Betrayal night had dropped a heavy mantle of darkness on the hills of Jerusalem, and Jesus, aware that this was his hour to glorify his Father, had been in prayer agony across brook Kidron in Gethsemane. Judas was in the temple area, fitting price to purpose. Suddenly the night air -- electrified by heavy footsteps and harsh voices; clattering swords and rattling sticks -- was a cacophony of mob sounds. The yellowish glow of the torches revealed black grimy bearded faces bent on violence. It must have been a little incongrous to see them stop silent while one of their number planted a kiss on the cheek of the passive face of omnipotence.
As the mob seized Lord Jesus, Peter's heart, like others, did a turnover...this couldn't happen. This must not happen. "Lord, shall we smite with the sword?" But, before Christ could answer, Peter had already taken affairs in hand. Whack...! Off flew Malchus' right ear! The high priest's servant. Peter missed cleaving Malchus' head right down the middle by about three inches. Peter meant business.
A Christian fighting religous battles with a sword...Peter? "Put up thy sword in thy sheath; for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matt. 26:52).
Jesus placed the ear back on the head just like a child mends her doll, while and uncomprehending but startled group of people looked on. What a manifestation of Glory!
As the company crossed the Kidron and went back over into Jerusalem that night, three people especially had things to ponder in their hearts...Peter, Malchus and Judas.
Judas just could not stand the remorse and he went out and hanged himself. The man he had death-kissed had put an ear back on...tenderly. Judas flunked the test of repentance and obedience.
Peter, having bumbled so badly, would ponder those words about fighting with swords and profit from having had his carnal nature so greviousy exposed to public eye. I, too, know what it is to have inner-most being stripped naked before public eye. I know a little of how he must have felt. Wonder what Peter did with that sword? Don't you know that sword was as big, heavy and cumbersome as a throbbing thumb? But still, Peter missed the lesson. He was not yet perfected. One more failure loomed large and close before him. He would deny his Lord.
But the man who must have had the most profound revelation was Malchus. In the name of religion, Malchus acting on orders of the high priest, had come out to help take Jesus prisoner. But instead of taking a prisoner, Malchus suffered the indignity of having an ear cut off. One flash of the fisherman's sword and Malchus could understand the full meaning of seeing his ear in the dust...but I wonder if he really understood what it was to have that ear stuck back on again, stitched by kind words and healed with tenderness. He had had an incounter with God and this would awaken to gratitude any but the insensate.
If Malchus became a Christian, did he quibble about a virgin birth? Or theorize about the "God is dead" kick? Or question how many of Jesus' commands demanded obedience? I rather think that he would have said, "Speak Lord, thy servant heareth."
+++Baxter Loe
No comments:
Post a Comment