14th century fresco at the Vysoki Dechani Monastery in Kosovo, Serbia

Matthew 10:34-42 includes one of the many seemingly contradictory statements from Jesus about weaponry: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Iconic depictions of Jesus with a sword are rare, but they do exist – interestingly, most of them are modern. But here is one from the 14th century. It is a fresco at the Vysoki Dechani Monastery in Kosovo, Serbia. The Greek says “This Sword is the Cutter of Sins.”

Read more about Jesus, swords, and Jesus-sword icons here. 

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