The Testimony of Malchus
These are just the facts: It was month of Nisan. The time was the middle of the night. The place was the Garden of Gethsemane. I was working night watch out of the temple mount in Jerusalem under Chief Priest Ciaphas. My rank was corporal of the guard. My name is Malchus.
I was assigned to a squad of Legionnaires commanded by a Roman captain. We were just there to pick up a heretic. We had a mole in his gang. The mole fingered the suspect without hesitation. It was by the book - no mistakes. It was a clean bust, just routine.
Then that crazy fisherman hacked off my ear with a rusty sword! My ear was layin' in the mud, the crud, and the blood, I was screaming, and rolling around on the ground, … oh, man, that hurt! I’m a temple guard: I wasn't even armed! The soldiers jumped back, raised their torches and drew their weapons.
Then the Jew in the white robe stepped in front of the sword pushed my attacker’s arm down and said, “Put it away, Peter”. The captain could have run Him through while His back was turned. I don’t know why but he didn’t.
Then the suspect looked down at me. Suddenly I didn’t feel my pain any more. I can’t forget the look on His face; He looked old and tired. He was in more pain than I was. In the flickering torchlight I could see glistening drops of sweat, blood, and tears running down his cheeks. He shook his head, furrowed his brow, smiled faintly, and reached down his hand to me. Then He knelt down and picked up my ear. He sort of slapped me on the side of the head with it.
Then the soldiers jerked Him away. They threw Him down, tied His hands behind His back, and put a rope around His neck. Then they led Him away, like you’d lead a sheep. The crowd scattered and it got awfully quiet there alone in the dark among the old olive trees. I tried to figure out what had just happened. I was afraid to do it, but I reached up and felt of my wounded ear. Then I felt of the other one. They were the same.
Then it hit me, the horror: Oh, my God! It’s Him! The One we have been waiting for. What have we done? They are going to kill the Messiah. I just laid down there on the ground and sobbed myself to sleep.
The sun woke me up the next morning. At first, I thought it might have been a dream. Then I looked down and saw the bloodstains dried on my tunic. It was no dream. I didn’t go back to the temple. How could I? What could I have done? Besides, by then it was already too late.
Later, I learned that they had a fake trial, and crucified Him that same day. Then three days later, up from the grave He arose. About seven weeks later, really strange things started happening in Jerusalem.
That fisherman who cut off my ear and the gang that was in the garden with Him that night started telling everybody what we had done. They were preaching that this man Jesus was the Messiah. They had His power. Thousands believed. But, I already knew it.
It made me sick. I mean, I was there; I was a part of it. Who should know better than I? I was an eyewitness. You know, sometimes something happens that changes everything. First it's one way, blink, then it's the other. Before – blink – after. Was – blink – is. Then – blink – now. See what I mean? You hear what I am saying?
If I know anything, I know who I was. I was, yes and still am, one of God's chosen people. I am the seed of Abraham. I am of the tribe of Benjamin. I know my lineage back to Noah, …yes, Adam. I know who I am!
I have the Torah. I have the Prophets. I have the covenant. God is just. Cause and effect, you know - you can count on that. You play; you pay. You screw up, God's gonna get you. There are rules in this life you know.
That has always been our way, and I know the old ways. I study the scriptures. I know the law. I know what I am supposed to do: Keep the commandments. Do your duty. Pay your debts. Trust your priest. Bring your sacrifice. Eat kosher. Arrest criminals. Hate your enemy. Eye for eye and all that. Do your best and wait for the Messiah. The prophets said He would come.
That was then; this is now. He did come. He told us who He was, but we didn’t hear Him. He came to bless us with love and mercy and grace. He came to save us from ourselves, from hatred and judgement and condemnation. He came to show us the love of God. He was God’s gift to the world. What He did changed everything.
Could God love the world enough to send his Son to pay for the sins of us all? Was that His plan all along? Does He know us that well? Did the old way just serve its purpose until He came? Was the old way supposed to end with Him? He said it was.
He healed my ear by touching it. Men can't do that, now can they? He was, and is, the Son of God. I know it, and in your heart you must know it too. You can’t have it both ways. His way is the way to God. He gave us His birthright. When He died on that cross, God blinked, and that changed everything.
Barto Fanning @ August 14, 2006