Devotional Reflection Based on the Incident of Peter Cutting Off Malchus's Ear: “Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.” ( Mark 14:47, Today's Korean Version ) 1. Identifying the People Involved: The person who stood beside Jesus and drew the sword was Simon Peter . The servant of the high priest was named Malchus . “Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.” ( John 18:10 ) 2. Jesus' Response to Peter's Action: (a) Jesus said: “Permit even this.” ( Luke 22:51, KJV: “Suffer ye thus far”; RSV: “No more of this” ) The Greek words clarify this: “ἕως τούτου” (“heōs toutou”) = “up to this point” or “even this” “ἐᾶτε” (“eate”) = “allow it,” “let it be,” “leave it alone” Therefore, Jesus is essentially saying: “Let them do what they are doing. Do not resist any further.” “If ...
May the gospel come to you not simply with words “because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). What does it mean to say that the gospel comes to us simply with words? A commentator interpreted this: 'Speech unaccompanied by the convincing power of the Holy Spirit' (Commentary). As a pastor, I ask myself, "How many times did I preach like this? Sermons that are not accompanied by the convincing power of the Holy Spirit may convey knowledge to hearers, but it is perhaps natural that those sermons cannot make any difference in them. As a preacher, this is a serious problem. So I pray to God as I prepare a sermon for coming Lord’s Day that the gospel may not come to those who will hear just simply with words. How then should I preach? ...