February 23, 2022
Peter Cut’s Malchus Ear Off
My child, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. The Kidron Valley is between the Temple Mount and the Garden of Gethsemane. Kidron translated in Hebrew is dusky or dark. It was a dark place Jesus went through to go pray often. In between the place of worship and the place of crushing is a valley. Have you ever been to a dark place? When I have gone through a dark place all I can say is, ‘Help me, Jesus!’ He is always faithful to take me through. What do you do when you are in a dark place?
Judas the betrayer, knew where He was because Jesus had gone there often with His disciples. The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a detachment of Roman soldiers (a detachment is 600 men) and Temple guards to accompany him. Why are so many men going to arrest one man? Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove. Whom are you looking for?” he asked. “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) As Jesus said, “I am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! Once more he asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” And again, they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene. “I told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” He did this to fulfill his own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.” (John 18:1-9)
As Jesus stood there and the men were all on the ground! Imagine this you’re a servant of the high priest, and he instructs you to accompany him, a detachment of soldiers, along with the chief priests, Pharisees, and a man who has turned against Jesus. Our mission was to capture Jesus. When we arrived, He was speaking and the power of His words knocked me and all the others to the ground, which gave me a sense that He was more than just a man. By the way, my name is Malchus, and I am a slave of the high priest. After I got up, suddenly Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off my right ear. (John 18:10) Then Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath, there will be none of that! Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me? Jesus picked up my ear, put it back in place, and healed me. (Luke 22:51 NLT) The soldiers, Pharisees, and chief priests, we were there to arrest and crucify Him and He knew it, but He took the time to heal my ear to keep Peter out of trouble after He was gone. Wow! This made a huge impact on me (Malchus), wondering if this man’s charges were false!
Jesus knew His time had come. And He went quietly and peacefully. What a Savior! Take five minutes today to go to a quiet place alone and meditate what that night must have been like, then thank the King of Kings for all He has done for you to be free!
