Peter was willing to defend the heavenly King with his sword and strength. But Christ prevented him from using violence, because His kingdom comes only through kindness, gentleness, and love. In doing this, Christ rejected every kind of crusade that contradicts His divine purpose and His call for love and respect. The Lord did not use the twelve armies of angels that were at His disposal, nor did He tempt the Holy Spirit who foretold the necessity of His death and resurrection to save the world. He loved His enemies and confessed before them that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, do not try to implement your ideas by force. Instead, be patient, commit yourself to the Lord, and love your enemy to the end.
For Christ’s servants, the weapons of warfare are not carnal but spiritual. Therefore, we should not fight according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). Some believers, however, think they have to stand up in defense of their civil rights and liberties. They insist that fighting is necessary for the preservation of public peace and order. At the same time, though, they agree that we should not resist evil (Matthew 5:39). Christ does not want His servants to spread His gospel by force of arms. A Latin proverb says, “Religion cannot be forced; and it should be defended, not by killing, but by dying.”
Christ healed the ear of the servant whom Peter attacked so that he could hear the Lord’s word once again. Imagine the astonishment of the servant who saw his ear thrown to the ground by a sword and then returned to its place by his “enemy” who might have killed him. This healing confirms to us that, by grace, Jesus forgives His enemies and opens to them the kingdom of God freely.