Gems in the Gospel of John - Part 76

Gems in the Gospel of John

Part 76 - John 18:11
Peace

Nearly 300 years ago there was a considerable war in the Caribbean between Britain and Spain. Yes, the loss of an ear caused a war and many deaths! Historians know it as the ‘war of Jenkin’s ear’. Certainly that particular war did have quite a background. The Jenkins involved may well have been a smuggler and the Spanish ship that challenged them was a customs vessel, and it was several years before the incident was worked up to be a cause for war.

There was no such time lag involved in this incident. An armed posse of various people, full of excitement and of doubtful discipline, was chasing a much smaller group in the middle of the night. When they caught up with them they will have surrounded them. Swords were drawn, one rather foolishly by the ever impetuous Peter. There was a cry of wrath and pain from one guy, Malchus.

What happened next? One would expect that there would have been a general set to; several people hurt or killed, mainly from the smaller party. But it didn’t happen. We know what Jesus said in rebuke to Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me”. We know that he healed the ear - Luke tells us that - but we do not know what he, or anybody else, said to restrain the larger party. But there was no general scrap, no casualties, no unfortunate effects of that one blow. Why?

Because in the midst of the group, at the very centre of all that was happening was the Prince of Peace himself. And so, against all the odds and what might have been expected peace prevailed, even in the dark and all the confusion that might have been expected with hot-heads on both sides, .

This is our Lord. this is the one we seek to follow and serve. Let us too live in peace with all men and women so far as within us lies, and even further than all expectations might suggest we will and should.

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