[patriciaruth]

the disciples of Christ carried swords

Mylo has found the Scripture that pertains to this and it indicates that there were only two swords purchased and only for a special occasion to fulfill a prophesy.

Generally the disciples did not have swords.

Luke 22: 36-38 as well as your Matthew 26: 51-52 discuss this.

[Mylo]

Indeed, Christ said "he who lives by the sword shall surely die by the sword".

They had no swords until Jesus said that a man without a sword should sell his cloak to buy one. Then two were purchased in this manner. When the soldiers of the priest came Peter cut one's ear with one of the purchased swords causing Jesus to tell Peter to put it away, and that "he who lives by the sword shall surely die by the sword". Jesus would not resist arrest, but if not for the swords who knows what the priests soldiers would have done to his disciples (he feared not for himself, and would not have his disciples fail to "render unto Cesar"; i.e. 'obey the law'- therefore the swords were so that Jesus and his disciples would be 'among the lawless' as prophesied, or for self defense if the soldiers went beyond the law).

Moreover Jesus said he would speak in parables, and this is my favorite one "He without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one". Notice that he doesn't say your shoes or your bread or any other thing. My interpretation of the parable is that Jesus is saying it is better to be defenseless before the elements (without a cloak) than defenseless before your fellow men (without a sword).