Our “Take Two” radio spots started airing yesterday. Here is today’s episode.

It was the day of Jesus betrayal. Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane. And a religious mob comes to arrest Jesus. Evidently, Peter was packing. He pulls out his sword and cuts off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest. We tend to overlook this subplot in Scripture, but Peter is in a world of trouble. You don’t cut off someone’s ear and get by with it, especially if that someone is the High Priest’s servant. Worst case scenario, Peter gets charged with attempted murder. Best case scenario, Peter gets charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon.

Then Jesus miraculously reattaches the amputated ear. But he does more than heal this man’s ear. Jesus destroys the evidence against Peter. Stop and think about it. Malchus files suit against Peter and takes the witness stand. He says, “Peter cut off my ear.” The Judge says, “Which ear?” Malchus says, “My right one.” The Judge comes in for a closer look and looks confused. He says, “Your right ear looks fine to me.” And the case gets thrown out of court for lack of evidence.

This isn’t just a story about Jesus and Peter and Malchus. It’s a story about Jesus and you and me. Jesus went to the cross to destroy the evidence against us! II Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God.”