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51. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.52. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.53. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?54. But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be.Matthew 26:51-54 Jesus, after coming from His agony in the garden, where He asked if this ordeal could pass, has been strengthened by His Father. When confronted by the mob, one of the disciples draws a sword and not skillfully, cuts off the ear of a servant of the high priest. Not mentioned in this text, but in John 18:10, Christ heals the man's ear, even though he was very close to apprehending Him, and Christ is aware of what will take place. Christ's demeanor has changed, He has defused the violence of the mob sheltering His followers. And rebukes the disciple for taking vengeance on the servant. Saying, His Father would send 72,000 angels to defend Him, if He asked, in 2 Kings 19:35, one angel destroyed 186,000 Assyrian soldiers. This is said so those around Him will know that men have no power to arrest Him. That Christ is willingly submitting to these men, to fulfill His purpose of saving mankind from sin, at the cost of His life. This is our model to love, Christ lived His words, to His death. He healed the man who came to aid in His murder, He kept His followers safe from the mob, He went to the cross for us by His own free will. And this is how Christ wants us to be. A reflection of our Saviour in word and deed. Amen.