temple, ye stretched forth no
hands against Me." He, a solitary man, though He knew how many were
against Him, had not been afraid: He taught daily in the temple--in the
most public place, at the most public hour. But they, numerous and
powerful as they were, yet were afraid, and so they had chosen the
midnight hour for their nefarious purpose. "This is your hour," He
said, "and the power of darkness." This midnight hour is your hour,
because ye are sons of night, and the power ye wield against Me is the
power of darkness.

So spake the Lion of the tribe of Judah! So will He speak on that day
when all His enemies shall be put under His feet. "Kiss the Son, lest
He be angry, and ye perish from the way when His wrath is kindled but a
little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."

III.

We cannot recall to mind too often that it was the victory in the
Garden that accounted for this triumph outside the gate. The
irresistible dignity and strength here displayed were gained by
watching and prayer.

This, however, is made still more impressively clear by the fate of
those who did not watch and pray. On them everything came as a
blinding and bewildering surprise. They were aroused out of profound
slumber, and came stumbling forward hardly yet awake. When hands were
laid on Jesus, one of the disciples cried, "Shall we smite with the
sword?" And, without waiting for an answer, he struck. But what a
ridiculous blow! How like a man half-awake! Instead of the head, he
only smote the ear. This blow would have been dearly paid for had not
Jesus, with perfect presence of mind, interposed between Peter and the
swords which were being drawn to cut him down. "Suffer ye thus far,"
He said, keeping the soldiers back; and, touching the ear, He healed
it, and saved His poor disciple.

Surely it was even with a smile that Jesus said to Peter, "Put up again
thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish
with the sword." Inside the scabbard, not outside, was the sword's
place; it was out of place in this cause; and those who wield the sword
without just reason, and without receiving the orders of competent
authority, are themselves liable to give life for life.

But it was with the high-strung eloquence with which He had spoken to
His enemies that Jesus further showed Peter how inconsistent was his
act. It was inconsistent with his Master's dignity; "For," said He,
"if I ask My F