Peter Strikes the High Priest's Servant in Gethsemaneby KalebRosendahl
22:49Luke 22:49
When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
The question was asked in Gethsemane on the night of final agony when Jesus was bearing the guilt of human sin. It belongs to the great trial of betrayal, agony in Gethsemane, and crucifixion. More precisely, it belongs to the arrest after the agony, when Judas betrayed Jesus and a band of men and soldiers came to seize Him. Jesus knew beforehand that this ordeal would come and knew which of His followers were unbelieving and weak in faith.
He therefore brought about an earlier crisis that removed those weak in character and undecided while He was still present to comfort and strengthen His chosen, in order to prepare their minds for His betrayal and death. He did this so that when He was betrayed and condemned in the judgment hall, humiliated and reviled by the multitude that had hailed Him as king, and when the cruel jeering crowd demanded His crucifixion, the faithful few would not be overwhelmed with surprise, sink beneath fear and disappointment, or be carried away by the apostasy of professed followers turning from Him in His trouble. Having already seen the fickleness of those who once followed Him, they would remember that the same turning away had happened before for less reason, had tested the inconstant favor of the world, and would not hang their faith on the opinions of others.
The question about striking with the sword came from Peter and expressed an ardent, quick, zealous temper, not a converted heart. That same zeal led him in Gethsemane to raise the sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant, yet soon afterward to deny his Lord with cursing and swearing. True conversion came only afterward, when the sad and grieving look of Jesus broke his heart to repentance and prepared him to strengthen his brethren. The lesson is that hasty passionate temper brings trouble and destroys peace, while the sanctifying influence of truth makes a patient person who restrains speech and overcomes through persevering prayer and lifelong effort.
The question was asked in Gethsemane on the night of final agony when Jesus was bearing the guilt of human sin. It belongs to the great trial of betrayal, agony in Gethsemane, and crucifixion. More precisely, it belongs to the arrest after the agony, when Judas betrayed Jesus and a band of men and soldiers came to seize Him. Jesus knew beforehand that this ordeal would come and knew which of His followers were unbelieving and weak in faith.
He therefore brought about an earlier crisis that removed those weak in character and undecided while He was still present to comfort and strengthen His chosen, in order to prepare their minds for His betrayal and death. He did this so that when He was betrayed and condemned in the judgment hall, humiliated and reviled by the multitude that had hailed Him as king, and when the cruel jeering crowd demanded His crucifixion, the faithful few would not be overwhelmed with surprise, sink beneath fear and disappointment, or be carried away by the apostasy of professed followers turning from Him in His trouble. Having already seen the fickleness of those who once followed Him, they would remember that the same turning away had happened before for less reason, had tested the inconstant favor of the world, and would not hang their faith on the opinions of others.
The question about striking with the sword came from Peter and expressed an ardent, quick, zealous temper, not a converted heart. That same zeal led him in Gethsemane to raise the sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant, yet soon afterward to deny his Lord with cursing and swearing. True conversion came only afterward, when the sad and grieving look of Jesus broke his heart to repentance and prepared him to strengthen his brethren. The lesson is that hasty passionate temper brings trouble and destroys peace, while the sanctifying influence of truth makes a patient person who restrains speech and overcomes through persevering prayer and lifelong effort.