John 18:6-11: a reflection

6When therefore he said to them, “I am he,” they went backward and fell to the ground. 7Again therefore he asked them, “Who are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way,” 9that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, “Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none.” 10Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11Jesus therefore said to Peter, “Put the sword into its sheath. The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not surely drink it?”

At the moment of his arrest, Jesus is fully in command of himself. When Peter draws a sword and strikes, Jesus stops him, and gives the reason for his own surrender: Put the sword into its sheath. The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not surely drink it? Jesus goes to his suffering not as a victim overpowered, but as one willingly drinking the cup the Father has given him. He does not resist with the sword; he accepts the cup, in submission to the Father's will. His suffering is not forced upon an unwilling victim; it is willingly accepted from the Father's hand.

Notice Jesus' willing acceptance: the cup the Father has given me, shall I not drink it? He could have resisted; Peter's sword was ready, and legions of angels were at his command. But Jesus chose not to resist. He saw his suffering as the cup the Father had given him, and he willingly accepted it, drinking it in submission to the Father's will. His surrender was not weakness or defeat; it was the willing obedience of the Son, accepting from the Father's hand the cup of suffering for our salvation. He drank it willingly, because it was the Father's will.

That willing acceptance is worth taking to heart, for it shows us how to receive even suffering from the Father's hand. We resist suffering, grasping for the sword, fighting against the hard things that come; but Jesus accepted the cup the Father gave him, willingly, in submission to the Father's will. There is a way of receiving even hard things as from the Father's hand, in trust and submission, rather than only fighting against them. When suffering comes that is the Father's will for you, do not only resist it with the sword; learn from Christ to accept the cup the Father gives, in trust and submission to his will. Learn from Christ to receive even the hard cup from the Father's hand in willing submission, as Jesus said, the cup the Father has given me, shall I not drink it, rather than only resisting; for Christ drank the cup of suffering willingly, in submission to the Father, and won our salvation, and he teaches us to trust the Father even in what is hard.

Lord Jesus, at the moment of your arrest, you are fully in command of yourself. When Peter draws a sword and strikes, you stop him, and give the reason for your own surrender: put the sword into its sheath; the cup which the Father has given me, shall I not surely drink it? You go to your suffering not as a victim overpowered, but as one willingly drinking the cup the Father has given you. You do not resist with the sword; you accept the cup, in submission to the Father's will. Show me your willing acceptance: the cup the Father has given me, shall I not drink it? You could have resisted; Peter's sword was ready, and legions of angels were at your command. But you chose not to resist. You saw your suffering as the cup the Father had given you, and you willingly accepted it, in submission to the Father's will. Your surrender was not weakness or defeat; it was the willing obedience of the Son, accepting from the Father's hand the cup of suffering for our salvation. Take that willing acceptance to my heart, for it shows me how to receive even suffering from the Father's hand. I resist suffering, grasping for the sword, fighting against the hard things that come; but you accepted the cup the Father gave you, willingly. There is a way of receiving even hard things as from the Father's hand, in trust and submission. When suffering comes that is the Father's will for me, keep me from only resisting it with the sword; help me learn from you to accept the cup the Father gives, Lord, in trust and submission to his will.