Monthly Archives: NOVEMBER 2023

Luke 22:47-51

(47) And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. (48) But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? (49) When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? (50) And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. (51) And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. (52) Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? (53) When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

 I find this miracle Jesus performs very interesting. To set this up, we know Jesus had already told His disciples what was fixing to go down. Jesus explained to them at "the last supper” what was fixing to come about to Him. He had told them one of them would betray Him and one would deny Him. This event happens Just after Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is talking to some of His disciples that had fallen asleep when Jesus had told them to pray with Him when a multitude with Judas arrives and Judas kisses Jesus. One of the disciples must have known they were come to arrest Jesus and asks if we should smite them with a sword, and before Jesus could answer one of them smote the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. The Bible goes on to tell us that Jesus touched his ear and healed it.

In John 18:10 the Bible tells us it was Peter who drew his sword and struck the servant, and it also tells us the servant’s name was Malchus.

"10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.”

Matthew 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Mark 14:47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

 All four Gospels account for the story of the event but only Luke accounts for the healing. So much we can expand on about this story, but our goal is to look at the miracle. In Luke it says that after Peter cut off the servant’s ear, Jesus us told the servant suffer no more, and touched his ear and healed it. I have heard some stories that Jesus picked the ear up and put back on, but the Bible just says He touched His ear and healed. I will say He probably stopped the bleeding. I will not get into the semantics of things not told.

 Here we see Jesus fixing a situation caused by someone else. Even when the mistake was made, Jesus was quick to rectify it. As I pondered this this week, it made me wonder about all the mistakes I have made but end the end it seems to work out. Jesus knows we will make mistakes, bad decisions, emotional decisions. He is still there on our behalf to help. Jesus is there also to help those that we have wronged by our mistake.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 It is a given we will make mistakes which is sin, Peter’s rash decision to protect Jesus in my opinion was his fear of what was to come, if they were going to arrest Jesus, would he also be arrested. We know this is possible by the events that come later with Jesus deny Jesus 3 times. Our fear of what we might think will happen often times causes us to react in a manner we should not. We could say Peter had good intensions, but good intensions often time go on what "we” think and not what God thinks. Jesus in Mark 10:18 says none of us are good but God. We must keep our minds focused on God’s will and let the outcome be according to Him and out our own.

Psalm 14:3-4  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?

 Jesus had already told them what was going to happen yet Peter with his "good intensions” wanted to change what Jesus had said. I think we can all find ourselves in that boat. But, Jesus in all His grace fixes what Peter has done. Jesus had no desire for any harm to come to those who were to arrest Him, for this is what God’s will was.

 Though we must strive to live our lives according to God’s Word, we have the faith and knowledge that Jesus is there to help in the events we stumble. In this event Jesus heals those that we sin against.

Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: And he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: For the LORD upholdeth him with his hand