No Evidence? No Crime.

In a well-known account of Jesus’ last night before he was taken into custody by the Roman soldiers, all four gospel books note that a high priest’s ear was amputated by the swinging sword of one of Jesus’ clan. John is the only author naming this man as Simon Peter.

“Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)” – John 18:10 ESV

It seems Peter was taking matters into his own hands and retaliating to keep Jesus free. As he often demonstrated in the gospels, Peter didn’t think this action through completely. He and Jesus’ band of followers were well outnumbered and ill equipped to fight their way out.

It’s curious why Jesus would heal the man’s ear on the spot AND by witnessing that miracle, the arresting crew didn’t rethink their mission. How often do we have the deep sense of the right thing to do, yet due to pressure created by time, peers or even sheer stubbornness we continue on in spite of knowing our actions are incorrect?

Commonly it has been thought that Jesus healed the man’s ear to keep his mission on track. Jesus intended and knew would be arrested that evening, and he didn’t want anything to stand in the way. But as we often find in scripture, there are likely other meanings and lessons we can draw from this event.

Did Jesus heal the high priest’s ear to spare Peter punishment so he could continue on with the mission of starting the church?

If Jesus heals the man, there is no evidence of a crime even though there are plenty of witnesses. No evidence, no crime. In biblical times and in Roman territory, the punishments were severe which could have included death by any number of gruesome means. Peter played a major role in the beginning of what we now call “the church”. Sure, Jesus could have accomplished starting of the church by innumerable other methods, but he selected Peter as a key player. So, Peter gets off because of actions of Jesus, keeping him a free man.

In the same way, we too have our sinful acts “washed away” by Jesus so we can not be found guilty.

“Our sins are washed away and we are made clean because Christ gave His own body as a gift to God. He did this once for all time.” – Hebrews 10:10 NLV

What comfort there is in knowing that just as there was no evidence remaining to convict Peter, likewise when we confess that Jesus is our Lord – we’re submitting to him running and ruling our lives – and we believe that he was raised from the dead, we are found not guilty of our crimes.

Rest in this knowledge. You are truly free indeed!