Daily Devotional For Friday, March 13, 2026
Good day Southside. Yesterday we left off with Jesus going away 3 times to pray only to return to find his closest friends, Peter, James and John, fast asleep. As He awakens them the third time, Judas, the betrayer, arrives. Today, we pick up with Matthew 26:47-56:
“While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. (48) Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, ‘Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.’ (49) Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, ‘Hail, Rabbi!’ and kissed Him. (50) And Jesus said to him, ‘Friend, do what you have come for.’ Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. (51) And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. (52) Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. (53) Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (54) How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?’ (55) At that time Jesus said to the crowds, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. (56) But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.’ Then all the disciples left Him and fled” (NASB).
We are picking up in this passage where we left off yesterday. After Judas singled out Jesus with a kiss, the Roman and Jewish officials arrested Jesus (vs. 50b). Well, Peter is not going to let that happen (see John 18:10) . It seems strange that Peter would draw his one sword against 1,000 armed Roman soldiers, doesn’t it? Peter is typically seen as being impulsive – acting before thinking. And with lightning speed, Peter cut off the right ear of the servant of the high priest. Possibly Peter had interpreted Jesus’ teaching about swords too literally (see Luke 22:36).
We learn in John 18:10 that this servant’s name was Malchus. Jesus quickly rebuked Peter knowing that Peter could have been killed right there for his impulsiveness. In verse 53, a Roman legion was 6,000 soldiers. Jesus told us that if He requested, God the Father would send 72,000 very armed and invincible angels to stop everything. This shows the power that was available to Jesus.
In John’s Gospel we learn that Jesus healed Malchus’ ear. Not by picking up the severed ear, but by simply touching it and instantaneously replacing it with a new one. Makes you wonder what Malchus thought. One minute his ear is fine. The next minute something flies by his head and his ear is missing. He sees it laying down on the ground and blood is gushing down his neck. Jesus rebuked Peter and quickly replaced it. History doesn’t tell us what happened to Malchus after this event.
But we must not only wonder at Malchus’ fate without examining our own, because we all are in a similar position as this man—slaves to an evil master, yet touched by the living Savior and invited into freedom and holiness through belief in Him. Like Malchus, we all have a choice: to allow Jesus’ touch and miracle to wake us up and lead us to the Savior, or to turn away and go back to the life of bondage, sin, and darkness. Whose authority are you currently living under? The world? Our culture? Your peers? Whose?
Violence always breeds violence and sometimes warfare is needed to stop a greater evil (Nazism and Hitler; Jihadists terrorists). But here it is clear that Jesus states that it is better to endure an injustice for the Gospel and Him than to use violence to thwart it. Jesus then mocks the cowardice of the religious leaders who have come for Him. He makes it clear He has no connection to the Zealots or violence, but simply to teach God’s truth. Jesus said all of this was happening to fulfill Old Testament Scripture. Which Scripture? – Isaiah 52:12-Isaiah 53:12.
In this passage Judas is described in two ways: “one of the twelve” and “the betrayer.” What a comparison. For Judas to address Jesus as “Rabbi,” or “teacher,” was a lie. He had severed all relationships to Jesus as his teacher. One thing that betrayal teaches us is this: you can belong to a military unit, a family, a company, a church or a family and never really ever belong. Think of the number of names on church membership rolls of people who never come. They’re “members,” but in reality they are not. In the end, all the disciples left Jesus and fled for cover.
Reflection Assignment: When have you been impulsive about something for the Lord? Maybe it was at church or in a Bible study group, but it was wrong. What did you learn from it? Put yourself in Malchus’ sandals. If you had been him, do you think you would have still gone along with the mob to arrest Jesus? Why or why not? Jesus has touched you and healed you of your sin problem. What difference is that currently making in your life and relationship to Christ?
Scripture To Meditate On: Luke 6:37, Jesus said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, help me to forgive those who have hurt my family or me. Help me to contain my sword of judgmentalism, condemnation and unforgiveness. I want to be like You Lord. I surrender all the hurt from others to me to You now. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly