Betrayed With A Kiss

And an on-looker's ear.

Luke 22:47-53 | Gospels during Lent: Matthew 10-12

Consider the whole scene from the perspective of the high priest servant. A sword comes flying at your head, you feel searing pain, grab your ear only to discover it’s not there and you’re bleeding profusely. Can you even hear at this point?

The man you came to see arrested reaches up to touch your ear - What is he doing?! - and all of a sudden you can hear again and you’re no longer bleeding.

What even matters from that point on?

Would you go to your master, the high priest (Caiaphus), and tell him what happened? Would he believe you? You know he has it in for this guy. You’ve seen his jealousy, his anger, and now his murderous intentions for him, the one who just healed your ear.

Whatever happened to Malchus?

Luke 22:47-53

While Jesus was still speaking, a crowd appeared, and the one called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him.

Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Human One with a kiss?”

When those around him recognized what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should we fight with our swords?” One of them struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear.

Jesus responded, “Stop! No more of this!” He touched the slave’s ear and healed him.

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders who had come to get him, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me, as though I were a thief? Day after day I was with you in the temple, but you didn’t arrest me. But this is your time, when darkness rules.”

Prayer

God,

It continues to seem unlikely that you want us to fight with violence in any situation in light of Jesus’ healing of Malchus. What compassion and grace! How can we measure up?

But I want to. Not really to measure up to Jesus because it’s not a competition, but I do want to have such compassion and grace. Not that I want to find myself in situations where people’s ears are getting cut off, but I’m willing to be of such compassion if you’ll grant me the grace to do so.

Honestly, the world too often feels like something between a big fake plastic mirage and a bomb waiting to go off, so use me in real situations with real people who need real help.

Make me like Christ,
By your spirit & in his name,
Amen.