Scripture: Luke 22:50–53 – “And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, ‘Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
If you’re wondering who the “one” is in this passage, it’s Peter. We know from the account of this story in John 18 that it was he who tried to defend Jesus against the soldiers of the high priest who came to arrest Him.
You may remember that at the beginning of our 21-day journey together, we referenced this story in the devotional called “Day One: Secure in God’s Sovereignty.” In that context, we focused on when Jesus rebuked Peter. Today, we are going to focus on how what Jesus did actually spared Peter.
Discipline is one of those things that resonates differently for each of us because we were all raised by different people. For some, you experienced very strong discipline—nothing you did went unnoticed, and you were afraid of the prospect of your mom or dad bringing correction. For others, discipline was nothing to be afraid of. You pretty much knew exactly what was coming, and it was perfectly fine with you because it didn’t really interrupt the flow of your life. Somewhere in the middle are those who saw discipline as a good thing, while also being something you’d rather avoid if possible. It was just uncomfortable enough to instill a healthy fear of authority.
Did you know that discipline from God is something you should find encouraging? Hebrews 12:6 says, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
The moment you think you are outside of God’s discipline is the moment that should concern you the most. It’s great to think about the compassion of God through the lens of His gentleness—thank God for His gentleness! But do you think that everything you need Him to address in you will feel the weight of His conviction through His gentleness alone? God’s gentle touch will never be absent, but neither will the conviction He bestows. The truth is, God’s discipline is a strong indication of His love for you.
Many have often used this story to highlight the grace Jesus showed to the soldier who came to arrest Him—and it’s a great point! He decided to heal the man who came to usher Him toward death, while correcting the man who attempted to stand in between them. There are no bounds to the grace of Jesus Christ.
But have you ever wondered what could have happened if Jesus had not healed the ear of the soldier? By the way, the soldier’s name was Malchus. It’s interesting to consider how Peter’s life might have played out if things had stayed the way they were after he went after Malchus with the sword. This was considered a very serious act of violence that would have invited stiff consequences for Peter. There is little doubt he would have been imprisoned and maybe even put to death. It certainly would have ended his ministry.
The truth is, Jesus showed incredible grace to Peter as well that day. For Peter to stand trial over this act of violence, there would need to be evidence of the crime. Jesus, in one miracle of restoring the soldier’s ear, restored Peter’s future. He removed any evidence of Peter’s indiscretion. Incidentally, this is what Jesus was about to do very soon on the cross for all of humanity. In His death, He removed all evidence of what could convict and sentence you to a life in hell.
In calling out your sin, Jesus is also declaring His love for you. In handing out His discipline, He is making the magnitude of His grace known by warning you of what your current path will lead to without His intervention. God’s discipline is not just about correcting your past; it’s also about leveraging the present to change your future.
What if you were to look at the things God is saying “no” to right now not just as Him stretching you to trust Him, but also as His favor being granted? It’s the favor of His guidance that will prevent your judgment from superseding His wisdom—He is protecting your future from your past.
Peter thought he was acting in Jesus’ best interest. But Jesus showed him that He had Peter’s best interest in mind—not to mention God’s plan that was in motion for the whole world. You can imagine, at first Peter felt bad. He was trying to help and yet was disciplined. Maybe even his pride took a hit—probably so. But he would soon find out that God’s correction is always with the future in mind.
He is growing and developing you. He is discerning the things you do today that could upend what He has in mind for your future.
Embrace God’s correction that is clothed in love. Let Him protect your future from your past!
Reflection:
Can you look back on a time when God was clearly disciplining you? How did you feel about it then, compared to the way you feel about it now? Does hindsight show you the grace of God?
Ask God to show you the things He is correcting in you currently. Write them down, and then give thanks that His love is on display through discipline.
What is God asking you to do to be receptive to His correction? How is your flesh getting in the way of His discipline moving forward?
Pray and ask God to grant you the grace to be correctable. Ask Him to do whatever He has to do now, in order to protect you from whatever might come your way in the future.