Luke 22:47-53: a reflection

47While he was still speaking, a crowd appeared. He who was called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss him. 48But Jesus said to him, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50A certain one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 51But Jesus answered, “Let me at least do this”—and he touched his ear and healed him. 52Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, who had come against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn’t stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

In the very moment of his arrest, betrayed with a kiss and seized by an armed crowd, Jesus does not retaliate; he heals the ear of one who came against him, returning good for the violence done to him. A certain one of the disciples struck the servant of the high priest, the account says, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered, let me at least do this, and he touched his ear and healed him. Jesus was being betrayed and seized by a hostile crowd with swords and clubs. When one of his own struck back with a sword and wounded a member of the arresting party, Jesus did not approve or join the violence; he stopped it, and healed the wounded enemy, even as they came to take him. His response to hostility and violence was not retaliation, but good. This shows Christ not retaliating, but returning good even to those who came against him. Christ did not retaliate, but healed even the one who came against him. His response to hostility was good, not violence. Even at his arrest, Christ returned good for evil. Follow the Christ who met hostility not with retaliation, but with good.

Notice how Jesus responded in the moment of betrayal and arrest. He was betrayed by one of his own with a kiss, and seized by a hostile crowd armed with swords and clubs. One of his disciples, seeing what was happening, struck back with a sword, wounding a servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. It would have been the natural moment for retaliation, for meeting force with force. But Jesus did not join or approve the violence. Instead, he stopped it, and, remarkably, healed the wounded man, an enemy, a member of the party come to arrest him. In the very moment of hostility against him, Jesus returned good, healing rather than harming, even his captor. This holds a striking pattern for us. When we are wronged, attacked, betrayed, or met with hostility, the natural response is retaliation: to strike back, to return harm for harm. But Jesus, in the moment of the greatest hostility against him, did not retaliate; he returned good, healing even the one who came against him. This is the pattern he sets and calls us to: not to repay evil with evil, hostility with hostility, but, so far as we can, to return good even to those who wrong us. To follow Christ is to meet hostility not with retaliation, but with good. We do well to follow the Christ who did not retaliate but returned good, meeting the hostility we face not with retaliation but, so far as we can, with good. Do not retaliate against those who wrong you; return good, as Christ did. Christ met the hostility of his arrest not with violence but with healing. Follow the pattern of returning good for evil, so far as you can. Meet hostility not with retaliation, but with good.

That is worth taking to heart, for Christ did not retaliate but returned good even to those who came against him, and we do well to follow his pattern, as he healed the ear of one arresting him. We can meet hostility with retaliation, harm for harm; but Jesus, betrayed and seized, healed his wounded enemy rather than striking back. Return good. When you are wronged or met with hostility, do not repay evil with evil; follow the Christ who returned good even at his arrest, meeting hostility, so far as you can, with good. Follow the Christ who, even in the moment of his arrest, did not retaliate but returned good, healing the one who came against him, so meeting the hostility you face not with retaliation but, so far as you can, with good, as in the very moment of his arrest, betrayed with a kiss and seized by an armed crowd, Jesus did not retaliate but healed the ear of one who came against him, returning good for the violence done to him, since when a disciple struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear Jesus touched his ear and healed him; for Jesus was being betrayed and seized by a hostile crowd with swords and clubs, and when one of his own struck back and wounded a member of the arresting party Jesus did not approve or join the violence but stopped it and healed the wounded enemy even as they came to take him, his response to hostility being not retaliation but good, which holds a striking pattern for us, since when we are wronged, attacked, betrayed, or met with hostility the natural response is retaliation, to strike back and return harm for harm, but Jesus in the moment of the greatest hostility against him did not retaliate but returned good and healed even the one who came against him, which is the pattern he sets and calls us to, not to repay evil with evil or hostility with hostility but so far as we can to return good even to those who wrong us, so that to follow Christ is to meet hostility not with retaliation but with good, and we do well to follow him.

Lord Jesus, in the very moment of your arrest, betrayed with a kiss and seized by an armed crowd, you do not retaliate; you heal the ear of one who came against you, returning good for the violence done to you. A certain one of the disciples struck the servant of the high priest, the account says, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered, let me at least do this, and he touched his ear and healed him. You were being betrayed and seized by a hostile crowd with swords and clubs. When one of your own struck back with a sword and wounded a member of the arresting party, you did not approve or join the violence; you stopped it, and healed the wounded enemy, even as they came to take you. Your response to hostility and violence was not retaliation, but good. Show me how you responded in the moment of betrayal and arrest. You were betrayed by one of your own with a kiss, and seized by a hostile crowd armed with swords and clubs. One of your disciples struck back with a sword, wounding a servant of the high priest. It would have been the natural moment for retaliation, for meeting force with force. But you did not join or approve the violence. Instead, you stopped it, and healed the wounded man, an enemy, come to arrest you. In the very moment of hostility against you, you returned good, healing rather than harming, even your captor. This holds a striking pattern for me. When I am wronged, attacked, betrayed, or met with hostility, the natural response is retaliation: to strike back, to return harm for harm. But you, in the moment of the greatest hostility against you, did not retaliate; you returned good, healing even the one who came against you. This is the pattern you set and call me to: not to repay evil with evil, but, so far as I can, to return good even to those who wrong me. Take that to my heart. When I am wronged or met with hostility, keep me from repaying evil with evil; help me follow you, Lord, who returned good even at your arrest, meeting the hostility I face not with retaliation but, so far as I can, with good.