Devotional:

“47 While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” — Luke 22:47-53

Although this account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is recorded in all four Gospels, it is fascinating to read all of them just to see what details each writer chose to include. John was there that night and in chapter 18, verse 10, he tells us Peter was the disciple who drew his sword and struck the high priest’s servant’s ear. He also tells us Malchus was the servant’s name.

The other three Gospels did not mention Peter or Malchus and although all four Gospel writers gave an account of the servant’s ear being cut off, Luke is the only one who told of Jesus touching his ear and healing him. I believe Luke was especially moved by this, not only because of Jesus’s mercy and grace for even His enemies, but because Luke was a physician. We have seen a few times where Luke included physical details about Jesus’s miracles that other Gospel writers left out.

The Garden of Gethsemane is at the base of the Mount of Olives. The Valley of Kidron lies between the Mount of Olives and the Temple Mount. Jerusalem was built on a mountain, so it is essentially two mountains separated by a valley running between them. Today, there are busy streets, hundreds of Jewish tombs on the Mount of Olives and in the Kidron Valley and very few olive trees. I sat here praying just a week ago, thinking about what it must have looked like when Jesus was here; no cars, no lights, only cold, dark and quiet. And as I looked toward Jerusalem, I could see the torches…hundreds of them, coming down the Temple Mount, through the Kidron Valley, toward Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

As I thought about what I would write, my mind couldn’t get past the sovereignty of God. From beginning to end, Jesus’s life was perfectly designed and planned by God to fulfill one purpose. And it was finally time, Jesus’s hour had come.

We have gone through all the miracles and accounts of Jesus’s life and ministry and so many times, I have thought, “how has He not been arrested or killed at this point?” Not only that, but think about this; Jesus had dozens of followers with Him daily. Not just the disciples, but other women and men who devoted themselves to following Jesus every step of the way. And not one person was arrested or harmed along the way. There is no way you can deny God’s sovereignty after walking step by step through the ministry and life of Jesus and seeing over and over how God was entirely in control.

As Jesus looked up and saw the torches coming toward Him, down the Temple Mount, through the Kidron Valley and into the garden, He knew His time had come. There would be no more hiding, arguing with the religious leaders or mysteriously slipping away from the Pharisees and soldiers. This was what He came to do and after praying all night and sweating drops of blood, Jesus faced His enemies.

Judas led the band of soldiers to Jesus that evening and before he could even give him the kiss of death, Jesus called him out. He said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” Jesus then told the mob of religious leaders and soldiers that he would not resist because this was the prophecy of God being fulfilled.

He reminded them of all the times they had an opportunity to seize Him, but never took it. The only explanation was that it was never theirs to control. God’s sovereign power ruled over Jesus’s entire life and ministry. In John 18, when Jesus asked whom they were looking for and He said, “I am he,” verse six says, “they drew back and fell to the ground.” Before they could take Jesus away, Peter panicked and drew his sword, swinging it toward Jesus’s enemies. He caught the ear of the chief priest Caiaphas’s servant and Jesus said no, Peter, this is supposed to happen. Jesus said in John 18:11, “shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” Jesus then gently picked up the ear and restored it for the servant.

Malchus was there that evening, most likely because he was obeying his master’s orders. We know Caiaphas, the chief priest, was not there that night because he was at home waiting for them to bring Jesus to him. Most likely, Caiaphas put his servant Malchus in charge of walking with Judas and leading the Pharisees and soldiers to Jesus. As a servant, that would be the only reason he would be in the front of the line so close to Jesus and the disciples. He was not a soldier and he was not a religious leader.

This was Jesus’s last living miracle living on earth. He chose to reveal His power one last time in front of the very enemies that were just seconds away from grabbing Him and taking Him to His trial, brutal beating and death. Jesus didn’t turn away from the servant that night even though He was the enemy and didn’t have faith. He didn’t ask if he wanted to be healed or made whole, He just showed compassion. In the face of death, Jesus put all of His feelings aside for a moment to restore Malchus’s ear. I can’t help but believe Malchus and every Pharisee and soldier that night were affected in some powerful and undeniable way.

We know very little about Malchus and nothing is recorded about what happened to him after Jesus healed him. Did this change his heart? Did he become a believer after Jesus showed mercy on him that night? Or did he continue to live in bondage and sin, ignoring the blessing he had received from Jesus?

Malchus may have put his faith in Jesus and maybe he didn’t, but he had a choice, just like you and me. We can live under the authority of our Lord and Savior, acknowledging His blessings in our lives or we can continue to live a life of bondage to our sin and shame, ignoring His mercy and blessings.

Jesus deeply felt the betrayal by Judas that night. He knew it was coming, but he was still human and as we all know, nothing stings more than when a loved one betrays you. Jesus gets it, this was the ultimate betrayal! Remember what we talked about in yesterday’s devotional? As a disciple, Judas looked and played the part, but inside, he was fruitless and dead. He struggled with the love of money and the approval of man. Deep down, he couldn’t resist the idols of the world and his passion for those things grew until they eventually became bigger than his love for Jesus.

Pastor and theologian John MacArthur said, “The question in salvation is not whether Jesus is Lord, but whether we are submissive to His lordship.”

I genuinely believe Judas knew Jesus was Lord, but even the demons knew Jesus was Lord. Judas was not willing to submit to the lordship of Jesus. There is a difference. The world is full of people today who are just like Judas. They believe Jesus is Lord, but aren’t living as if Jesus is Lord of all.

Submitting to the lordship of Christ means giving up the worldly idols that we seek for pleasure and satisfaction. It means handing Him control of our circumstances. It means letting go of our fears and anxiety. It means following Him, whatever the cost. And sometimes we don’t get it right, like Peter that evening. His intentions were pure and he was willing to do whatever it took to protect Jesus, no matter the cost. He thought he was doing the right thing and Jesus had to step in and fix it. 

Do you relate to Malchus? Are you an unbeliever or unsure of what you believe, but for some reason, you can’t explain the blessings in your life that are unexplainable and undeniable?

Or maybe you relate to Judas? You believe Jesus is Lord, but there are too many things you are unwilling to give up to truly follow Him.

Or maybe you relate to Peter? You recklessly and unapologetically follow Jesus leaving a trail of hurting people in your wake.

Whether we relate to Malchus, Judas or Peter, there is one thing they all have in common. They needed to submit to the lordship of Jesus, leaving their own beliefs, idols and passions behind.

God, open our eyes to see You as Lord of everything in our lives. Over the next two days before Easter, please speak to us and give us two ears to hear everything You say. Amen