Peter Takes the Sword.
Matt. 26:51-5651And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. 52Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? 55In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. (Matthew 26:51‑56).
AS we have already seen, in tracing the footsteps of Jesus with His disciples, Peter had boasted that he was ready to lay down his life for Jesus. And now the time has come for Peter to show his courage, and to show whether he was really prepared for the conflict on which His blessed Master was entering. Alas! poor Peter little understood the true character of this conflict. The battle to be fought, was not one to be fought with swords of steel, but by submission to suffering and death. Jesus knew this, and was ready. In Gethsemane He had anticipated all, and had gone through it in spirit, in communion with His Father. But while Jesus was agonizing in prayer, as He lay upon the ground, Peter and the others were sleeping. And they were not prepared for what was now just before them.
So we get Peter acting rashly and in self-confidence. He did not wait for any word of direction from his Master, but at once drew his sword, and cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant. Instead of being commended by Jesus for this hasty act, he only met with rebuke. Jesus said to him, “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must he?”
The scriptures must be fulfilled. And there was no other way for this, but for Jesus to die. And He gave Himself up to do His Father’s will. But Peter did not understand this. He thought Jesus would fight, and he was going to be one of His brave soldiers. But all his bravery came suddenly to an end. His blessed, gracious Master was of another spirit than he. He said to the man whose ear Peter cut off, “Suffer ye thus far. And He touched his ear and healed him.” With Jesus all was grace. He had come as a Saviour, and He would not take judgment into His hand, until the time appointed of His Father. They might insult Him, and put Him to shame, and kill Him; but He would await His Father’s time. It was God’s purpose to save sinners through the shedding of His blood, and to this He gave Himself up. Peter was quick to draw the sword, but nearly nineteen centuries have passed, and Jesus has not drawn the sword from its scabbard yet. He still waits in grace. He waits for sinners to come to Him as a Saviour, ready to cleanse them from their sins by His own blood.
Oh! what a kind and gracious Saviour. Have you, my reader, come to Him for salvation? His blood was shed for you. And pardon and cleansing are ready for you, if you will but own that gracious Saviour. Don’t reject Him, and don’t delay to come. Come to Him now, and be saved, for when once He rises up from His Father’s throne, and draws the sword of judgment, it will be too late. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” God says, “Now:” the devil says, “Tomorrow;” but tomorrow may be too late.
ML 04/01/1906