
Under the midnight sky, in the solitude of the olive grove, Jesus prayed, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).
Suddenly the serene silence was shattered by a blood-thirsty “mob, with swords and clubs” (Mark 14:43). Judas, the betrayer, was in the lead. With a hypocritical kiss on the cheek, he signaled, “this is the man!” Jesus must have looked into His disciple’s dark eyes as He softly whispered, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48).
Springing to His defense, “Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear” (John 18:10). Peter, the novice sword-fighter, obviously missed his target. Close only counts in horseshoes…
Sternly, Jesus spoke to His disciples. “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels? How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” (Matthew 26:52-54).
Then Jesus turned His compassionate attention to the wounded man, “and touching his ear, he healed him” (Luke 22:51).
All four Gospel-writers record the episode. Only the doctor, Luke, records the healing, and only John records his name. “The servant’s name was Malchus” (John 18:10).
Did the tender touch of Jesus heal only his ear? Did it also heal his heart? Is Malchus in Heaven today?
Someday we’ll know the rest of the story!
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).

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