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 ...
Let us seek the maturity of faith. [Romans 14:1-12 ] How do you resolve conflicts and disputes at home, at work, or in interpersonal relationships? Of course, in order to resolve conflicts and disputes first, we must identify (diagnose) the causes of those conflicts and disputes. For example, conflicts and disputes in the relationship between husband and wife or father and son in the family, conflicts and disputes in the relationship between brothers and sisters in the church, and why there are conflicts and disputes must first be identified so that existing conflicts or disputes can be resolved. While meditating on the Word of God, centered on 2 Samuel 3:30, during the early morning prayer meeting last Tuesday, I thought about the incident in which King David's general Joab took revenge on Abner, King Saul's general who killed his brother Asahel. The key lesson I came to realize while thinking about these w...