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In The Worst Possible Way

              Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

             Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

             Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.  Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.    (John 18:10-14)

 

            This is one of those times when I am embarrassed to say that I can relate to Peter. Oh, I doubt I would have had the courage to draw one of two swords available to the whole of his side in front of a group of Roman soldiers. That takes a special kind of stupidity – or courage – with which I haven’t been blessed. It tells me that Peter was willing to die for Jesus. I’d like to say that I would stand so tall if given that choice, but as grand and noble a gesture as it might have been, I probably couldn’t have done it. If I had, however, I’m sure that, like Peter, I would aim to do something deadly and end up embarrassing myself and everyone else with my complete failure. I’ve often told people that if I have a gun, and it’s not aimed at your left hip, you’re probably safe.

            One of the things that this passage should make clear, especially so close to the passage shared yesterday, is that Jesus doesn’t consider Himself bound by our ideas and expectations. He didn’t follow the Romans’ script, or the Jewish power structure, and He didn’t follow the script that Peter and the disciple had written. And I’m far too like all of those – absolutely sure I know how it’s supposed to work. But like the disciples, I suspect that my script would accomplish all the right things in the worst possible way.

 

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