Jesus stepped forward for his disciples
Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” (John 18:8–9)
After his battle in prayer, where his sweat poured out with blood. Then he led the disciples to the brook of Kidron. He knew the soldiers would come come and arrest him there. He is the second Adam in the garden not hiding like the first Adam, but telling the enemies that “I am He” whom you are searching for. He said, if you are looking for me, then let these men go free
The Son of God gives up himself to the suffering of sin and death to give freedom to the humanity. His prayer in the garden is still sounding from the corners of the earth where people are afraid and anxious with a lot of burdens. He says, “I will take up the burdens for you, let the people go free.” Jesus stepped forward for you and me — willingly. He took up the punishment for the worlds sin. Jesus said, “come to me those who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Jesus stepped forward with authority
Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18:5–6). His divine proclamation of “I am” caused his enemies to fall at his feet (Exodus 3:14; John 18:5). As they crawled upon the ground, he did not run. The King of all the earth allowed them to rise and arrest him. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world was to be sacrificed. He stepped forward with authority because he stepped forward as God.
Jesus stepped forward with forgiveness and healing
The Christian does not win in the war with evil by making the enemy suffer. He wins by suffering for the sake of the enemy. This is the new message of the cross. You don't make the enemy pay for their evil, but you pay the penalty for them and offer them peace. It is not you shed the enemy's blood, but you shed your blood for the enemy . That's what Jesus came for. He came to shed his blood for his enemy . Peter was probably aiming for the whole head, but as a fisherman he was not skilled in swordsmanship. John tells us that the man's name was Malchus. He has the distinction of being the only person who suffered injury in this mini-war. He could have been the only man among the enemies of Christ who ever experienced a miracle. Jesus made sure. His enemies did not suffer any loss. This was His last miracle before the cross.
Peter saw the setting as a power struggle, but that struggle was already over and Jesus told Peter to put up his sword. He was ready to drink the cup the Father had given Him. This was a setting where fighting was not appropriate. When the disciples grasped this they all fled, and their lives were spared. Matthew records that Jesus said to Peter that he could have called for 12 legions of angels.
In his prayer in chapter 17 Jesus asks the Father, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one . . . As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:15, 19).
We are to step forward into a world full of actors like Judas and Barabbas. There are actors like Pilate and Herods. We are sent into the world of darkness of betrayals and abandonment. As Jesus did, we are to step forward with love and mercy, showing forgiveness and kindness. We are to step forward for others who need help and comfort, for those who are in trouble. Peter says in his letter, “We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession so that we might declare the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9–11).
Bernard Clausen, the great Baptist preacher back in the 50's and60's, served in World War II on an American sub chaser. One of German subs, which they encountered was led by Captain Martin Niemoller. These two men could have killed each other, but by God's grace they did not, and they became a part of God's team to fight evil the world over. Clausen went on to become an American pastor and Niemoller went on to become a German pastor, who became famous for his opposition to Hitler.
He willingly stepped forward in love and authority to manifest his excellencies, that we might declare them in this life, and experience them perfectly in the next. The Son of God and Son of man loved them perfectly in his life, and he loved them perfectly to his death. Jesus prevented a battle of swords and illustrated His own teaching by loving His enemy and healing one of them. Augustine said, "In no way can thine enemy so hurt thee by his violence as thou dost hurt thyself if thou love him not." Peter hurt himself more than Malchus,
Marcus Aurelius said, "The best way to avenge yourself is not to become like the wrong doer." The enemies of Jesus took the sword. There were likely hundreds of swords in the multitude coming to take Him. If Peter's way was to be permitted, there would be loss of life on both sides, and all would lose, for nothing of value would have been accomplished by a battle. Jesus prevented a battle of swords and illustrated His own teaching by loving His enemy and healing one of them. Augustine said, "In no way can thine enemy so hurt thee by his violence as thou dost hurt thyself if thou love him not." Peter hurt himself more than Malchus Wallace Viets says that asking who won a war is much like asking who won the San Francisco earthquake? You survive a war, but you seldom win a war, for as Jesus said, those who take the sword will perish by the sword. War is never the best answer. It may be an answer forced on you that you cannot prevent, but it is never the best. Jesus has a better way. The goal is not to win over them, but to win them over, and to make them a part of the Christian army. The cross way is the only way to win an enemy.
Someone said, "He who strikes the first blow admits he has run out of ideas." Peter was quick to run out of ideas and strike the first blow. Peter felt violence was justified because it was self-defense. They were minding their own business. It was a normal response of self-defense. Any of us would defend ourselves if attacked, and so Peter is just told to put up his sword and not take that approach. Self-defense can be legitimate, but there are times when even that only adds to the misery of friend and foe alike.
Malchus was restored and lost nothing, but Peter lost his chance to be Christ like in loving his enemy. it is recorded in all four Gospels, If you want to know why Christians do not always do what is wise and beneficial, but often do what is folly, look to the life of You only win by making that enemy a friend, and this means you don't sacrifice the enemy, but, like Jesus, you sacrifice self for the sake of the enemy. This is the message of the cross.
John Calvin said, "..in the person of Peter, Christ condemns everything that men dare to attempt out of their own fancy....for nothing is more common than to defend, under the cloak of zeal, everything that we do, as if it were of no importance whether God approved, or not, what men suppose to be right."
Calvin says that Christians are often so eager, like Peter, to do something great for God, and they end up doing more harm that good, as did Peter. We would rather be wrong, however, than follow the way of the cross, for this goes against our grain. To surrender to an enemy. Violence toward innocent people is an injustice that is greater than submitting to injustice.
Peter cut off the ear of Malchus, but it was his own ears that were closed to the message of Jesus about compassion. Peter did finally get his ears back and later he wrote of the very lesson he had been deaf to. In I Peter 2:19-24 he wrote, " For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God but how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." —John 15:13. Melbourne, Australia, is home to the Shrine of Remembrance, a war memorial honoring those who died for their country. Built following World War I, it has since been expanded to honor those who served in subsequent conflicts. It’s a beautiful place, with reminders of courage and devotion, but the highlight of the shrine is a hall containing a carved stone that simply reads, “Greater Love Hath No Man.” Every year on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11:00 a.m., a mirror reflects the sun’s light onto the stone to spotlight the word love. It is a poignant tribute to those who gave their lives. We honor the memory of those who paid the ultimate price for freedom. Yet the words on that stone carry a far greater meaning. Jesus spoke them the night before He died on the cross for the sins of a needy world (John 15:13). His death was not for freedom from political tyranny but freedom from the penalty of sin. His death was not just to give us a better life, but to give us eternal life.
The way of the cross is not easy, but if you ever expect to win you are going to have to stop rejecting and attacking the enemy. You need to suffer for them to win in Christian warfare. The way of the sword says, "I am going to make people pay." The way of the cross says, "I am going to pay for people." May God help us to choose the way of the cross and be successful in Christian warfare.
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