Matthew 26:51-56 Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: September 4, 2019 Matthew 26:51-56
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
(Understanding the Text) Sometimes we read the scriptures with dispassionate intellect, but I wonder if Matthew had tears in his eyes as he wrote chapters 26 and 27?
(Revelation of God) Jesus heals the servant’s ear partly to protect Peter, but it was also a sign to the men who were about to commit an atrocity so that they would have a chance to stop what they were doing before they got in too deep. It was also a sign to the high priest when he got the servant’s report. Most of all, it shows that Jesus still had the power to stop what was happening, but He chose to submit. Matthew’s purpose in this section seems to be to show that even at this point, Jesus was in control of the situation. Matthew has already made the point earlier that Jesus had predicted this. Now, as it happens, Jesus is actively ensuring that it continues.
(Revelation of God / Understanding the Text) Jesus was trying to keep Peter and John out of trouble. They needed to be there to witness what was happening, but they had to stay out of the hands of the authorities. Thus, Jesus says what might seem to be bragging at any other time. “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” Jesus was trying to remind them that He was so close to the Father that He could count on thousands of angels coming to His rescue if He simply asked. He then tried to tell them that what was happening was necessary and had been predicted in the scriptures. He wanted them (and Matthew wanted his readers) to understand that what appeared to be senseless violence and cruel betrayal and power-hungry injustice were actually being turned into something bigger and greater by Jesus’ submission to them. He succeeded in stopping them from fighting, but the disciples then chose to run away. They were in flight or fight mode. If they could not fight, then their natural instinct was flight. They did not understand that there was a third option. Submission to the captors in order to be in solidarity with their Master. What God wanted from His followers at that time was a witness to the events that were taking place.
Jesus was also trying to tell the captors that they were being used in something bigger than they understood. They were part of prophesy being fulfilled, but they were on the wrong side of that prophecy. Jesus tried to show them the hypocrisy and sinfulness of their actions by contrasting an honest arrest with the secret abduction that they were involved in. Maybe, one of the men in the group was reached with the message. I don’t know. Jesus kept trying to point people back to the scriptures. He wanted them to understand that the words of their holy book were part of their lives and that they were living out the words of the prophets. He wanted them to go back and reread the prophecies in a new light. Maybe, someone did. Matthew wants his readers to know that even this was a fulfillment of prophecy. Even this was a sign that Jesus was the Messiah.
(Application / Prayer) My application to myself is that many times what God needs is not active fighting for Him. It’s not for me to hide in a hole either. What God wants is a witness who can see what He does and report on it to others later on. I have to stop discounting the value of me simply witnessing God in action. Help me to see with clear eyes and report what I have seen