John 18:10
“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.)
There are a multitude of attacks on the Bible from the unbelieving world. One of the chief assertions is that the Bible can’t be trusted because it was written by men that wanted to control others. I’ve heard this remonstrance many times myself. “They just want power and control,” the objection goes. Even a smidgen of scrutiny, though, will expose this line of argumentation as untenable.
For example, who is it that seeks control of others in this scene? Has Jesus gone with His disciples to force others to convert to Christianity? No. The soldiers and chief priest’s guard have come with force. Rome was force. It’s the world’s way – to use force. The Devil’s systems and kingdoms never allow dissent. And when they’re in full bloom, that is, when they have the power necessary for it, they advance at the point of the sword or barrel of the gun. This is the way of history and we see it in Revelations – the picture of it – with the great whore riding the beast. The whore represents the carrot that the Devil offers. Sexual sin, riches, and comfort entice the wayward, leading them to slaughter. If the carrot fails to draw men’s hearts from God, the stick is used, and that stick, that rod, is the power of the tyrannical state.
But, also, look to this scene to see the insanity of the contention that the Bible is the work of men’s hands – hands that want to control others. Simon Peter draws a sword and attacks. John not only records this but also points out the specific name of the victim of Peter’s sword. Would he have included such detail if it wasn’t true? First century readers would have known of this event and by giving such specifics – such as the particular ear and the exact individual – John places the narrative right where it happened. He gives the readers a chance to say, “no, it wasn’t that way…it was such and such, not Malchus…or Malchus wasn’t even there.” A good lie is always cloaked in enough vagueness so that it can’t get pinned down. John holds it right up there and says, “See! We were in a specific garden at a specific time when a specific event occurred with specific people.” There is no attempt to be loose on detail.
And what of the contention that men wrote the Bible in order to control others? Has the non-believer thought deeply about this ludicrous argument? Peter is the boldest disciple, is he not? But time and again he’s rebuked for his folly and lack of discernment. And all the disciples appear as somewhat, well, dense in spiritual things – they never quite get what Jesus is really saying. They argue over petty things too. Previously, John and James have sent their mother forward to plead with Jesus that they may sit at His right and left hand in the Kingdom. My word! Arguments ensued amongst all of them over who would be greater in the age to come – and all of these things happened while they were physically walking with the Lord.
And people are surprised when factions and arguments break out in their own church.
So, what kind of authorities would put forth a lie like this? If these men conspired to write this story about Jesus, why would they go out of their way to divest themselves of honor and courage? Don’t they all scatter? Oh, except for Peter here, who with Jesus beside him is so bold as to attack the guard. It appears that Peter tries to cut the servants head in half but misses – Malchus dodges just enough and loses “only” his ear. But there are hundreds of Roman soldiers there too. Does Peter intend, with his fishing skills, to defeat the professional soldiers or is he simply bold, thoughtless and rash again? Does he have a plan? Well, apparently his plan is that Jesus is with him so the odds don’t matter. This type of logic, however, shows again how irrational Peter is because if Jesus is going to fight, wouldn’t he already have told the disciples? And hadn’t He already told them that where He was going they couldn’t follow and that He was leaving them? Moreover, why would the King of the universe need his meager and weary disciples to fight for Him? After all the miracles Peter has seen Jesus do, why does he jump to Jesus’ defense with so feeble a tool?
Of course, this Peter, bold and aggressive, completely disappears after Jesus is arrested and he becomes afraid of everyone – even little girls that ask him his identity. Is this the authority that the church would prop up? Clearly a better tale of valor could have been devised. If you’re making this stuff up you have Peter as a hero, not a rash and foolhardy coward. Look at the cast of the Avengers and compare how the world would tell a good story and this one.
Such insanity by those claiming to be wise! The power of the gospel is in the fact that it speaks the ultimate truths of man and life. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes because the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith (Romans 1). Peter and his cohorts don’t come off well. Jesus does. This is the truth of life. If the Bible were a ruse it’s a strange one because it points to Jesus at every turn. What man tries to control others by lowering himself? Isn’t this so easy to see? All false religions prop up men. Christianity exalts Christ. False religions control men’s behavior by giving them lists of commandments. The religion of Jesus Christ teaches men that they can receive righteousness only and solely and completely as a gift of faith. False religions set up men as lords; the true religion sets up only Jesus as Lord and his yoke – the burdens He puts upon us – is light.
In this way the righteousness of God is revealed and understood. All false faiths elevate man by giving him something that he can do to obtain his salvation. Christianity is offensive to sinful man because it tells him that there is nothing he can do – only what God can do. In this reality Christians have their rest and their peace. They have what no others have: assurance of salvation.
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