STAND FOR JESUS, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT

Mark 14:47-52

⁴⁷ But one of those who stood by pulled out his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and took off his ear. ⁴⁸ And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against an insurrectionist, with swords and clubs to arrest me? ⁴⁹ Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰ And they all left him and ran off. ⁵¹ And a young man followed him, with nothing but a shirt around his body. And they seized him, ⁵² but he left the shirt and ran away naked.

the day I ran from Jesus

Mark’s version of Jesus’ arrest combines several surreal elements. The cutting off of the servant’s ear is there, but no mention of Jesus healing it. Jesus pointed out the irony that this mob arrested him with force now, but he had been easily accessible earlier in the week, and no one had laid a hand on him. He concluded that it had to happen now in order for the prophecies about him to be fulfilled.

Mark might have been that young man who was almost arrested with Jesus, but escaped with his life, but not his dignity. Perhaps the reason Mark does not elaborate on the servant’s healing is that he was sharing his own personal testimony here, and he did not witness that miracle. All he remembered was running away from Jesus to his own shame. It is a sobering thing to remember your only encounter with Jesus only to recall that you fled in fear.

Don’t run away from Jesus.

LORD, give us the courage to stand with you when others are standing against you.