Not On Compassionate Grounds
Jesus did not allow of any situation to go out of hand without taking some advantage of it. He had tried to escape from the enemy by using every available means of doing so. He prepared his disciples for the fight. He got swords acquired for defense. He took the disciples to the garden of Gethsemane which he selected either as a proper hiding place or a fighting ground to attack the enemy in case they were tracked down. There he prayed God to save him. Meanwhile he employed his disciples in two batches, one to keep guard from the out-side and the other from the inside carefully, praying God for their protection. He returned from his prayers many times to check whether the guards employed were discharging their duty properly or not. Whenever he found them rather unguarded, he tried to induce them to be more vigilant in every possible way. When all these efforts of his failed to turn-out as hoped for, and when he was about to be surrounded by the enemy, he ordered his disciples to run away while he himself had tried to run away from the scene to escape certain death. But even this effort of his failed to succeed. He applied all these general efforts one after another none of which proved to be of any use to save him. Then he began to make a pretence of preaching peace indirectly to the enemy by warning Peter who used the sword and whom he advised not to use it lest the user of it should perish by it. Thus he tried to overcome the enemy logically by giving his message of peace. When he found these moral lessons and trials failed to fetch him the desired good result, then he began to try once again to get rid of the enemy by means of making trials in a spiritual way which are discussed here below.
As has been related earlier, when by the sword of Peter, a high priest’s servant got his ear cut, Jesus immediately touched it and healed the ear.
“AND HE TOUCHED HIS EAR AND HEALED HIM" (Luke 22:51)
Readers are requested to note that Jesus used to heal the diseased people only at their request and that too, taking their belief and his capability of healing them for granted. Unless he was sure and convinced of the perfect faith of the diseased in him, and unless he was sincerely persuaded to do so, he never undertook to heal anybody voluntarily (Matt 9: 27-30). But contrary to these facts, the man whom he touched and healed, did not request Jesus to heal him, nor did he exhibit any faith in the power of Jesus for healing. Instead, he was an enemy intent on putting an end to Jesus.
Readers are requested not to be under the false impression that Jesus being really a prince of peace who pitied even the enemy and healed his injury unasked for, contrary to his customary habits, formalities and principles which he used to observe while healing the diseased people as related above. Healing the enemy atonce unasked for, may appear to the Church as a sign of the great quality of mercy of Jesus. But it is not so in the present context. As a matter of fact had there been any favourable opportunity, Jesus and his party were likely to cut the throats of the enemy instead of healing the injury. Then what could have been the purpose in healing the enemy unasked for?
It is very easy to understand the purpose, if the readers just give a little thought over the matter. By healing the injury instantly within the sight of the multitude, the motive of Jesus was to prove to the enemy once again that he was not an ordinary man like them, but a great prophet of God, (as had been claimed by him) blessed with great powers of miracles and of healing, sent to the Israelites in the capacity of a prophet and reformer and a forerunner to a greater prophet yet to appear as had been prophesied by him on many occassions. (We have dealt with this subject in an other book entitled “THAT PROPHET” now under preparation which, God willing, will be released soon).
This was the means he had used to make people impressed by and believe in him as a prophet of God so that they might refrain from doing him any harm. This was the reason too why he healed the enemy voluntarily and unasked for.
Thus, after performing this miracle and after enticing their minds to think of him as a real prophet, bringing about a marvelous situation, he tried immediately to threaten the enemy by addressing Peter and telling him the following words indirectly.
“THINKEST THOU THAT I CANNOT NOW PRAY TO MY FATHER, AND HE SHALL PRESENTLY GIVE ME MORE THAN TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS"? (Matt: 26:53)
The verse actually means ---
Peter! (indirectly addressed the enemy!)
“Are you thinking that I cannot pray God to help me? I did not, but I can pray. If I pray God, he would certainly send me twelve legions of angels for help and to destroy the enemy”.
Patient attention of the readers is invited to the above verse and are also requested to recall how earnestly Jesus had prayed God just a while ago. After trying to prove that he is God’s prophet by performing a miracle what else could it be other than an open threat the above verse carries? Had he not prayed God a few minutes previously? Did God send any help? Inspite of having prayed God, and having received no help from God, if Jesus said “IF I PRAY GOD, HE WOULD SEND ME ANGELS FOR HELP” what could it be other than a threat?
In that way he tried to make people fear him as a prophet of God who might send angels to come to the rescue of His prophet and to make them afraid to carry out their wicked intention of betraying him. But all his efforts, teachings and threats fell on deaf ears of the enemy. And at last he was captured and brought before PILATE under false accusations for judgment and punishment with death.
