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 ...
A man who had come to promote the welfare (1) [Nehemiah 2:1-5] In his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” Stephen Covey says this about “creating a ‘pause button’: There is ‘freedom of choice’ between ‘stimulus’ and ‘response’, but too many people often act reactively. Rather, hit the ‘pause button’ and give yourself time to think. During the ‘freedom of choice’ time, think ‘How will I respond to this stimulus?’, act according to principles and values rather than depending on feelings and circumstances. That is the first habit of the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”: “Be Proactive” [Definition: ‘The ability to act on principles and values rather than reacting on emotions and circumstances’ (Covey). However, it seems that we are more likely to be ‘reactive’ than proactive. In other words, when we are stimulated, we often act based on situations and emotions. Of course, even ...