Purse and Scrip

When the Savior sent his apostles out to teach the gospel, He gave them this charge, “Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes” (Luke 10:3-4).  In Matthew’s account we have this instruction: “Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat” (Matt. 10:9-10).  In this dispensation the Savior gave similar counsel to Joseph and Oliver, “And thou shalt take no purse nor scrip, neither staves, neither two coats, for the church shall give unto thee in the very hour what thou needest for food and for raiment, and for shoes and for money, and for scrip” (D&C 24:18).  My understanding of the counsel is that the Lord was telling His servants and missionaries that when they are on His errand, He will take care of them. They need not overly worry about the things of the world but should trust that He will provide for them as needed.  At the end of His ministry He questioned His apostles, “And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing” (Luke 22:35).  He had provided for them as they were on His errand. 

               What is interesting, though, is that in Luke’s account the Savior changed the instruction right before His death.  Right after the above question, He said to them, “But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.  For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end” (Luke 22:36-37).  What exactly did He mean by this?  The disciples clearly didn’t understand, for they took Him literally by offering up two swords, and then perhaps in response to this counsel Peter only a few hours later used a sword in their defense when he “smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear” (Luke 22:50).  But this was clearly not what the Savior wanted for He immediately healed the man’s ear and said to Peter, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matt. 26:52).  Perhaps Peter thought, but wait Master, didn’t you just tell us to get our swords?  It appears that, as was often the case, the Savior was speaking symbolically and the apostles missed the point.  Elder Talmage in Jesus the Christ interpreted the instruction this way: “The apostles had to be prepared to meet a new order of things, new conditions and new exigencies; persecution awaited them, and they were soon to be bereft of the Master’s sustaining presence….  The Lord was soon to be numbered among the transgressors, as had been foreseen; and His disciples would be regarded as the devotees of an executed criminal. In the mention of purse, scrip, shoes, and sword, some of the brethren caught at the literal meaning, and said, ‘Lord, behold, here are two swords.’  Jesus answered with curt finality, ‘It is enough,’ or as we might say, ‘Enough of this.’ He had not intimated any immediate need of weapons, and most assuredly not for His own defense.  Again they had failed to fathom His meaning; but experience would later teach them.”  It seems that the Savior was telling them that they were going to need to be more prepared in the future; their roles were changing from followers to leaders, and they had to do more to plan for the future than simply have faith that everything would work out.  Of course the Lord would still be guiding and helping them, but it would take an increased spiritual maturity and preparation to be able to survive the dangerous world they were headed into after Christ’s death and resurrection.  Perhaps the lesson for us is that there are times when we can simply just trust the Lord to take care of us as we try to serve Him, and other times when we must carefully plan and prepare according to the Spirit for the challenges that may come our way.