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47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.” ~ Luke 22:47-53
It is early Friday morning and the Lord Jesus was about to be betrayed with a kiss by one of His disciples. This event was so fascinating, and so dramatic, it appears in all four Gospels.
In v.47 we read, "While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him."
It was customary in that day for disciples to greet their teachers with a respectful embrace and kiss on the cheek. This kind of embrace was a sign of close intimacy and warm affection between a Rabbi and his student. Judas really overstepped the protocol that morning. It was appropriate in their culture for the Rabbi to initiate this embrace, but Judas had an agenda. He used the embrace and the kiss to identify the Lord Jesus for the arresting guard.
In v.48 the Lord Jesus asked, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” This question revealed the omniscience of the Lord Jesus for He asked the question before Judas had embraced Him. There is nothing in our lives that is beyond His awareness. In fact, He is more aware of all that goes on in our lives on a day to day basis more so than we.
In v.49 we read, "When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?" Earlier, the Lord Jesus had said, “From now on, if you have a sword, you better carry it.”
In v.50-51 we read, "50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him."
Malchus was the servant to the High Priest. He was what they called the “ears” of the High Priest. Whenever anything happened in Jerusalem, Malchus was right there to report the happenings to the High Priest.
According to John, Peter cut off the right ear of Malchus. In the scriptures, right is always the sign of power and authority, therefore Peter cut off Malchus' ear and his power and authority. At that point, the Lord Jesus reached down, picked up Malchus's ear and put it back on Malchus' head. Miraculous! And, I have always wondered, "Why have we no more information about Malchus in the scriptures?" This just goes to show, signs do not always change hardened hearts.
Since Malchus' job was to go back to the High priest to report what he had seen and heard during the day, the fact that the Lord Jesus put his ear and authority and power back in its place, Malchus could go back and tell The High Priest. He probably said something like, "This Jesus of Nazareth, whom we are trying to kill, He put my ear BACK ON my head!"
The Lord Jesus' response in v.51 was to say, "My kingdom is not advanced militarily, it is advanced by my grace." The Lord Jesus gracious treatment of all who were there in the garden underscores this principle of His kingdom. We do not advance the cause of God with a sword, we advance it by His grace.
In v.52-53 we read, "52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns."
It was in that hour that the power of darkness was given ultimate power. These events had to be as they were so that all righteousness could be sustained. Aren't you glad the Lord Jesus was aware of the details, all of the details? Otherwise, His righteousness would be insufficient.
Think of it. There was the fulfillment of Psalm 41:9 which reads, "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me." And then, there was the fulfillment of Zechariah 13:7 which reads, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My fellow,” saith the Lord of hosts. “Smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones."
God truly is in control of every detail of our lives. Whatever happens in our lives come through His will and we can trust that even the bad has a good ending. To the degree that we trust Him will be the degree to which that we see His mighty hand at work in this world and in our lives.
