City Life Starter

Written by Jason Scherzer

The Word

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

¹¹ So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

¹² Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. ¹³ And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. ¹⁴ Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Exegesis

Jesus had told His disciples to bring along swords, so why this discrepancy between Peter’s actions and what Jesus actually intended Peter to do? The answer seems to lie in Peter’s current unfamiliarity with Jesus’ mind and purpose. He had told His disciples that He must die as the sacrifice for sins, but Peter did not accept this until after Jesus was raised from the dead.

Luke, like John, tells us that it was the servant’s right ear which was cut off. Matthew, like John, includes the detail that Jesus told Peter to put away his sword. This was certainly not Jesus’ intention, but it does not surprise Jesus either. John is the only gospel account which tells us that the name of this high priest’s servant was Malchus. Perhaps John includes this detail because he was the “disciple whom Jesus loved”. Seeing at that moment that Jesus was not concerned with His own comfort, but instead cared about the well being of the enemy’s servant, John seems to see Malchus as a real person, as Jesus certainly did.

Peter’s retaliation in response to the imminent arrest of Jesus was more likely to get the disciples into trouble than succeeding in defending Jesus, and this is assuming that Jesus needed any defense. Even if Peter had been successful in preventing the arrest of Jesus, the Lord would have nothing of it; He insisted that He must accept the cup that the Father had for Him, and carry unto completion the redemptive mission for which He had been sent into the world.

The detachment of troops, Roman, and the Jews arrested Jesus, bound Him, and took Him away. From the text it is evident that Jesus went willingly with them; He was not forced in any way to be led away by the Roman troops and the Jewish officers. His power was already revealed in this encounter, when the arresting group had said they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus said, “I AM,” a clear statement of divinity, the troops and Jewish officers all fell back because of the power. Some English translations will not reflect this “I AM” statement, but John the writer clearly has it in there. We can be sure that Jesus claimed to be equal with the Father on this occasion and many other occasions. Some translations will say “I AM he” but the “he” is implied. Jesus is really saying that He is the same as God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. Moses was told that “I AM” was sending him back to Egypt to free His people.

The ways in which Jesus was arrested were quite against Jewish customs and laws: He was arrested at nighttime, and without a proper accusation. Caiaphas had said that it was expedient that one man should die for the people – that one human should perish for the sake of the people. Caiaphas was named as the high priest of the Jews. He was expected by the Jews to give counsel to them, and he rendered this counsel by saying that it was necessary for one to die for the people. It seems that Caiaphas could not have known the significance of his words – deeply prophetic but likely without realizing it. This Jesus of Nazareth (John sometimes calls Him, “The Jesus”) would die not only for the Jews, but also for Gentiles and people of every ethnicity – those people that are God’s elect.

Application

Jesus willingly drank the cup of wrath of God Almighty. God rightfully had to pour out His wrath on human sin, and Jesus averted the wrath of God, satisfying the just punishment of sin, for all people who will believe upon Him in repentance and faith. Jesus took the weight of the sin of the world upon Himself and carried it far away; He was sinless and perfect in Himself, as He knew no sin, but He became sin for us.

Reflect and meditate on the Word of God. For example, “I AM.” Also, “Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” Think about the perfectly designed plan of God to send His Son to our world on a mission that could not fail: to reveal God and to make a substitutionary atonement for sin. He did it for us.

Prayer

LORD, thank you for Your plan and Your love, which is so perfect, deep, and endless. I give You glory, praise, and honor. These days in which we live are dark times, but nothing catches You by surprise or frustrates Your plans. Keep my eyes fixed on You only, today and every day in Jesus’ name. Amen.