—a responsibility that had to be resolved. Although it was humanity that rightfully deserved the thorough punishment, clear judgment, and certain chastisement for sin, God placed the entire burden upon the Messiah. And the Lord, in His role as the Messiah, silently and steadfastly bore that responsibility.

This passage—the fourth of the "Servant Songs" in Isaiah—conveys a powerful message: God was preparing not another repetitive, finite, and imperfect sacrifice, but a sacrificial offering capable of severing the continuity of sin—a holy, eternal, and singular sacrifice. God has always been present within the lives of the lowly and despised; He chose to sacrifice and devote Himself for the sake of sinners who, by their own strength, could never escape the sins they had committed. Knowing all too well the cowardice and incapacity of humanity, He took upon Himself—through a single, definitive sacrifice—the cruel and devastating judgment that sin demands. It was God’s own joyful will to embrace, with an overwhelming love, anyone who would repent and turn back to Him, regardless of whether they had any merit of their own.

Why, then, would anyone seek to drive nails into the hands of Jesus—hands that healed the sick, brought the Gospel to the poor, fed the hungry, and cared for orphans and widows? Why would they place a crown of thorns upon the head of One who chose a life of poverty—so destitute He had nowhere to lay His head—all to enrich others through His sacrificial service? Why would they clothe Jesus, who was robed in humility and gentleness, in a purple cloak, only to strike Him, spit upon Him, and mock Him? Why would they seek to kill Jesus, who loved them even unto death? Jesus Himself remarked that such a reaction was not strange; He explained that being treated as a criminal was, in fact, part of the plan ordained by God the Father.

Citing Isaiah 53:12, Jesus told His disciples that this very scripture would be fulfilled in Him. Isaiah 53:12 states, “…He was numbered with the transgressors…” "Yet He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 53 is a prophecy concerning God’s chosen Servant, describing how He would take upon Himself the sins of the people and become a sacrifice. "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus Himself would endure being treated as a transgressor. He would die on the cross, rise again, ascend to heaven, and then enter into the hearts of His disciples. Consequently, the disciples themselves would have to face this same treatment. This explains why, while the disciples were well-received when Jesus sent them out on mission journeys, they would later be treated as criminals—just as Jesus was—after He was crucified on charges of blasphemy.

Jesus instructed His disciples to take along a knapsack, a money belt, and a sword; they replied, "Look, here are two swords." Jesus responded, "That is enough," recalling an earlier time when He had sent them out on a mission.

That event took place in Galilee more than a year prior and is recorded in Luke 9:1–6. Jesus called the twelve disciples together and granted them the power and authority to drive out all demons and to heal diseases. Their mission was to proclaim the kingdom of God. Empowered by Jesus, they were sent out to the various villages of Galilee to preach the gospel. At that time, Jesus gave His disciples specific instructions—the very instructions He brought back to their remembrance in the upper room. He commanded them, “Take nothing for your journey,” specifying that they should carry no staff, no bag, no food, no money, and no extra tunic. If they entered a home, those who welcomed them would provide for their needs. If they were not welcomed, the disciples were to shake the dust from their feet and leave that house. If they were welcomed, they would stay there, receiving hospitality and support. This was how people responded to Jesus and His followers back then: while some rejected Jesus and refused to receive His disciples, others welcomed the message about Jesus and opened their homes to the disciples. Jesus knew there would be those who would show hospitality and welcome both Him and His followers; that is why He had told them there was no need to pack a staff, a bag, food, money, or extra clothing.

Why did Jesus bring this to their minds? He did so to prepare them for what was to come—because the world the disciples were about to face would be different. The reactions they would encounter regarding Jesus would change; people would begin to treat the disciples just as they treated their Master—as criminals. Jesus said, “But now, let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.” By using the phrase “but now,” Jesus marked a shift in time, signaling that things were no longer as they had been in the past. Few people could afford to own multiple outer garments; for most, a single cloak was an essential necessity—serving both to protect the body and as a blanket at night. Jesus instructed them to sell even this precious, essential item, if necessary, to purchase a sword. The time had come when a sword was required. They now had to personally secure a money bag, a knapsack, and a sword, as the public’s reaction to Jesus and His disciples was set to change. "Here are two swords," they said, to which He replied, "That is enough." The reason Jesus told them to prepare a sword—along with a money bag and a knapsack—was that, while a sword could function as a weapon, it also served as a practical tool for their activities, such as preparing food.