“With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.” (Matthew 26:51)
“The one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.” (Mark 14:47)
“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.)” (John 18:10)
“When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.” (Luke 22:49-51)
For many years now, as a part of my daily ‘Quiet Time’ routine, I have read a chapter of my Bible each morning. It takes a matter of seconds or minutes each day. I read in order and systematically and on an ever-repeating cycle. It means that roughly every 40 months I have read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Alongside that of course is the routine of deeper study for teaching and preaching that every minister must do. But it is often the simple daily reading that provides the apt and timely words of comfort, challenge, wisdom and insight. It is the daily reading that informs and inspires the midweek Bible studies and the Sunday preaching. It helps me make connections from book to book and from Old Testament to New. I read something and before I know it, I have spent an hour exploring and gaining insight.
In the nature of this systematic reading, there are sometimes seemingly incongruous moments or apparent mismatches too. So, as Advent began, I was reading through the account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and the build-up to His arrest and trial. On the first Sunday of Advent my attention and imagination were not gripped by Magi following a star but by Peter’s wild sword strike that took off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant. A dramatic moment, though apparently an incidental detail, yet every one of the gospel writers mentions it. So, what is its significance? Why highlight this?
Back in Leviticus 21:16-23 the Lord had instructed Moses to tell Aaron that no descendant of his with any defect could come near the offerings made to God nor go near the curtain or the altar in the sanctuary. Malchus, as a servant of the cohen hagadol, the high priest, would almost certainly have been of Aaronic descent. The loss of his ear would have brought shame and exclusion from service in the Temple of the Lord. He would have lost his occupation and purpose and have been marked for life as shamed and excluded. So, for me the truly significant part of this episode is the detail only picked up by Luke: that Jesus “touched the man’s ear and healed him.”
And suddenly my reading no longer seemed disconnected from the Advent season but absolutely pertinent to it. In the midst of chaos, darkness and violence, Jesus ended one man’s shame and disgrace. He removed the barrier to Malchus’ access to the house of the Lord. He restored Malchus to the Lord’s service. He restored meaning and purpose to Malchus’ life. Isn’t this, after all, exactly what Advent is all about: The coming of the One Who heals, Who restores, Who brings us into God’s presence, Who gives life its meaning and purpose? In the midst of chaos and turmoil may we each meet this glorious Jesus.