And behold one of them that were with Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword: and striking the servant of the high priest, cut off his ear.
και ιδου εις των μετα ιησου εκτεινας την χειρα απεσπασεν την μαχαιραν αυτου και παταξας τον δουλον του αρχιερεως αφειλεν αυτου το ωτιον
12 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Peter wielded the knife, as noted by John (John 18:10). He had it in his possession, having recently offered the lamb that was consumed at the supper. We do not judge Peter harshly, for his actions were not for his own sake but in service to his Lord. Nevertheless, the Lord admonishes him against using the sword, despite Peter's intention to defend the divine cause. In severing the ear, Peter reveals the Jewish people's affliction of disobedience.
In a profound way, Simon unsheathed his sword to affirm the instruction of Moses: ‘Every soul that will not listen to that prophet shall die a death’ (cf. Deuteronomy 18:19).
And lo, one of those accompanying Jesus raised his hand, drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, severing his ear. In another account, it is noted that Peter acted on an impulsive fervor, similar to previous incidents. The servant of the high priest, identified as Malchus, lost his right ear in this encounter. It is worth mentioning that Malchus, meaning king, once represented the people of Judah, yet fell into servitude due to the malice and greed of the priests. Consequently, he lost his right ear, rendering him only able to grasp the trivial meanings of the Scriptures with his left ear. However, the Lord restores the right ear to those Jews willing to believe, transforming the lineage of slaves into a royal and priestly heritage.
In the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 22:49-50), it is recorded that those present witnessing the events unfolding around Jesus asked Him, "Lord, should we strike with a sword?" One of the disciples then struck the ear of the high priest’s servant. John (John 18:10) identifies the disciple as Simon Peter, who, brandishing a sword, managed to sever the servant's ear. While others were still questioning what to do, Peter, in his impulsiveness, acted hastily and targeted the servant's head but instead only removed his ear. According to Luke (Luke 22:38), the disciples possessed two swords, likely acquired after the Last Supper, substantial enough for defense against intruders.
Witnessing this altercation, Jesus instructed them to hold back, and then He touched the injured man’s ear, restoring it, as noted by Luke (Luke 22:51). With His remark, “until this time,” Christ indicated that the servant’s injury served a divine purpose, highlighting the spiritual blindness of the chief priests, who were envious and unable to comprehend the prophecies about Him. Through this miraculous healing, Jesus displayed His compassion and suggested that He could have sought retribution against them if He desired, while also conveying the principle of responding with goodness towards those who wrong us. One might question how the disciples escaped severe punishment after this confrontation with the high priest’s servant. It is evident that the same divine power that incapacitated the attackers also mitigated the anger stemming from Peter's actions.
The apostle severed the ear of the high priest's servant, symbolizing how the follower of Christ removes the defiant ear of the one embodying the priesthood. That which was once unable to perceive the truth is now taken away.
One who remains in connection with Jesus and aligns their thoughts with His teachings seeks to defend the honored Lord, similar to the way Peter acted when he saw the Jews disregarding the command to obey all that Christ instructs (Deuteronomy 18:15). In his fervor, Peter severed the ear of the priest's servant, demonstrating that the priest was in rebellion against the law, and illustrating that a decisive action was necessary to confront such defiance.
His adversaries approached the Savior armed with swords, and His disciples bore arms as well. O Divine Love, how do You present Yourself before Your foes? In this moment, your judgement concerning the sword holds particular significance. Observing the unfolding events, the disciples inquired, "Lord, should we strike with a dagger?" One of them indeed struck the servant of the high priest (Luke 22:49-50). Upon witnessing the arrest of Jesus and the handling of Him by His captors, the disciples were troubled. Their cherished Teacher, whose life and message embodied the highest sanctity, was being seized by the wicked. What was transpiring? They perceived this as an outrage unparalleled in the world. How could such a thing be tolerated?
The Lord had consistently warned His followers that He would be betrayed into the hands of sinners, that He would endure great suffering in Jerusalem. And now, it appeared to them that He willingly walked toward His enemies and surrendered Himself. But to cause suffering to the Righteous One, to let the very embodiment of celestial holiness undergo such indignities—could this truly happen? Such was Peter's protest, for he had declared earlier that these sufferings were impossible for his Lord (Matthew 16:21-23). Our humanity recoils from suffering, and our fleshly hearts struggle to bear the burden of injustice. The magnitude of innocent suffering is beyond our comprehension, a challenge too great for human frailty, even as the Supreme Sovereign tolerates evil in the world. Therefore, disturbed by the perceived injustice, the disciples questioned whether the sword should not be drawn in defense. And it was Simon Peter, always eager and bold (John 18:10), who unsheathed his sword, struck the high priest’s servant—more brazen than the rest—and severed his ear.
And lo, one of those accompanying Jesus reached out, unsheathed his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, whose name was Malchus. This was perhaps the first individual to dare lay a hand against the Lord Jesus, severing his ear in the act. However, any hint of defiance against authority was abhorrent to the Lord. “Stop,” He commanded, and without hesitation, He touched Malchus’ ear and restored it to wholeness. By this act, He exemplified the principle of repaying evil with goodness, a teaching He also conveyed through His words. Peter, motivated by love for his Master, acted rashly and therefore only caused sorrow to his Lord. He had forgotten the grave lesson imparted to him after the Transfiguration, when, in response to Peter's objection regarding the necessity of suffering, the Lord had sternly declared, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.”
The apostles approached Jesus, eager to defend Him, and one of them asked, "Lord, should we not strike with the sword?" Without waiting for a reply, Peter drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priest named Malchus, severing his right ear. It seemed the other apostles were ready to follow Peter's lead, but Jesus intervened, telling them to refrain, saying, "leave it, it is enough" (Luke 22:51). Then, approaching Malchus, Jesus touched his wounded ear and miraculously restored it.
Amidst the turmoil, Peter took up his sword to protect his Lord, but in his clumsiness, he merely cut off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest. Nevertheless, Christ rebuked him for his rashness and restored the servant's ear.
Among those who accompanied Jesus was Peter (John 18:10). The Gospel writers Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not reference him by name, likely because he was still living when they composed their accounts, and naming him could have resulted in risk or trouble for him. The act of drawing a sword or knife suggests that the Lord's disciples did not typically carry weapons, as travellers in Palestine would have done mainly for protection against thieves and wild animals. When the Lord sent them out to preach, He forbade them from taking swords, thereby reassuring them of their safety.
However, after the Last Supper, He indicated that they might need to sell their garments to acquire swords, which resulted in them possessing two swords or knives, one of which the fervent Peter chose to use to defend his Master. The servant of the high priest was identified as Malchus (John 18:10).
The disciples, likely recalling the Lord's teaching about remaining steadfast in peril (Luke 22:36), believed the appointed time foretold by their Teacher had arrived and approached Him with an inquiry: Lord, should we strike with a sword? However, amidst uncertainty among some and indecision in others, the impulsive Peter took action: wielding his sword, he struck and severed the right ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest. Peter's boldness influenced the other disciples, who began to prepare to confront force with force. Yet the Lord addressed them, saying, “Put your swords away,” and He turned to Peter, admonishing his premature fervor: "Return your sword to its place; for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Should I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?
Or do you think I cannot appeal to My Father, and He would send Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen this way?" In this moment, the Lord sought to reassure the disciples for two reasons: first, by warning against retaliation, and second, by demonstrating that His suffering was voluntary and aligned with the ancient prophecies. The Lord then touched Malchus' ear and restored it, signifying that the final act of compassion He performed during His earthly ministry was healing an adversary, thus embodying the commandment to love one's enemies, as He taught His followers (Matt. 5:44).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 23 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS