Exposition of John, Chapter 18 · Verse 4
Verſe 10. Then Simon Peter having a ſword, drew it, and ſmote the high Prieſts ſervant, and cut off his right eare: the ſervants name was Malchus.
11. Then ſaid Jeſus unto Peter, Put up thy ſword into the ſheath: the Cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it?
The third thing premitted to Chriſts taking and binding, is, his reprehenſion of Peters raſh behaviour. Chriſt being a taking (as it is, Mark 14.46, 47.) the diſciples enquire if they ſhould fight, and before Chriſt return an anſwer, Peter, in his furious zeal, breaks forth, (Luke 22.49, 50.) and cuts off the right ear of one of the ſervants of the High Prieſt, whoſe name is here recorded, for further confirmation of the truth of the Hiſtory. This carriage Chriſt reproves, bidding Peter put up his ſword, not to be reſerved for a fitter time, to be employed in any Churchmans hands, but to teach him, that theſe were not his weapons. And whereas the other Evangeliſts record ſeveral reaſons of this reproof and command; (Namely, that this fact was without the bounds of his calling; That he needed not ſuch poor ſhifts, having other help enough, if it were needful; That he would not have the Scripture made a liar; and, That he ought to ſuffer this far, being not yet hardly handled, or ſuffer them to go ſo far as God hath permitted them; all which are held out, Matth. 26.52, 53, 54. Luke 22, 51.) The beloved diſciple takes moſt notice of that reaſon wherein love ſhined ſo conſpicuouſly; That he would drink that cup of affliction which the Father had given him to drink for the good of his people.
From v. 10. Learn, 1. Men may do things which ſeem to ſpeak much zeal and affection to Chriſt, which yet are full of droſſe, and reprovable before him; for, albeit it was great ſtoutneſſe in the diſciples, to offer their ſervice to Chriſt againſt the whole band, with their two ruſty blades, and in Peter, to hazard his life among them; yet Chriſts entertainment of this offered ſervice ſheweth how unſavoury it was. 2. It is a great fault in men, to run upon a ſervice to which they have no calling, did the ſervice ſeem to ſpeak never ſo much zeal; for, it was Peters fault, being a private man, to run to a ſword to fight for his Maſter. 3. It is a great blemiſh in men, not to be ſolid, but full of flaſhes, and ſudden violent reſolutions and actings; which as they ordinarily drive men to debord in going about that which is right, ſo they oft-times end in as great an extremity of turning their back on what is right; for, this was alſo Peters fault: Others of them (no doubt) had as much love to Chr…ſt, and as much valour as he, had they been called to ſhew it; But he was a raſh and forward man, ſoon ſet on foot to what ſeemed good, but with much of his own ſpirit and wrath, which worketh not the righteouſneſſe of God, and aſſoon driven to an extremity of fear and fainting, as afterward we will finde. 4. Men cannot go right (whatever their way, or zeal in it, ſeem to be) who wait not upon direction, but either neglect to ſeek it, or having ſought it, do neglect to wait for his light, and run the way unto which their own ſpirits encline; for, ſo alſo did Peter here, all of them having enquired at Chriſt, he prevents an anſwer by following his own inclination, Luke 22. 5. It is a great evidence of mens diſtempers, when they will not learn to overcome by ſuffering, but would repel one injury with another: when all the out-gate of trials they look for, is how to bear them down, or fall upon the inflicters of them, but know not that to ſuffer and ſtoop is an out-gate, Rom. 12.19, 20, 21. for, this alſo was Peters fault, that he could fight, but not ſuffer.
From v. 11. Learn, 1. It is a great ſigne of Chriſts love, that he reproves his people for their faults; for, he reproves not Judas and the band ſo ſharply, (though he give them a check, Luke 22.53) as he doth Peter, Then ſaid Jeſus unto Peter, put up thy ſword into the ſheath, &c. 2. Afflictions are meaſured by God to his people, both for quantity and quality: Therefore, are they called a Cup, which, as it is a comfort to the godly, that their lot is in a friends hand, ſo it may terrifie the wicked, whoſe lot is alſo carved out, and who will not get ſo much affliction as they pleaſe; but ſo much as the juſtice of God ſeeth meet to meaſure out unto them, Pſal. 75 8. 3. It may ſweeten the lot of Chriſt and his followers, that even the bittereſt potions come not from God as a Judge, but as a Father: for, even all that Chriſt drank (and it was very bitter) was the Cup which my Father hath given me. 4. Subjection unto God doth well become his people, and to ſee them endure that willingly, which he calls them unto; for, by this means the croſſe is made ſweet, whereas rebellion and want of ſubjection is the very curſe of croſſes; Therefore doth Chriſt appear ſo eminent in ſubjection; The Cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it? See Matth. 26 39, 45. 5. Love to God, and faith in his love, will make any condition carved out by him, ſweet to us, and us ſubmiſſive to undergo it; conſidering that nothing but good can be expected from him, who is goodneſſe and love it ſelfe; for, ſo doth Chriſt argue, The Cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it? His love to his Father, and his ſeeing him a Father in it, made him ſtoop to it. 6. Chriſt did ſo love his Father, and to ſuffer for his people, as he would not be hindred to ſuffer, but drank that cup heartily, as minding to be often refreſhed with his peoples love to him again, who had ſo loved them; for, when Peter did what he could to impede his ſufferings, he ſaith, Should I not drink that Cup? 7. Such as would entertain ſubmiſſion in bearing hard lots, ought to repel all thoughts of outgate and eaſe, and hold their eye ſtill upon their trial, leſt ſquint-looks toward a poſſibility or probability of deliverance, do blunt their reſolutions; Therefore doth Chriſt repel any thing that Peter, by his carriage, might ſuggeſt of eſcaping that danger, Should I not drink the Cup? See alſo Mat. 16.23.