(Carolina Messenger, Vol. 8, #10, Oct. 2001) This short article does not address all the issues of this controversial question. But, it does raise a point that those who are opposed to Christians bearing arms need to address. The Greeks had two words for sword. The first was rhomphaia which referred to the great Thracian battle sword. This was a large offensive weapon. The second word was machomai which referred to a small sword or dagger. In our modern world the assault rifle would be the equivalent to the rhomphaia and the sidearm or revolver would be the equivalent to the machomai. In Luke 22:35-36 we have the record of Jesus in the upper room referring to the limited commission (Matthew 10:5-11) and asking his disciples “when I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing?” They replied “Nothing.” He then went on and “said … unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword [machomai], let him sell his garment, and buy one.” Notice when sending them to their own brethren in their own land, where they would be relatively safe, he told them to not take purse, (money bag), knapsack (clothes bag) or extra tunics, sandals, or staffs. But when he sent them to the whole world, where they would not be safe, to preach the Gospel to every creature, he told them that they would have to take purse, knapsack and a short sword which was