For many years, whenever I heard this passage in part, it was said to be a passage concerning the pacifism of Jesus.
Luke 22:50-51
50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
It would make sense to come to this conclusion. After all, Jesus does seem to demonstrate this was not acceptable.
However, if not read in context, scripture as a whole can be very easily misunderstood and misrepresented. I believe strongly the Lord is asking His Church to be steadfast in pursuing accurate understanding of the totality of Scripture. Not in part, but the WHOLE. He is calling us to SEEK Him out in this season. To know in full and be fully known. In this SEEKING there will be a beauty, joy, peace, hope like never experienced before, because of the new depth of KNOWING and being KNOWN.
Now, back to the full message of Christ through this particular passage.
Lets look at the context. Just before this occurrence Jesus was meeting with His disciples in the upper room, sharing His final Passover meal. During the meal the disciples and Jesus have an interaction which sets the stage for Luke 22:50-51.
Luke 22:35-38
35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”
“Nothing,” they answered.
36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”
38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”
“That’s enough!” he replied.
Furthermore, in continuing to search this passage we find that Jesus then led His disciples to a place of prayer. It is in this prayer that I believe we see the full context for the interactions we witness in verses 50 and 51. Here in verses 42-44 we see Jesus, both fully man and fully God in a place of WRESTLING with SURRENDER. Jesus, in His flesh, crying out for a different story. While also, in His flesh, crying out for God's WILL to be accomplished! FULLY SURRENDERED. Surrender, as we see it played out before us in this passage is weighty, hard, painful, testing and a place of prayer.
42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[c]
After I read this passage in it's entirety I felt the Holy Spirit speak very clearly to me...
THIS is NOT a passage about the pacifism of Christ; rather, it IS a passage about the SURRENDER of a SAVIOR! We also see Jesus' foreknowledge on display here. As He knew Scripture had to be fulfilled of Him.
Many times over the last year of my life in particular I have wanted to "Take things into my own hands". I have been "Tired of living life in a place of being betrayed, lied to, wounded and hurt". I have been WRESTLING with SURRENDER. Yielded-ness is a place of two-fold work. The work of bending under weight but not being broken. A place of being open but not torn off. A place also of bringing forth a crop. The place of birthing. Something new comes forth in the yield. THIS is the place God longs for His church to be! The place of FRUITFULNESS.
When Christ reached over and said, “No more of this!” I believe we can see now more clearly His heart for US--HIS BODY--saying,
BE SURRENDERED
BE YIELDED
BE FRUITFUL
Do not try to take things into your own hands and manipulate your circumstances. Do not strike against God. Do not stand in opposition to His plans. Do not stand unyielded to whatever the call of God on your life, whether small or large, easy or difficult, whether the crowd comes at you with clubs in hand or with praise on their lips or with a false greeting of the betrayers kiss; no matter what may come, SURRENDER.
Let's pray... God, this message for Your Church is a hard pill to swallow. We long for comfort, for peace, for good. So often, this is not what we face. We face death, we face betrayal and heartache, sorrow and misunderstandings, we face difficulty and pain... but through it all Lord, whatever may come our way, may we stand or sit on the altar and not get off of the altar in unyieldedness, pride or rebellion. Rather, let us be on the altar, hands raised high in surrender, fruit bearing plentiful because of our roots deeply planted in the fullness of Your Word. Thank you for Your great mercy God. You are so powerful, able and worthy of all our heart, mind, body and soul. Please keep speaking to us through Your Word. In Jesus name, Amen!
Thanks for joining me today in leaning in to God's Word and prayer. If I can support you in prayer today please know I want to pray for your heart to be yielded, as I also pray for mine.
Blessings,
Abi
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