"With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 'Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who live by the sword will die by the sword."
This scene marks a critical plot twist in the minds of everyone following Jesus. What was supposed to be the start of a revolutionary uprising to take back Jerusalem and restore David's throne turned into what must've been at the time the worst possible outcome if Israel was ever to be restored.
The account of John identifies the companion as Simon Peter, which makes sense given his proclivity to boldly do the wrong thing. I can almost hear what was going through Peter's mind , "Now is the time to strike! The kingdom is at hand!" It would've been the ear cutting heard 'round the world, forever altering the course of history, but Jesus would have none of it. He stopped the war before it even began.
Everyone abandoned Jesus that day because he was not what they expected, nay he was not what they wanted him to be. Jesus didn't fit into their box, but he was far more than anything they could've imagined. If you've ever been disappointed with Jesus, perhaps your idea of Jesus is too small?
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