I think Peter is the most relatable disciple. We see in Scripture that He was often impulsive. He said what was on His mind, sometimes to his own detriment. One of the places in Scripture where Peter's impulsiveness is evident is right after Jesus was arrested. He acted swiftly to protect Jesus, but Jesus quickly proved that He did not need protection. Everything that was happening was supposed to happen.
We read in John 18 about Jesus’ arrest. In this chapter, Judas and a crew of Roman soldiers and Temple guards arrived at a grove of olive trees where Jesus and His disciples were. John tells us that Jesus fully understood what was happening, so He asked them, "Who are you looking for?" (verse 4). When they said that they were looking for Jesus, Jesus said, "I am He" (verse 5). When Jesus told them who He was, "they all drew back and fell to the ground" (verse 6). Once again, Jesus asked who they were looking for, and once again, He acknowledged that He was Jesus. Jesus told them to let His disciples go because He was the person they were looking for (verse 8). At this point, Peter stepped up and cut off the ear of a man named Malchus, the slave of the high priest (verse 10). Peter was attempting to protect Jesus because he knew that these men wanted to arrest Jesus. Jesus immediately told Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?" (verse 11). Jesus was teaching Peter that what was happening was according to God's plan. He must be arrested so that He could eventually be crucified on a cross and rescue humanity from sin and death. He saw the bigger picture, while Peter only saw the present circumstance.
My friend, God is working behind the scenes even when we do not see it. We can rest knowing He is in control and He has a plan. What must have seemed to Jesus' disciples to be the very worst outcome, Jesus' arrest, was actually the best thing for humanity because it led to Jesus' ultimately defeating sin and death.
Take a few moments and go on a walk, meditating on everything Jesus went through on the night of His arrest so that you could one day have a restored relationship with God. As you are walking, talk with God. Thank Him for the sacrifice Jesus made, knowing full well the pain and grief He would face as He rescued humanity from their sins. My friend, He loves you so very, very much.
18 After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. 2 Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. 3 The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.
4 Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked.
5 “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) 6 As Jesus said “I am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! 7 Once more he asked them, “Who are you looking for?”
And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
8 “I told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” 9 He did this to fulfill his own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.”
10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”
