51 With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
There is only one version of the Truth. Truth will stand when everything else falls by the wayside. Wisdom (Truth) is proved right by her actions. Jesus is the Truth – He is also the Way and the Life btw. He came to fulfill all righteousness – to fulfill all prophecy of the suffering Servant. Our Lord would become a prisoner to set us at liberty and those Jesus frees are free indeed. Luke records Christ’s Words quoting from Isaiah:
37 “It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.” Luke 22:37 (NIV)
Indeed, the word translated “must” in verse fifty-four of our verses for today is from the Greek word “Dei” meaning: “must, necessary by the nature of things; an unavoidable, urgent, compulsory necessity.” Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible – New Testament Lexical Aids. What God says is flawless and reliable. You can take His Word to the bank. Scripture states of Scripture:
6 And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. Psalms 12:6 (NIV)
5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Prov 30:5-6 (NIV)
Paul tells his beloved Timothy the following regarding the profitability and preciousness of the Word as it is God-breathed:
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:16-17 (NIV)
“The promises of God are just as good as ready money any day.” Billy Bray
We are told in our verses today that one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword and cut the ear off of the servant of the high priest. John tells us in his Gospel that it was zealous Pete who distinguished himself on this occasion. Perhaps intending to cut off his head, Peter slices his adversary’s ear instead. No doubt, Pete had great zeal for Christ’s honor and safety yet it was zeal apart from full knowledge and not guided by discretion. Our cause (motive) must not only be good but our call (God’s will for our lives) clear before we take up the sword or delve into any of life’s decisions for that matter. Jesus rebuked him telling him to put his sword back and we find in Luke that our Lord immediately healed the servant’s ear. How like sweet Jesus! I wonder what that servant thought about the Lord after his healing.
There is a lesson for us to be learned here. Sometimes in my excitement and zeal I run ahead attempting to do things that sound good but are perhaps not the best. How often our best gets shunned for the mere good! Waiting on the call when the cause seems correct can be difficult for the impetuous at heart. Jesus has a way of gently rebuking or stopping the action yet the time and energy remain invested in ways that are perhaps not as redeeming. And, as the days are evil, that is an important point. Learning to wait on the Master for His guidance and directives, listening for His still small voice amidst the loudness of this world before I proceed is not a waste of time rather it is a necessity. This will also save me from many slip ups and sorrows. I am reminded of King David’s Words in Psalm 27:
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalms 27:13-14 (NIV)
“The Holy Spirit has promised to lead us step by step into the fullness of truth.” Leon Suenens
“Work designed for eternity can only be done by the eternal Spirit.” A. W. Tozer
“We should always keep Christ before our eyes. The devil continually tempts us to abandon Christ and seek the Father, saying to ourselves, ‘This or that will please him’. Meanwhile we ignore Christ—the One the Father sent—so that we might listen to Him alone. We respond as the Pharisees did and reject Christ. We wonder, ‘Where is the Father?’ That is the question that world asks. This is the greatest temptation to your faith. You must devote yourself to the Word of Christ and train yourself to hold on to it so that you never lose sight Jesus.” Martin Luther, Faith Alone.