Peter's Sword

By Pat Russell

John 18:10-11  Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear.  The slave’s name was Malchus.  Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath.  Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Matthew 26:51-54  Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear.  Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen this way?”

Luke 22:51  But Jesus said, “No more of this!”  And he touched his ear and healed him.

This morning I spent time listening to a meditation on this story of Jesus in the Garden when Peter took out his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave.  This happened just after Judas ushered in a crowd of soldiers to take Jesus away. This was definitely a “one-two punch” for Jesus. 

Jesus’ response was amazing.  As he put the soldier’s ear back on, he told Peter that this was not his way. I imagine that he must have held Malchus’ head in his hands as he did this.  His “enemy” had a name and was a lowly slave.  Jesus said something that really spoke to me: “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.”  And then, Jesus let the soldiers bind him and take him away. He did not fight violence with violence, but he walked into violence with a peace and centeredness that was like none the world had seen.  

During this Lenten season, I have carried a burden for the people of Ukraine and the surrounding nations.  I know that you have also.  My prayers have been for God to intervene and stop the Russian army from this horrible work.  I want God to rise up and make himself known.  I want him to pull out his sword and cut off the “ear” of Russia!  

And so, this was my prayer earlier this week: “I confess to You that I am doubting Your work these days in this horrible, destructive war!  Why have You not stopped the Russian army from this undeserved destruction of Ukraine?  It’s the same as Afghanistan.  I don’t understand how You do things in this world.  We have all these psalms and stories about Your care and protection, and yet there seems to be no end to the evil work in this world.  What do I do with this contradiction?  I am disappointed in You.  I’m disappointed in me for my lack of confident faith.”

I am like Judas, I want Jesus to act NOW to establish his kingdom; I am like Peter, too, in that I want Jesus to FIGHT for his kingdom!  I have an agenda and I want God to follow it! But today, today I saw something very deep and true about the Kingdom of God.  Just as Jesus walked into his arrest, into his torture, into his crucifixion with a calm and purposeful heart, willing to sacrifice himself, He is walking into this war. The Kingdom of God is present in this war.

He is walking into this war through individuals and groups who give their lives for others, who rescue the perishing, feed the poor, care for the dying, give up housing for refugees, listen to broken hearts, set people on a path to safety, shelter others in the buildings, hospitals, busses and on the roads.  Instead of running away from the danger, these people are walking into the violence.  We are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world and anything anyone does for the least of these, they do it for Jesus. As He walked towards the cross not away from it; so must I.

Does that mean that I don’t want this war to end?  Not on your life. I will continue to pray for its end.  I will support in prayer and in any way I can those who walk into the violence.  But closer to home, what this also means in my small part of this world, is that I will endeavor to keep my “sword” sheathed when my agenda is not being followed.  I will endeavor to walk forward in my life with a calm, purposeful heart of love remembering Jesus.  The Kingdom of God is alive and well in the here and now.

Jesus, I lift up to You those who are walking into the violence of this world knowing that life is more than winning the battle.  It is sacrifice for another, as You so powerfully showed me in the Garden. I would cut my enemy’s ear off with my words or my attitude or my judgement.  You healed your enemy.  You moved forward into the darkness with calm certainty as to who You are and what You were called to do and be for me.  May I become more and more like You.  Help me to put away my “sword” of what I want to happen and follow You to the cross of my own life. May I live as a citizen of Your Kingdom today.  Amen