He touched his ear and healed him.

Luke 22:35-53 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” ³⁶ And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was counted with wrongdoers’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” ³⁸ They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

³⁹ And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. ⁴⁰ Now when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you do not come into temptation.” ⁴¹ And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, ⁴² saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” ⁴³ Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴ And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. ⁴⁵ When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, ⁴⁶ and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you do not come into temptation.”

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading the way for them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus responded and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. ⁵² And Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a man inciting a revolt? ⁵³ While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”

In today’s text it says: While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading the way for them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus responded and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a man inciting a revolt? While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”   In John 13 Jesus washed the feet of Judas His betrayer. In Luke 23:34 Jesus says: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing,” forgiving those who crucified Him. Here in today’s text, Jesus healed one who came to arrest Him.  In Luke 6:27-28;31 Jesus says:  “I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you… Treat people the same way you want them to treat you.”  1 John 4:19 says: We love, because He first loved us. If we are to follow Jesus, then we should not respond to the actions of others against us in kind, but rather responding to the love of Christ, we should respond in kindness, in forgiveness, with blessings and prayers for their good.

Not only did Jesus give us an example of how we should treat others, He also prayed and prays for us. The text says: And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. Now when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you do not come into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you do not come into temptation.”  Jesus knew what was coming. In Revelation 13:8 Jesus is referred to as “the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world.” He calls Himself the one who is and was and is to come. Eternity knows all there is to know in this finite time. I don’t think it was Jesus wrestling with God in the moment that caused Him such great agony that He sweat drops of blood. His prayer may have begun: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done,” but I believe that John captures more of what Jesus prayed that night. John 17:13-26 say: “Now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”  Jesus agonized and prayed that night, He sweat drops of blood not for His own outcome to change, but so that we would not fall in temptation. So that we would be changed, perfected in unity, one with Him.

Read and receive that prayer again. Then follow Him.