Episode 271 "Sarai get a new name and a crazy promise" - Genesis. 17:15-27

​​​​Gen. 17:15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”

Gen. 17:22 When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 And all the men of his house, those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

This part begins with God changing another name. He had just changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and now he has changed Sarai’s name to Sarah. The difference is that the author explains the meaning of Abram and Abraham but does not explain the difference between Sarai and Sarah. Sarai means “Princess.” It’s possible that there is no significant difference in the meaning of the name change. Rather, the LORD changes it to signify her part in the covenant as the one who would bear the promised seed. It would be Sarah’s son who would inherit the covenant given to Abraham and not the son Ishmael born to Hagar. The LORD’s message to Abraham regarding Sarah echoes the promise the LORD had made to Abraham. It emphasizes that Sarah is the one through whom kings and nations would come and, more importantly, the descendants who would inherit the Abrahamic Covenant.

Verse 17 gives us Abraham’s response. He fell on his face and laughed. What a natural and appropriate response to being told that you would be able to beget a child at 100 years old and your wife would bear that child at ninety years of age. His thoughts, best summarized as “Is this really possible?” might make us wonder if he’s doubting the LORD. The LORD does not challenge him. So, I believe this is just a reasonable pondering in his mind of “How could this be?” Then, Abraham responds to God, suggesting that Ishmael fits the bill just fine with him.

It’s at this point that the LORD corrects him and tells him that he will have a son by Sarah, and they will name him Isaac. The meaning of this name is not given directly in the text. However, a word study reveals that this name may be associated with laughter. Since Abraham laughs at the thought of this child in their old age, and Sarah later laughs when she hears that she will have a son in her old age, the name may serve as a reminder of their response to the LORD’s providence in bringing about this miracle in their old age.

In verse 20, the LORD reveals that he will also bless Ishmael and bring nations through him. But Isaac is the son of the promise and will inherit the covenant God made with Abraham. We must see God’s mercy toward Hagar and Ishmael in these Scriptures.

Verses 22-27 can be summarized in one word, “Obedience.” Despite the illogical possibility of Abraham and Sarah having children at such an old age, Abraham responds to the LORD’s revelation by obeying the LORD and having every male in his household circumcised according to the LORD’s requirement for their participation in the covenant.

It seems to me the most evident lesson we can learn is to obey the LORD even when what we are doing may seem contrary to what we want to do or think. Maybe that is giving something to a homeless person. We think, Oh . . .they’ll just sell it to buy drugs or alcohol.” The LORD may not speak audibly to us or communicate through a dream. Yet, there may be a sense that we need to do something good, yet one part of us resists. If we know it’s not in conflict with God’s word, we’re free to step out on faith and act. We may laugh and wonder to ourselves if it’s worth it. But we can trust the LORD can use it however he wants.

Episode 261 - "Abram obeys the LORD" - Genesis 12:4-9

Gen. 12:4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

The first three verses of chapter twelve give us the LORD’s call to Abram to leave his home and extended family and go to a place the LORD would show him. This command of the LORD reveals how the LORD would bless him by making him a great nation and that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him. As you may remember, Abram and his wife Sarai were unable to have any children. So, from a human perspective, this has the appearance of a shallow and impossible promise.

But as we pick up the story in verse four, “Abram went, as the LORD had told him” (Gen. 12:4). Abram was like Noah in this regard. The LORD spoke to them, and they obeyed his word, even though the LORD’s message to each of them seemed crazy or, at least, contrary to human reason.

We are told that Abram took Lot, his nephew, with him and his wife Sarai. Lot’s dad had died, and Noah’s dad, Terah, had taken responsibility for him. Then, Terah died, and Lot became the responsibility of his uncle Abram. The reader is set up to wonder if perhaps Lot will become the child to Abram through whom this “great nation” will come since Sarai was barren. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran, and Sarai was not much younger. As the life expectancy decreased, the child-bearing years decreased as well and Abram and Sarai were getting beyond that point.

It is at the end of verse five when we learn the direction that the LORD is taking Abram and his family. They had been from (modern day) southern Iraq near the Persian Gulf to Haran in the northwest, up into Syria near or just across the border with Turkey and down into “the land of Canann.” That’s where Terah was originally headed when he left Ur in the south and then settled in Haran in northwest modern day Iraq. Scholars discuss and debate when Abram first received this call from the LORD. Was he still in Ur, and his father was on board? If the chronology of these events has been reordered, it’s probably not that important. What is most important is the LORD’s revelation specifically to Abram and that Abram responded in obedience to the LORD. I would suggest that if we learn nothing else from Abram, we must learn to respond positively to the LORD’s commands regardless of whether it seems a bit crazy or not.

What follows is that Abram came into the land of Canaan. Remember that it was Canaan, the son of Ham, who Noah cursed because of Ham’s sin. In fact, Noah would say that Canaan’s descendants would serve Shem’s descendants. Verse six states that the Canaanites were in the land, and the LORD says in verse seven that he is going to give that same land to Abram’s offspring. (v. 7) What offspring? Is the LORD being cruel? As if to strongly affirm this promise, the LORD didn’t just speak to Abram; he appeared to him. Abram responded by building an altar to the LORD in that place. Instead of complaining or doubting, he worshipped the LORD right there. He understood that it was a holy and sacred event. I think this is a beautiful thing we see here. How often do we sense that God has done something special for us? Do we make an intentional effort to identify it and worship in response? What a wonderful lesson for us!

I find it interesting that Abram didn’t remain there. I take this as the LORD had more to show him. Abram moved on and stopped in between two towns near each other, Bethel (means House of El - El was the name by which God was known from Adam down to Abram) and Ai. Abram built another altar and called upon the name of the LORD. What this is saying is that Abram is proclaiming the identity and greatness of the LORD in the land of Canaan. He is essentially beginning to fulfill the LORD’s promise that he will be a blessing to the families of the earth. Abram is worshipping by testifying to the LORD to people who need to know about him.

What a great lesson we can learn from this by first, obeying the LORD’s commands, secondly, responding to the LORD’s work in our life by commemorating it and acknowledging God’s work in thankfulness, and finally, by testifying to others the greatness of the LORD.

May we learn and follow in Abram’s example.

Episode 248 - "God sees the righteous" - Genesis 7:1-5

Gen. 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.

I want to point out that whenever you see the word LORD in all caps, it represents the divine name. Later, in Exodus, when God spoke to Moses in the burning bush and commissioned him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses asked him for his name in order that he could tell the Israelites the name of their God who would lead them out of bondage to a promised land of provision and protection. The transliteration of Hebrew to English for God’s response comes out most often as “Jehovah” or “Yahweh.” (Exod. 3:15) It’s unknown whether this name had been revealed before and, therefore, sounded familiar to the Hebrews. Accepting Mosaic authorship, it would seem that Moses specified the divine name here in verses one and five of chapter seven to communicate to the Hebrews that their God was with Noah and showed him compassion while also judging violence and wickedness on the earth. In other words, it should have sent them a message that they should do what God told them.

Chapter six had already ended with Noah doing all that God commanded him. Now, chapter seven begins with a repetition and emphasis on how God deemed Noah righteous. Notice that in speaking to Noah, the LORD says, “I have seen that you are righteous before me.” (Gen. 7:1) There is both repetition and contrast in this action of seeing. On one hand, Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was good for food and able to make one wise (Gen. 3:6). Through her senses and letting the serpent’s deceit influence her judgment, she ate the fruit and disobeyed the LORD. In Genesis 6:2, “the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.” This was depicted as a perverse thing that brought more wickedness among humanity. The point is that mankind is inclined to see and judge according to their own desires. God alone sees and makes righteous decisions. This is another principle the Israelites needed to understand to follow the LORD into the land he gave them. It’s a principle we need to appropriate ourselves.

Noah had already received the instruction that a male and female pair of every animal and bird that came onto the ark would be preserved. There are people who have devoted their lives to defending how a boat this size could contain representatives of every kind of animal and explain how they could have survived this ordeal. The Ark Encounter in Kentucky was created for this very reason. It’s a full-scale replica of the ark that people can tour and learn about the perspective that this event really occurred according to the description in Genesis. I’ve not been to this place myself. But I’m not in need of being convinced that this flood actually occurred in a divine act of judgment for humanity’s violence and God’s compassion to spare Noah’s family and the creatures upon the ark. Squabbles over various questions are, I think, distractions from the big picture of the meta-narrative. But now God specifies “seven” of each clean animal. Is it seven individuals of each or seven pairs of each as represented in this translation? The Hebrew doesn’t actually use a word for “pairs” here. However, the context seems to support the idea of pairs. So, I’ll go with that. Why seven of the clean and only one pair of the unclean animals? Well, for one, we’re going to see how Moses will sacrifice clean animals to the LORD once they are safely off the ark after the flood. Furthermore, the Israelites will not be allowed to eat the meat of unclean animals. There is no indication that Noah and his family ate meat on the ark. However, things will change after the flood.

I don’t know if there is anything significant about the rain starting in seven days and continuing for forty days. Some see a connection here between the forty days of rain (judgment) with the forty years of wandering (judgment) for the disobedient Israelites in the wilderness. One thing is sure, and that it denotes specificity. There is no ambiguity in what the LORD says to Noah. I am amazed when people tell me they had a dream or a word from the LORD, and it seems clear to me that the so-called word is not consistent with what the LORD has clearly revealed in his special revelation, the Bible. We need to be careful when ascribing some belief or action we are taking to the LORD. It always needs to be brought to what is apparent in the Scriptures.

This section concludes with another repeated statement, “And Noah did all the LORD commanded him.” (Gen. 7:5) If we learn nothing else from the story of Noah and the flood, it should be that we should seek to do what the LORD has commanded us. What is that? Jesus told his disciples, “Love one another!” (John 13:34) There’s a good starting point.

Episode 193 - "Learn from the example of others" - 1 Corinthians 10:6-13

1Cor. 10:6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

This section begins with a dire warning and ends with strong encouragement. If you read or listened to last week’s post, you know Paul is talking about the Israelites who came out of Egypt. Even though they had witnessed God’s miracles, observed his presence in the cloud that led them during the day and the pillar of fire at night, and provided for them, they repeatedly disobeyed God and complained. You may want to read Exodus 32 to understand the historical context of what Paul refers to. They were idolatrous, self-indulgent, and immoral. God did not tolerate it. The repeated disobedience by the Israelites prevented most of them from entering the promised land. One should not get the idea that God was just waiting for them to slip up in order to punish them. Rather, he was often very patient and provided a means for them to return to God’s blessing and protection. (See Numbers 21:4-9)

Notice what Paul says about these historical events. He says that “these things took place as an example to us” (v. 6) and “they were written down for our instruction.” (v.11). What is Paul saying? It appears that Paul is suggesting that God allowed the Israelites the liberty to make these bad choices and inspired these events to be recorded so that perhaps we might not make the same bad decisions. There is some deep theology happening here. We call this God’s “providence.” James 1:13 makes it clear that God does not tempt people with evil. He continues to say the primary source of temptation comes from one’s own desires. This means that God will not necessarily stop us from exercising the will he’s given us, even if we use that will to do something God would not have us do. In this case, Paul suggests that God allowed these Israelites to do what they wanted and experience the consequences so that we would look at it and say, “I don’t want to follow their lead.” Personally, I find this encouraging that God was looking out for us thousands of years ago, long before I was born.

The importance or urgency Paul attributes to this warning becomes clear at the end of verse 11. Speaking of himself and the Corinthian believers but including us today he says, “On whom the end of the ages has come.” Paul clearly believes that Christ could return any moment, and who would want to be caught by Christ living in an idolatrous, self-indulgent, and immoral way? If the Israelites were judged for their rebellious lifestyles during the Exodus, should we expect not to receive any discipline? Of course not.

Paul transitions from the warning to a word of encouragement and hope. Verse 12 essentially instructs us not to be prideful, but humble before the Lord. He follows it with a promise that while God allows people the freedom to make decisions in their life, God will step in to mitigate the severity of temptation so that you will not experience temptation beyond what you can handle. This means we must be humble in seeking God’s help and wisdom daily. Our minds need to be on Jesus and not on our own desires.

Prayer: Lord - Guide me today. Lead me in your wisdom and truth to live in a way that honors you.

Episode 192 - "Don't take God's blessings for granted" - 1 Corinthians 10:1-5

1Cor. 10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Paul has been encouraging them to use their liberty in Christ in a discerning way that would edify other believers and not destroy their faith. As we begin chapter 10, Paul provides them with a historical example to warn them how they ought to conduct their lives. Some of these Corinthian believers think they know more than they really do. Paul tells them that he’s going to make them aware of a cold hard truth. Even though God had guided, delivered, and provided for the Israelites coming out of Egypt, he was not pleased with most of them. Why? How does this apply to the Corinthians or us?

Paul reminds them of the Exodus and how God had led them by a pillar of cloud that went before them. That guiding cloud led them to and through the sea that God parted for them to walk through on dry ground. It teaches us that when we follow God, he can and will overcome the obstacles. God can do the impossible. But he expects his children to have faith in following him.

Paul interprets this journey through the sea and being led by the cloud as a form of baptism. What is that all about? Baptism for Christians is an act of obedience to identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. We are identifying ourselves with Christ through that obedience. In the same way, the Israelites were identifying with God’s chosen leader, Moses, by following him, who was following God. That’s good.

Paul then says that all of these people ate the same spiritual food and drink. Their food and drink were supernaturally provided by God, and they partook of it. In fact, he reminds us where they got their water; from a rock. Then Paul says something strange, “the Rock was Christ.” What is this? Does he mean that the pre-incarnate Jesus became a literal rock? No. But he is indicating his belief that Jesus was the eternal Son of God who literally existed from eternity past. He is God, and he was with the Israelites, providing everything they needed. The actual rock from which they drank water only provided water because that was the will and blessing of God to the people. He not only provided what they needed in terms of physical sustenance. He did it in a miraculous way to show the Israelites (and indirectly us) what he is capable of doing and his willingness to bless them. It was evidence their God could be trusted in all things.

There was only one problem. They quickly forgot or ignored that lesson, and time after time, they complained and did not trust the LORD. God was “not pleased” with them, and most of that generation would die wandering in the wilderness.

If Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to be aware of this, then it seems reasonable that we should be aware of this. How should it impact us? At the very least, it should remind us that God provides for us, leads us, and delivers us out of our bondage to sin. He makes himself known through his work. We need to learn not to take God for granted and to constantly seek to follow his will.

Episode 140 "Do you love me more than these?" - John 21:15-17

John 21:15   When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

The time had come for Jesus and Peter to have a heart-to-heart talk. In verse twenty, it appears that Jesus and Peter had gone for a walk alone. Yet, the disciple whom Jesus loved was following some distance behind. 

If you recall, it was Jesus who gave Simon the name Peter. (John 1:42) So, it’s interesting that he now addresses him, three times, as “Simon, son of John.” It seems to me that this makes sense in keeping with Jesus’ purpose for this conversation with Simon Peter. Jesus understood his shame and the emotional turmoil Peter seems to be experiencing. I believe Jesus is meeting Peter where he’s at emotionally and spiritually. In that turmoil, Peter had made a choice to go fishing; back to his roots. It was something that defined him up to the point where Jesus called him. So, by addressing him as Simon, Jesus is speaking to him as the fisherman he had called to follow him. 

Each time Jesus addressed him as Simon, he questions Peter’s love for him. It’s not that Jesus doesn’t know the answer to the question. Jesus is using this opportunity to restore Peter into this relationship and teach him what Jesus wants him to do. The first time he asked, “Do you love me more than these?” This evokes the question, “Who or what are these?” For as long as I can remember, I’ve assumed that he meant “Do you love me more than these other disciples love me?” Throughout the past few years of following Jesus, Peter seemed to assert that he did love Jesus more than the other disciples loved him. He expressed that he was more faithful to Jesus and would die for him. (See Matthew 26:33) Yet, when standing outside at Jesus’ trial, he denied three times that he even knew Jesus. Given his actions in contrast to his words, it’s entirely possible this is the intended meaning. However, it could also mean, “Simon, do you love me more than you love your friends and fishing? Do you love me more than the life in which you are so comfortable?” Perhaps John wants to leave us wondering. Maybe the ambiguity is there for a purpose. 

However it is to be understood, Jesus explained to Simon that if he loves Jesus, Jesus is giving him responsibility and a purpose higher than that of fishing. Furthermore, as we’ll see in the next episode, there will be a cost to him in being completely devoted to that mission.

There is an interesting tidbit of information in the Greek text of this story that the first two times Jesus asks Simon this question, he used the word “agapao” for love. Some have suggested that word is the deeper, committed kind of love. Yet, when Peter responded to Jesus he says, “Yes. I love you” the word translated love is “phileo”. It is often described as meaning “brotherly love.” In other words, it might appear that Simon cannot bring himself to use the so-called stronger word “agapao” in responding to Jesus. Then, the third time Jesus asks Simon “Do you love me?” the word “phileo” is used by Jesus as though he is telling Simon, “OK. I’ll use the same word” you are using. A number of scholars have argued this is primarily a stylistic variation and that the words are not all that different. However, since John so often has a purpose in the little details he provides throughout this book, I think there could be something to this little game of words. It seems clear from the context here that Jesus understands where Simon is at. In fact, in Simon’s last answer to Jesus’ three questions, he doesn’t just say, “Yes Lord. I love you.” He says, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” (v. 17) Did you see that? Peter says, “Lord, you know everything.” Peter is confessing that Jesus understands Peter’s love better than Peter himself does.” The repetition of the question “Do you love me” and Jesus accommodating Peter’s own shame or insecurity breaks Peter and that is what needed to happen. Peter’s pride was evident and Jesus needed to address it. 

Each time Peter affirmed that he loved Jesus, Jesus responded with “Feed (or tend) my sheep.” I don’t think Jesus was concerned about whether Peter was the bravest among the disciples. Jesus' point is that his priority for Peter is to serve and nurture those who would also follow Jesus leading them in a life of obedience to the Lord. 

Humility and obedience to serve others are critical to the mission to which God has called us. Trust that Jesus knows everything and pray that he will guide and sustain us as we feed his sheep.

Episode 118 - "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" John 18:7-11

7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

John’s account of Jesus’ arrest includes Jesus twice asking those of the crowd who came to arrest him, “Whom do you seek?” When they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth” the first time, John reported the crowd fell back to the ground when Jesus answered them, “I am.” In the last episode, I indicated that I believe this was an important detail to John, suggesting that this was an appropriate response to hearing the divine name invoked by Jesus. The crowd likely neither understood nor intended that type of response. Otherwise, they would not be arresting him. 

It would appear in verse 7 that perhaps they were still on the ground when Jesus asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” Why does Jesus ask them this question twice? I don’t believe that he did not hear them the first time. It seems to me that John has emphasized throughout this book that people were “seeking” Jesus for different reasons. In John chapter one, a few of John the Baptist’s disciples followed after Jesus when John pointed to Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:35–39). Later, the crowd that had been miraculously fed went “seeking” Jesus. (John 6:24). But, both groups had different motivations. John’s disciples became Jesus’ disciples. But, the group that experienced the miracle and even suggested that he was the Prophet like Moses to come, ultimately rejected Jesus. The point is that Jesus has made himself known. He has not hidden his identity. The real question is what people do with Jesus. Do they decide to follow him and learn from him or do they want to leave him or even try to stop the message of Jesus?

The text that follows in verse eight reveals the clearest and immediate purpose for Jesus asking this question twice. He was making them be specific as to who they were really after in order to protect his disciples from becoming victims of a mob mentality. He told the crowd after they had twice said they were seeking “Jesus of Nazareth” they should let the others go because they had found the one they were looking for. John himself explains that this was a fulfillment of Jesus’ own words back in John 17:12. 

It is at this point that Peter takes out a knife (not a full-blown sword that we might imagine a soldier carrying) and cuts off the right ear of the servant to the high priest. Many commentators have suggested that Peter was likely aiming for his head and not actually trying to cut off the man’s ear. Regardless of exactly Peter’s level of skill with the knife, Peter is trying to avert Jesus’ arrest. His actions are met with reproof from Jesus who told him, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (v. 11) Why is this important?

This is a chaotic scene. The mob appears in the garden where Jesus and his disciples are located. The mob drew back and fell down at Jesus’ invocation of the divine name for himself. There is some measure of risk that they were about to arrest as many as they could have laid hands on. Then, Peter wields his knife and attacks the high priest’s servant. Did you notice that the only one who appeared to be in control was Jesus? He is the one whom they are seeking and he knows that it is to not only arrest him but to kill him. Yet, he is in control because it is the Father’s will and he is in complete cooperation with that. 

I wonder how often we plan and scheme to either accomplish something that we believe is in our best interest. Maybe we frantically seek to avoid things that we do not desire to the point it brings chaos into our lives and we feel things are out of control. Perhaps this is the time that we take all these things about Jesus that have been revealed and we prayerfully trust the Lord to handle things according to His perfect will. It doesn’t mean we’ll understand it. Peter and the others certainly did not understand this yet. But, we cannot simply decide to walk away from Jesus when his will is not pleasing to our own. We must be like Peter and the others who realized that Jesus alone had the words of eternal life. (John 6:68)