We are very familiar with the events of Good Friday. We know the people, the details, the horror and the injustice of it all as well as the love and strength of Christ. It is the key to our salvation and redemption. But in the background of the events are several people, minor characters in the unfolding drama. However when we give them a closer look, we may find they are more familiar, more recognizable than we realized. For example, there’s a guy named Malchus.
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. (The slave’s name was Malchus.)
John 18:10
Malchus was the servant of Caiaphas, the high priest, the one pushing for the arrest and removal of Jesus. It is possible that he was serving as the representative of Caiaphas at the arrest, while the high priest quickly gathered the Sanhedrin for the coming trial. I envision his role something like Joseph’s when he served as Potiphar’s steward. If he was loyal to his master, he likely would have seen Jesus as a threat.
As Jesus negotiates to ensure His disciples are allowed to leave in peace, Peter acts in violence. There are a couple of ways to frame Peter’s action. He was intending to fight his way out and killing the nearest man was the first step. Except he missed. Or Malchus mostly dodged the attack. Another possibility is that Peter only intended to deliver a non-lethal but humiliating injury. If Malchus were maimed, he would not be allowed to serve with Caiaphas in the Temple. Further, the high priest may not have wanted a servant with a physical deformity and may have sold him. This would have cost Malchus his position. This makes Peter’s act one of petty vengeance rather than foolhardy bravado.
Whatever Peter’s motive, Jesus’s power, compassion, and love for His enemies is fully displayed as He rebukes Peter and heals the ear (Luke 22:51).
Why should we give Malchus a second thought?
He represents all those who come to Easter season and see Jesus as a threat. He threatens their lifestyle–no more shallow relationships based on selfish gratification. Jesus threatens their politics–no more support for things like abortion or sexualizing children. Maybe Jesus is a threat to their leisure time–an end to lazy Sundays and a time commitment to participate and serve somehow. Or perhaps it’s their view of themselves as totally okay without “religion” that’s most at risk.
We as believers cannot engage with people who already see Jesus (and us) as a threat the way Peter did with Malchus. We must not set out to destroy them. We must not set out to humiliate them, even if it’s on social media. That just results in deep wounds.
Instead, let’s be Jesus. Let’s extend mercy and compassion. Let’s work to bring healing. (Remember we don’t have to do the healing. That’s a Jesus thing.) Let’s be willing to love sacrificially. Let’s let our deeds and lifestyle match our words and our profession.
Peter certainly picked up on that lesson, maybe even from his attack on Malchus. He writes:
Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:12
Next week: Pilate’s wife.