Malchus
is a casualty of religious violence. You hardly know his name, but Malchus is the servant of the high priest, who comes along with Judas Iscariot and the Roman soldiers to arrest Jesus in the garden. He’s a bystander, really, until Peter, armed with a sword, decides he’s had enough of this non-violent resistance stuff. He takes an errant swing at Malchus’ head and succeeds only in cutting off his right ear.
All four gospel writers tell the story, but only John names the servant as Malchus, and only John names the sword swinger as Peter.
So there is the ear, lying on the ground. And Jesus can only stand there, wondering when he’ll ever be done picking up the pieces. How many times has he told these disciples that they are walking the way of love, that the only force they may use is the overpowering impact of an open, undefended heart? In a moment of frustration Jesus shouts, “No more of this!” (Luke 22:51). No more violent means to righteous ends, no more violence—ever—in the name of God.
Now Jesus bends down and picks up the ear. Luke, the “beloved physician” with an eye to healing, is the only one who tells this part. He touches Malchus, the ear is restored.
At every stage, the passion of Christ is marked by Jesus’ refusal to “fight back.” Often he refuses even to engage his disingenuous accusers, offering only a maddening silence. His power comes from on high, and that miraculous force is what makes this story the greatest ever told, not Peter’s righteous vengeance.
Holy Week: a time to renounce the violence we have done, and the violence done on our behalf.
COMPANIONS ON THE WAY
Introduction
Stories of Turning
Week One
Stories of Wild Places
Week Two
Stories of Dogged Faith
Week Three
Stories of Mercy & Forgiveness
Week Four
Stories of Simplicity & Joy
Week Five
Stories of Prayer & Surrender
Week Six
Stories of Transforming Love
Hard to deny that the most impressive people in history have followed this course – Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr – it’s astonishing how against the grain the move is – I tend to be more eye for an eye (or in this case ear for an ear). It’s the way I still feel (astonishingly) about Israel/Palestine conflict – you started this so you will continue to pay at any price, I think also a Southern thing – so maybe I can work on that this week.
Judas – I used to wear a Judas Priest (my favorite metal band) black t-shirt to my Southern Baptist church in 7th grade – what was wrong with me lol.
Yes, it’s hard to disentangle ourselves from violence, since it underpins much of our world. But in particular, Holy Week and the passion of Christ really focus our attention on religious violence—finding a scapegoat and killing it. Jesus’ death as a scapegoat puts an emphatic end to all of that. No more sacrifices, no more killing to please God and our own need to be righteous and in the in-group.