John 18:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That dishonor came from transgression and from sin, the begetter of evil. For He alone, equivalent to all, was dishonored for all.

And I think the whole creation would have trembled, had it possessed the capacity to perceive this audacity. For the Lord of glory was insulted by the impious hand of the man who struck Him.

Yet I think that an inquisitive investigator will naturally wish to know why this utterly reckless and wholly impious servant struck Jesus on the face.

For He had said absolutely nothing harsh or angry, but had given very meek answers to everything of which He was accused.

As it appears, however, the ruler of the Jews himself did not command Him to be struck, nor to be assaulted with such incredible insults.

Perhaps someone might suppose here the ordinary and frequent behavior of servants. When they bring before rulers those accused of some lawlessness, they violently compel them to speak as meekly as possible.

And if they say anything unfitting, they subject them to insult. But I do not think that this frenzy against Christ took place then for this reason.

We shall find another pretext for this audacity if we attend to what was said before. We have just said that some of the servants had grieved the rulers.

These were the men who, when commanded to seize Jesus, returned after receiving such mystagogy from Him and such amazement before Him that they openly declared, "Never did a man speak like this Man."

Greatly distressed by this, the Pharisees said, "Have you also been deceived? Have any of the Pharisees or of the rulers believed in Him? But this crowd, which does not know the Law, is accursed" (Jn 7:46-49).

Since, therefore, the Savior's words reminded the rulers of the displeasure that had then arisen in them against the servants, the servant tried to turn suspicion away from himself.

For the Savior had presented them as witnesses of His teaching, saying, "Behold, these know what I said."

The servant, who was accused by them of respect for Christ, deflected from himself the suspicion of goodwill toward Him. As though directing the rulers' attention to other thoughts, he stopped Christ's speech with blows.

He would not allow Him to say what might have harmed the insolent crowd among the high-priestly servants.

Here someone may say, "Why did He not do what He Himself commanded?" That is, He should not have answered the one who struck Him, but should have turned the other cheek to him (cf. Mt 5:39).

But what of the fact that He answered rightly, humbly, and justly? He did not merely offer the other cheek to the assailant, but His whole body, that it might be nailed to the tree.

By this He rather showed what had to be shown. Namely, that His great commandments concerning patience must be fulfilled not by offering the body, but by preparing the heart.

For it may even happen that a man filled with anger outwardly offers the other cheek.

How much better it is, with inward peace, to speak the truth in reply and to be ready, with a tranquil soul, to endure still heavier sufferings.

Blessed is the man who, in everything unjustly suffered for righteousness, can truly say, "My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready."

From this, of course, what follows will take place: "I will sing and give praise" (Ps 56:8). Paul and Barnabas were able to fulfill this in harshest bonds (cf. Acts 16:25).

Yet, so that those who are being saved should not fall into unbelief, the Holy Spirit wrote beforehand concerning this in the person of Christ speaking. For the same One who then spoke later appeared: "I gave My back to scourges" (Is 50:6).

"King Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar" against the prophet, "and said, 'Seize him.' And his hand, which he stretched out against him, withered" (3 Kgs 13:4).

Why, then, did the hand of that lawless man not wither, when it was stretched out not against a prophet, but against Him whom the prophets foretold?

"He who created man with His hand is struck on the face by a hand of clay."

He says, "I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who smote Me" (Is 50:6).

These are the cheeks which shone on Tabor like the sun. These are the cheeks of which the bride says, "His cheeks are like a bed of spices, yielding fragrance" (Song 5:13).

These are the cheeks, the face which David seeks: "My face has sought You; Your face, O Lord, I will seek" (Ps 26:8).

He is struck so mercilessly by an iron hand. How did the structure of the world endure the dishonor of its Creator?

How many thousands of people did the earth swallow for the dishonor shown to Moses (Num 16)? How many tens of men did fire consume at the word of Elijah (4 Kgs 1)?

And what army was struck blind through the anger of Elisha (4 Kgs 6)? Yet now, when the Master endures such cruel dishonor, all the elements are silent.

The Angel cries to Abraham, "Do not lay your hand upon your son Isaac" (Gen 22:12). Why, then, does he raise his hand against the guiltless Isaac, the Son of God?

Woe to you! "The Lord is the God of vengeance" (Ps 93:1). Whom are you touching? The tabernacle of the Holy of Holies. Do you not see His silent innocence?

Therefore a blow from the attendant on the other cheek could not have frightened Him. If it had truly been necessary to turn the other cheek, and if His commandments had to be fulfilled literally, He would certainly have turned the other cheek to the man who struck Him.

But He acted otherwise. By a meek question He resisted the evil servant and thereby spared him from repeating a most grievous crime.

These examples prove that Jesus Christ did not understand or fulfill literally His commandment concerning nonresistance to evil. Consequently, He commanded us also not to fulfill it literally.

The Insult to Jesus by the Attendant of Annas. Annas understood that no other answer could have been expected and probably would have ended the interrogation.

But his attendant, standing there, found in this answer something disrespectful toward so important a person as the former high priest. Wishing to show special zeal for his master, he struck Jesus on the cheek.

He insolently said, "Is that how You answer the high priest?"

If Jesus had borne this insult in silence, people might have thought that He acknowledged it as deserved. The overly zealous servant would especially have become proud beyond measure at such silent approval of his deed.

Therefore, in order to cut off evil at its very beginning and make the servant feel the full weight of his sin, Jesus overcame evil by a good word.

"If I have spoken evil," He says, addressing the man who insulted Him, "then bear witness to the evil. Point out exactly what you consider wrong in My answer to the high priest.

But if I have spoken well, why do you strike Me?"

Such savage self-will by an attendant forced even the high priest himself to feel the sting of conscience. This was especially so when he heard Christ's infinitely meek remark: "If I have spoken evil, bear witness to the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"

And when He was struck for this, He who could shake and destroy all things did nothing of the kind.

Do you see a court breathing agitation, disorder, anger, and lawlessness? The high priest asked treacherously. Christ answered rightly and fittingly.

What remained to be done? To refute Him or be silent. But this was not done. The servant struck Him."