Reacting to Injustice. (Luke 22: 47-53)
A friend of mine went to work for his best friend father working alongside his best friend who also worked for the family business.
Over the years these two fellows were inseparable they became such friends’ good friends that they went on holidays together with their families.
The father died and the son took over the business, after about I think another five years the employer abruptly fired the guy gave him less than 24 hours’ notice and no redundancy payment above the statutory minimum and to make matters worse he didn't tell him face to face. He didn't even call him on the phone he fired him by sending him a text message.
Now that fella felt like he had been dealt with unjustly, would you agree.
I wonder how you would react if someone did that to you?
What would you do?
Maybe you yourself have been treated unjustly. Have you ever been dealt with in a way you thought was unfair and unjust and if you did how do you respond.
Suppose you actually new something like that was going to happen, would you act towards to person who was going to betray you, an how in general would you react to that experience?
Well that is what happened to Jesus and that's what I want us to talk about in to days episode.
Welcome to TBPDP
May I begin right away by inviting your attention to Luke chapter 22 where I'm going to begin reading with verse 47 through 53.
Jesus Arrested.
47: While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48: but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49: When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50: And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51: But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
52: Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53: Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”
(Luke 22: 47-53)
This passage recounts a well-known event in the life of Christ: His betrayal by Judas and subsequent arrest. However, there are some fascinating details within this narrative that warrant closer examination.
Let's delve into it.
As the scene unfolds, we find Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, engaging in prayer with his disciples. Suddenly, a crowd appears, predominantly comprising of Roman soldiers.
What's striking is that they are led by none other than Judas, one of Jesus' closest associates. This fact underscores the gravity of the situation. These soldiers, guided there by Judas, have come to arrest Jesus.
The timing is also significant; it's late at night or possibly even early in the morning. Jesus is still speaking to his disciples when these turbulent events unfold. Imagine the tension as this large mainly military group approaches, their true intentions veiled by the darkness.
Judas, known intimately to Jesus and the disciples, has taken on a sinister role. Instead of a gesture of friendship, he chooses to betray Jesus with a kiss.
In first-century culture, the kiss held profound significance, symbolizing affection, and respect. Yet, Judas perverts this symbol, turning it into a tool of betrayal.
Proverbs reminds us:
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful”.
(Proverbs 27: 6)
The reaction of Jesus' disciples to the betrayal and impending arrest is also significant. As Judas approaches Jesus with the kiss of betrayal, Jesus responds with a poignant question, addressing Judas as if he were not just betraying Jesus, but the very Messiah Himself. “Asking him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss”.
However, the disciples, witnessing this unfolding scene, respond in a different manner. They ask Jesus whether they should respond with violence, asking, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" This reaction stems from a previous instruction given by Jesus, where he metaphorically spoke of the need for preparedness, symbolized by the owning of a sword.
Yet, one of the disciples, identified in John’s Gospel account as Peter, takes this previous instruction literally and impulsively draws his sword, striking the servant of the high priest and severing his right ear.
Luke doesn't name Peter directly, but John's Gospel provides this detail. The reason for this omission by the other Gospel writers might be out of consideration for Peter, who was still alive at the point when their accounts were written and they perhaps didn’t want’ to embarrass him.
Most bible experts agree that John wrote his gospel account some years later than the others, and that Peter was already dead by the time he wrote it, so he could then identify him.
Peter's impulsive action reflects the disciples' overall misunderstanding of Jesus' teachings and their misguided attempt to defend him. However, Jesus quickly intervenes, urging restraint and demonstrating immediate compassion by miraculously healing the injured servant's ear.
This incident highlights the tension between the disciples' human instincts for self-defence and Jesus' call for them to always embody peace and forgiveness.
Overall, for me, this passage underscores the complexity of human reactions in the face of injustice and the importance of aligning actions with the teachings of Jesus, which means we are meant to prioritize love, mercy, over any gut reaction to violence.
Peter’s impulsive action in cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant, reflects a reactionary response to the unfolding injustice of the situation as they saw it. Peter's actions stem from a combination of factors, including his desire to defend Jesus and perhaps his own sense of guilt or failure for not remaining vigilant in prayer that night instead falling asleep.
The incident serves as an important reminder of how our human nature causes us to often react impulsively to injustice. Sometimes wanting or seeking retribution or retaliation without considering the consequences.
Peter's action contrasts with Jesus' on-going teachings of turning the other cheek supressing our urge away from violence and towards forgiveness. This again highlights the tension between human instinct and the principles of love and mercy espoused by Jesus.
Ultimately, the narrative underscores the importance of always responding to injustice with grace, humility, and a commitment to reconciliation, rather than perpetuating a cycle of violence and vengeance.
It also serves as a reminder of the transformative power of forgiveness and compassion in the face of wrongdoing.
We often react impulsively and that's what Peter did here. He didn't even wait for the Lord's answer about what they should do. He just spontaneously reacted at this injustice as he saw it and a poor random lower-level public official loses an ear in the process.
But I suspect that that's what most of us do most of the time, maybe not cutting off someone’s ear but we often try and take matters in our own hands, and we want to get even.
If somebody hurts us or wrongs us we want to do hurt them back, we want vengeance. The biblical word for getting even by the way the is the English word “malice”.
So out of vengeance and malice we often strike out, maybe not with a sword but verbally at the person who has perpetrated the injustice upon us.
However, Jesus' response to injustice is indeed profound and holds significant implications for how we navigate challenges in our own lives.
Jesus allows the situation to unfold illustrating a deep acceptance of the reality he faced, even when it's was unfair and unjust. Instead of resisting or reacting with anger and malice, Jesus models a posture of submission and grace.
By recognising the injustice of a situation, we too at one and the same time acknowledge that life can be unfair and yet we can face unjust treatment at times in the knowledge of submitting to the will of God by just speaking the truth in love and not seeking retribution.
This recognition can also help us move beyond feelings of resentment or bitterness and fosters a sense of peace and resilience in the face of adversity.
Moreover, Jesus' act of restoring the servant's ear demonstrates an extraordinary level of grace and compassion. Rather than seeking retribution or retaliation, Jesus extends kindness and healing, even to those who have wronged him.
In our own lives, embodying this spirit of grace means responding to injustice with forgiveness, compassion, and a commitment to reconciliation.
It difficult because it requires us to rise above the impulse to retaliate and instead extend love and understanding, even to those who may have hurt us, but it is what God wants us to do.
Ultimately, by following Jesus' example of responding with grace in the face of injustice we in fact benefit by growing in greater spiritual maturity and drawing closer to the likeness of Christ.
1 Peter chapter 3. Is a challenging passage but gets straight to the same point.
As the high point of some advise he gives about the injustice of the suffering some face for doing good, he says:
8: Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9: Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
(! Peter 3: 8-9)
He urges us all to be unified in our mindset, compassionate toward one another, loving like siblings, tender-hearted, and courteous.
Here's the tough part: when someone treats you poorly, don't respond in kind. If you're insulted or slandered, don't retaliate. Instead, these verses present the radical idea of blessing those who mistreat you.
Yes, you heard it right. Peter suggests blessing those who wrong you. It's remarkable, he even goes further to say that this is part of our calling as believers but also saying that be living this way we to will receive the blessings of God ourselves in return.
This is the high point of Christian teaching, responding by blessings other especially when they treat us unjustly.
It's not the norm, I get it. But it is possible with the grace of God.
Romans chapter 12, reinforces this principle at some length.
14: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20: On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
(Romans 12: 14-21
“Bless those who persecute you and refrain from cursing them”. Verse 17 emphasizes, “not repaying evil with evil, but instead striving for peace with everyone”. Verse 19 drives home the point: “Don't seek vengeance, leave it to God”. By doing good to those who wrong us, we essentially heap coals of fire on their heads, metaphorically speaking.
It's not easy, I know. It's supernatural, requiring the work of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of God's word in our lives.
So, when faced with injustice, let's turn to God for help. Let's acknowledge our need for His grace and seek His assistance in responding with love and blessings, even in the face of mistreatment.
Hebrews 4:16 confirm we are not alone in this .
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
(Hebrews 4: 16)
So, how should we handle injustice? Well, according to Jesus' example, the first step is to accept it, accept the world as an unjust place, for the kngdom of God has not been fully realised yet, and submit to it, recognizing that we can't always correct it ourselves.
As the Bible says, "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord." Instead of seeking revenge, our job is to bless and be gracious, even to those who wrong us.
Jesus exemplified this as the “true way”. In fact he demonstrated this this grace by showing kindness to Peter himself, who acted rashly, yet would later be forgiven himself for denying the Lord three times.
Ultimately, he demonstrated grace to the entire world by willingly going to the cross.
But there's more. Although Jesus submitted gracefull at the same time he also always spoke the truth.
In verse 52 of todays passage in Luke he addresses the chief priests, captains, and elders who came to arrest him, questioning their motives and actions and pe points out that they had ample opportunity to apprehend him publicly in the temple, but they chose to act under the cover of darkness.
Essentially, Jesus acknowledges that this unjust treatment is still going to be used by God.
He submits to it, recognizing it as the "hour" permitted by God, with the power of darkness at work. Just as God allowed Satan to test Job, He allows this injustice to unfold as part of His greater divine plan.
So, in the face of injustice, follow Jesus' example: accept, be gracious, speak the truth, and recognize God's sovereignty even in difficult circumstances.
So, let's recap:
Jesus faced unjust treatment. He was betrayed by someone close to him and arrested without having committed any crime. In response, Peter reacted wrongly by taking matters into his own hands, wielding a sword.
However, Jesus responded rightly. He submitted to the situation, accepting the reality of the injustice. He showed grace to all but yet spoke the truth at all times embodying the principles of being full of grace and truth,
As mentioned by John in chapter one of his account of the life of Jesus.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”.
(John 1: 14b)
Therefore, if we want to be Christ-like, we must strive to be gracious and truthful in our responses to injustice.
Now, consider this: In life, we are always faced with a free will choice.
Will we respond to injustice with a deceitful kiss like Judas, or with the swing of the sword like Peter?
Or will we yield to God's perfect will like Jesus did?
Jesus, in his moment of trial, prayed for the cup to pass from him, but ultimately, he chose to drink from it, accepting God's plan.
So when you face injustice or unfair treatment never lose sight of the fact that coming along right alongside that injustice is the opportunity for you to be obedient and to respond in the way he wants you to.
This may even be something that the Lord has allowed to give you an opportunity to do just that, and thereby grow in your spiritual maturity.
What's we see in this passage is Jesus submitted graciously In grace and truth to the will of God and that's in essence is what we are all called to do.
You need to view any potential hurt as an instrument in the hand of God to teach you the way to respond to an the injustice that is all around us in the world these days.
So when treated unjustly If you look at the perpetrator or the instrument by which injustice is wheeled, you’ll react the wrong way
But if you look and see the hand of God wrapped around that instrument you will be able to submit in grace and respond in truth and love.
The sum it up real simply Don't swing the sword, sip from the cup of the Lord.