Vertebrae

Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18:11   Jesus is being arrested. It’s finally happening. After countless ruffling of the religious elite, calling Pharisees a “brood of vipers”, and constantly disrupting societal norms... They’ve had enough. They’re going to put an end to it.    In the middle of the night. With lots of manpower.    John 18:3 says that Judas guided a “detachment of soldiers” into the garden. Scholars estimate that a “detachment” was somewhere between 200–600 men. They’re coming to arrest a teacher and his eleven friends. And they're carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.    Jesus confronts them immediately. “Who is it you want?”    “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.   “I am he,” Jesus said.   When the soldiers step forward to arrest Jesus, Peter draws his sword and in a moment of equal parts “lightning-fast speed” and “complete unfamiliarity with how to use a sword” he cuts off one of the accuser’s ears. It’s violent and emo