I am going to read a single, continuous narrative that weaves together all the material elements from the accounts of Jesus’ arrest as recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. No details from any account have been omitted, though overlapping material has been integrated rather than repeated.
The reason for reading this is that there is something in this account that applies directly to the current reality faced by Jehovah’s Witnesses, particularly those whose critical thinking ability has not been completely lobotomized by constant study of the Watchtower magazine.
I will read the account first, and then we will analyze it together, not from the viewpoint of the disciples, but from the perspective of those sent to arrest Jesus.
Here goes:
While Jesus was still speaking to his disciples, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, arrived, leading a large crowd. They had come from the chief priests, the scribes, the elders, and the Pharisees, and included officers of the temple as well as a band of soldiers under a commanding officer. They carried swords and clubs, and came with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
Judas knew the place well, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. The betrayer had previously arranged a signal with them, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” Drawing near to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him.
But Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” Then he said quietly, “Friend, do what you came to do.”
Knowing all that was about to happen to him, Jesus stepped forward and said to the crowd, “Whom do you seek?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” When he said this, they drew back and fell to the ground. Judas, the one betraying him, was standing among them.
Jesus asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And again they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If, therefore, you seek me, let these men go.” This was in order to fulfill what he had previously said, that he would lose none of those given to him.
As the crowd moved in to seize him, those who were with Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” One of them, Simon Peter, drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Jesus immediately said, “No more of this!” He touched the servant’s ear and healed him. Then he said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its place, into its sheath. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me? 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 would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
Turning to the chief priests, the officers of the temple, and the elders who had come out against him, Jesus said, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness. All this has taken place so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then all the disciples abandoned him and fled.
Now we could look at this account from the viewpoint of the Roman soldiers, many of whom would never have witnessed Jesus perform a miracle. It is also likely that some of the Jewish scribes, elders, or Pharisees present had never seen an actual miracle performed.
But for our purposes, let us focus on one individual: Malchus, the servant of the high priest.
Can you imagine what it would be like to have your ear sliced off? Setting aside the immediate pain, you would also be confronted with the knowledge that you were now permanently disfigured. Yet then, unexpectedly, the very man you had come to arrest reached out and miraculously restored your ear.
Who could do that? In all of Israel, who could have done such a thing? Nobody. Absolutely nobody could do it, except the man you had come to arrest. He had done the impossible.
Would any reasonable person need further proof that Jesus was who he claimed to be, the Son of God?
So why did Malchus not protest? Why did no one else object to the arrest of a man of God, a proven miracle worker? Why did the Roman soldiers not refuse to participate in this action?
Not a single person in the crowd that came to arrest Jesus voiced an objection. Perhaps some harbored doubts after witnessing the miracle, but all were afraid to speak up.
Now consider how different the situation would have been if Peter had not been carrying a sword, and if, being Peter, he had not acted impetuously and struck off the ear of the high priest’s servant. There would have been no miracle. The arrest would have appeared no different from that of any ordinary wrongdoer.
But that miracle changed everything. From that moment on, everyone involved in the arrest had undeniable evidence that what they were doing was wrong. They could no longer claim ignorance. By remaining silent, they became complicit.
We do not have miracle workers today. What we do have are Christians filled with holy spirit who speak up for what is right and true. Within the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, such individuals expose false teachings and hypocritical conduct on the part of the leadership.
And what happens to them?
Like the Jewish scribes, Pharisees, and priests who tried to silence Jesus, the elders of the organization attempt to silence these individuals by threatening them with disfellowshipping.
And how do the majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses respond when they witness this injustice? Do they protest? Do they refuse to comply with what is an illegal and unscriptural disfellowshipping? No. They comply. They become complicit. They refuse to take a stand for righteousness because they fear men more than God.
And there you have it.