When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. (Luke 22:49-51)
The Miracle No One Saw
It was a night of betrayal when Judas agreed with the Jewish leaders to deliver Jesus to them. Judas knew where to find the Lord and brought a detachment of troops, including Roman legionaries and Levitical guards from the temple. Officers from the chief priests, along with the chief priests and Pharisees, came to arrest Jesus with lanterns, torches, and weapons. A great multitude was armed with swords and clubs. Twelve men stood in the Garden of Gethsemane awaiting the surge of people pouring out of Jerusalem. Only one man knew why they were coming.
Judas first approached Jesus to identify Him with a kiss. The soldiers laid hands on Jesus and took him. Seeing what the multitude was doing, the eleven asked Jesus if He wanted them to attack the multitude and rescue Him. At the same time, Peter drew a sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Peter was going to make good his boast to die with the Lord. The servant he struck was named Malchus. John knew the high priest’s household and knew Malchus by name. In response to Peter’s rash act, Jesus touched Malchus’s ear and healed him.
All the disciples left Jesus and fled. The detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. They led Him away to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Lost in the hurriedness of arresting Jesus and dragging Him before the Jewish courts was the miracle of healing the ear of Malchus. The gospel writers do not attempt to count the number of miracles Jesus performed during His short ministry, but they would be innumerable. Thousands of people received Jesus’ healing power. Many miracles were done in quiet places, without fanfare. Often, Jesus performed a miracle in the presence of His harshest critics and devoted enemies. In the final hours of His life, Jesus healed a man in the presence of a great crowd of Gentiles and Jews, and no one seemed to care.
Malchus, for one, should have cried out to the mob to see what Jesus did when Jesus healed him. He remained silent. What became of Malchus is unknown, but he lived the rest of his life knowing that, in an instant, Jesus healed him. The pain of having an ear cut by a sword was intense, and there would have been a lot of blood. Without hesitating, Jesus healed his ear. Those standing by would have seen the ear restored and the blood dried up. There were many torches to light up the night for everyone to see. But no one saw a great miracle. No one saw the miracle maker show His power in His final hours. They could only see a man they hated and wanted to kill. And their wish came true the next day.
Many stories describe Jesus healing in the presence of the Jewish leaders, His disciples, and the multitudes. Every miracle Jesus performed testified that He was the Son of God, but many could not see His divinity because of His humanity. A great miracle is done (what miracle isn’t great?), and some deny God’s power and walk away. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after four days, people plotted to kill Him. Why would anyone want to kill a man who raised another from the dead? Like in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the final hours of Jesus’ life, He once again performed a miracle, and they killed Him because they could not see who He was.
The world can see God’s power in the story of Jesus Christ. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the miracle of the Seed promise made in the Garden of Eden is clearly seen generations later in the miracle in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is the Son of God. He can restore the soul of man to God through His blood. Jesus came to give His life through death so that mankind can find life in their death in the waters of baptism. What is heartbreaking is what the world refuses to see. A great miracle is given for the world to see a risen Christ, and they turn to reject Him. Salvation can only come when the eyes see Jesus for who He truly came to be – Savior. Open the eyes. See Jesus and His power.
