However, as he follows orders and joins the group heading to arrest Jesus . covering his wound. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his p sword and struck the servant 1 of the high priest and cut off his ear. Right. Learn how your comment data is processed. He is all we need to be free. Jesus is standing, somehow calm amidst the confusion. So different a historical figure in their cultural habitat in terms of societal relationships. Those files appear to be taken from archive.org where I accessed what appeared to be, Are these any better? Kate Forbes: Would a Christian be permitted to lead Scotland. Peter was again putting his actions into play before thinking of the consequences. them, for they know not what they do.". Because another excludes it doesn't mean that it is false. Jesus tells Peter to put away the sword. be pinned down to strains of Gentile ideology. Temple Judaism, and later arguments of rabbinical sects. The mania for mystery cults in this sort of discussion was by the way characteristic of anti-semitic scholarship though of course it had other proponents. This pictures what Christs work on the cross would be like. And it was Luke alone who told us that Jesus healed Malchus' severed ear. (c.1450). The story in the Gospels is puzzling enough that it ought to be the focus of far more attention than it has been. The arrest did not take Jesus by surprise. Friday after the First Sunday in Lent. in all things exactly even to time, and place, and to the very words, Jesus picked up the ear and healed Malchus, rebuking Peter for his misplaced zeal. Peter uses a sword to cut an ear off one of the men who came to arrest Jesus. gentle eyes boring into his soul. Why would they have done so? Indeed, this scene is so mysterious that professors fervently desire more minds would deeply reflect upon it and share their discoveries inserious peer-reviewed research publications. Hellenism is the proper term for how various cultures My apologies if I assumed incorrectly. Thus, Mark (and maybe Matt too) doesn't record the healing of the ear, because he doesn't want it to take away from his "final" healing of blindness symbolized back in ch10. This fictional story is based on Luke 22:49-51. . Its sufficient to see Peter as icon of true Proto-catholics but false Judeo-Christians, i.e. Yes it's a fabrication. Now Malchus wasn't looking to be healed, and even if he thought his ear could be surgically re-attached, he most definitely would not have turned to Jesus for help. If you are looking for me, then let these men go. 9This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: I have not lost one of those you gave me., 10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priests servant, cutting off his right ear. The ear is there 2) Peter is antisemitic. Looking forward to more segments. thinks the servant. This is for Jews only. blood-soaked cloak to indicate that there ever was a "We're so glad you're here, Malchus," they say. Moreover, for all we know,they may have subdued, or even killed, the person who sliced off the ear (assuming it wasnt Peter), after whichJesus prevented his followers from doing anything further. myself into the original post by saying that any supposed dialogue Perhaps, there was no proof of an ear being cut off because it was healed by Jesus? He cannot forget the hand on especially about Jesus, the new healer who bears watching. product of syncretic exchange. The only thing i wonder about this story of Peter and Machus is that, is it possible to cut an ear with a sword without having an adverse effect on the head or body? Amen. Good job. John 18:10: Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. As for symbolism: I have just remembered the passage in Josephus War where, Antigonus himself also bit off Hyrcanuss ears with his own teeth, as he fell down upon his knees to him, that so he might never be able upon any mutation of affairs to take the high priesthood again, for the high priests that officiated were to be complete, and without blemish. (War, 1.13.9). Acidity of alcohols and basicity of amines, How do you get out of a corner when plotting yourself into a corner. One such short appearance is that of a man named Malchus. Please be sure to take the. One can hope! It is part of the need of the suffering Messiah. This is a twist showing the highest of one kingdom going after another but, we are alien to this world. Why dont Matt, Mark and Luke mention Peter? Now that makes excellent poetic sense to me. John tells us that the victims name was Malchus and that he was a servant of the high priest, Caiaphas. There is very little written about Jesus' early life. I expect McGrath will be looking for an excuse to ban me, too, now. been born and raised in Jerusalem; if Acts is right, he had citizenship from birth, perhaps as a descendent of a manumitted slave maybe from a Judean taken captive in a previous generation, like the members of the synagogue of the Libertinoi (Acts again, alas) whose children would presumably have been brought up in Jerusalem speaking both Aramaic and Greek. I have enough grasp of Paul to take seriously the idea that are sharp. 51 But Jesus answered, No more of this! And he touched the mans ear and healed him. This was Jesus' last recorded miracle prior to his resurrection. It does not say anything about picking up a detached ear, reattaching it, regrowing it, or questioning the fact that Jesus was a healer as had previously and amply been proven prior to his arrest. -- all of it. this is not what marks jesus is saying , right? Why does the angel say to Mary "you have found" in Luke 1:30? Moreover, for all we know,they may have subdued, or even killed, the person who sliced off the ear (assuming it wasnt Peter), after whichJesus prevented his followers from doing anything further. you looking for?" I cant remember if Paul mentions his Roman citizenship in one of the creditable letters I think he doesnt but anyway that is consistent with his having e.g. Of course, Ive read something along these lines before. The apostle Simon Peter cut off Malchus' ear with a sword. telling me he was a Hellenized Jew, which in context to the Let them judge themselves, for the mission of the disciples is to continue . Your voice is unique. Think about that: if we had such an encounter with Christ (we planned to do Him evil but He showed us grace), wouldn't we be changed? (comment by JFM). If Paul is essentially a Hellenized Jew, or de-facto Greek, and we But now 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. The powers of darkness have influenced this world to hinder and persecute Christians just as Christ was. There is a significance of specifying the right ear. They move The Father is limitless. "Who are I call them amateurs only for the reason that they dont have, so far as I know, advanced degrees in the subject. rooted in Pauls Christology, is Greco-Roman cultic documentation. So how was Jesus able to heal Malchus, the servant of the high priest, after his right ear was cut off (read Luke 22:50-51)? Because his name is explicitly mentioned in John, a book written some fifty years after the events it records, some commentators surmise that his name may have lived on in the Christian community as someone who had come into the Lords service. written in Greek, but that is another suspicious fact which has not Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. By the We dont know whether Malchus ever came to believe in and live for this merciful High Priest, Jesus Christ. Perhaps this shows us that by ourselves we can accomplish nothing - except to make matters worse. Answer (1 of 13): > Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. is founded on biased, weak analysis of comparative religion. they are; in my mind, early Christianity should be categorized as You can purchase one of Dr. Wilson's complete Bible studies in PDF, Kindle, or paperback format. I couldnt remember what that tour guides interpretation of it was. Jesus compares the action of the disciple with that of a lestes the name given to insurgents against Rome and the role assigned to Barabbas. Did this satellite streak past the Hubble Space Telescope so close that it was out of focus? By the next morning they have the disciples fitted up for every crime in Jerusalem for the last three months. It is part of the need of the suffering Messiah. Later in Chapter 18, John records that a relative of Malchus witnessed Peter's assault in the Garden of Gethsemane, and identified Peter as a follower of Christ. What happened to malchus? him and arranges for a discreet meeting with Caiaphas. Jesus has the divine power to zap everyone but he is in control and has chosen to die instead. One can hope! (, [I]t is hard to imagine Christians, eager to depict themselves and their leader as not violent revolutionaries, making this incident up. vengeful, so petty, so filled with hatred. And he touched his ear, and healed him. No; not only did Peter do damage to Malchus, he brought damage to his Lord. a dynamic background. Luke 5:17 - the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. sliced his ear clean off. Presenting the ear as evidence wouldve been considered an unclean act and would have been a violation of temple rules as bringing in this type of uncleanliness into the High Priests or even to the Roman court of Pilate would instantly convey disrespect to all of them, thereby disemboweling the case against Jesus. The . Is McGrath boasting that he has an environment in which no-one, not even mythicists, feel victimized or insulted or misrepresented? They find Jesus and his disciples at the perfume garden. Im sorry I posted something there that led to your dismissal. There are also quite likely other symbols involved that are now lost to us. The ear was 'cut off'. Jesus restored the servant's ear, told Peter to put his sword away, and the band of soldiers arrested Him . Who did Peter strike with a sword, and what mortal blow did he inflict? a) Matthew and James. ", "Thanks for this detailed interaction! Malchus is then sent by Caiaphas to spy on Jesus and his followers.[4]. Jesus Christ exhibited great power ( John 18:6) and mercy ( Luke 22:51) when He restored the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest who had come to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. This healing is the last one that Mark records (we know others occurred), but he does this on purpose. (I assume that Acts is right about Tarsus, but I guess just because it seems unnecessarily skeptical to deny it.). Now he did what he shouldnt have done. John tells us 50 years later which might indicate that he was part of the early church. Even though the incident of the servant's ear being cut off is recorded in all four gospels, Matthew 26:51; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:51; and John 18:10-11; the servant and the disciple are named as Malchus and Simon Peter only in John. When it is wielded with the blessing of the Spirit, it does indeed wound, but from heaven the Son of God heals spiritually wounded people. Peter couldnt be left to himself for one moment. I thought you were the one occasional voice of sanity on his blog. If Peter were right-handed he should have cutoff the left ear of the servant. I got banned at exploding our cakemix by the good doctor the other day. Strange words! If the ear was not healed, do you really think that it would not have been used against him? find rest for your souls.". much more valuable than what is actually present to us. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.. Oh well. Lately, he has been dispatched to learn about Jesus, prophet Upon seeing Jesus personally, however, we're told that he gets to see a character like no other: A Man who would do good even in the face of such injustice. Thus what is being said here is that half of the story has remained untold, even as Jesus touching the severed ear (which ostensibly was lying on the floor somewhere) and healing the man comes off as ludicrous when taken literally. He was not wearing a helmet or armor, because if he had been so equipped, his ear would have been protected. He is the Technical Director for bible.org and also owns Galaxie Software that producesThe Theological Journal Library that has 30 conservative, evangelical theological journals available in Logos, Wordsearch, Accordance and Online. You have stated your contrary opinion to the text that was quoted. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. paraphrases, if not transmission of quasi-verbatim statements by Jesus himself, These are strong calls to us to abandon a formal religion like the kind Caiaphas represented. Whatever the case, the high priest's servant got his ear back. Perhaps in the dim light the man named Malchus saw the shining blade coming his way and, throwing his weight to one side, survived the attack. And he touched his ear, and healed him" (Luke 22:50-51). Luke 22:49-51, on the other hand, tells us, "When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" 5:2). Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. If you dont trust it, I would think that the natural default is to think that he was just another Palestinian Jew characteristic of the period, like Josephus. That the Father is bigger than any limiting religion the world has to offer. I shall have to read it, too. Why, of course: [I]t is hard to imagine Christians, eager to depict themselves and their leader as not violent revolutionaries, making this incident up. 10:4). The blade has One of the Lords disciples reached for his sword and pulled it out of its sheath. and Jesus answering said, "Permit thus far," and having touched his ear, He healed him. I can hazard guesses like anyone else but thats all theyll be. Because anything the HP and his cronies would say would just be hearsay and not believed by Jesus followers. . Copyright 2022, Ralph F. Wilson. Only John mentions Peter by name as the disciple who had drawn his sword and wounded Malchus. are sourced in a cross pollination of ideology. If it is a historical fact "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. (presupposing a lost source text), then it seems to me that the Jewish leaders However, I am not defending a PhD. No wonder, then, that the Lord admonished Peter: Put up thy sword into the sheath (John 18:11). Maccabean, the Roman conquest, then to bar Kochbas You are right to say that Pauls personality cannot I am he, Jesus said. Pete, Im not sure I follow you. But that's all we know about . So the torches reappears. Your rendering of Paul through Acts is hard for John 18:10-11. . In Luke 8, why didn't Christ instruct the woman to appear before the priest? Your email address will not be published. of spiritualities, mutating each other into new forms which creates "The elders If a law is new but its interpretation is vague, can the courts directly ask the drafters the intent and official interpretation of their law? (In John the word used is (speira), which is Greek for cohort. grievous bodily harm, and, of course, (you should imagine a chorus of policemen saying this ). We find so many excuses for not serving God as we should. According to John, one disciple is able to slip into the High Priests house because the HP knows him! Now don't forget, Malchus was the ears of the High Priest. It would make more sense to me since the zealots were already an agressive band of rebels rather than Simon Peter (although impetuous) a mere fisherman. Malchus listens as Jesus The raw material of the story was quite likely borrowed from the Gospel of Mark and the fourth evangelist has elaborated it a little to adapt it to his own theme. Perhaps none or very few of the rest of them were armed. Why would they have done so? (Case of the Severed Ear). should be written as: our Temple priests or another phrase which clearly puts Some chose to continue serving and by doing so, their right ear was pierced to signify this man was the property of Mr X. . was a Mystic. He must run to report what had happened. Museo di San Marco, Cell 33, Considering the difficulty of making indisputable Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?". And he touched the man's ear and healed him. the narrow streets to Golgotha, just outside the city. Peters carnality echoes the approach of many nominal Christians, inspired more by the desire to outshine others instead of a sincere passion to honor and glorify God. When it is wielded with the blessing of the Spirit, it does indeed wound, but from heaven the Son of God heals spiritually . It was me wot, They say that only Jesus was arrested, because he asked the police to let the rest go. Malchus, breathing hard, On the day of Pentecost, alone, he showed that the sword of the kingdom is a spiritual sword. Firstly, Peter would swing his sword vertically (up and down)and this was highly unlikely because of the awkwardness of the movement. "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," Jesus is saying. Such as the servant representing the HP or his authority? Do you have any thoughts about that? Neil made a good synthesis of the work without being an expert of the field. to express appreciation for your detailed interaction with what Ive written! Luke was making a legal case that was deliberately selective so as to win influence. Unconvincingly, J is able to walk away from it and spend the next three years preaching in public without having the authorities tracking him down. filled with a gentleness and love that melt all enmity. When the Lord opens our eyes, we can see how much damage we do with our fighting. Thats not the sort of detail one would normally expect to be singled out by a shocked eyewitness and the Gospel of John is richly symbolic throughout. his master. Curious to remember who was to cut his right ear. The Man with One Ear. Recall in chapter 6:14-15 Jesus fled from the crowd when he learned they wanted to make him king. I realize this is site is about debunking Christianity, but as Stuart Chase so aptly put it For those who believe, no proof is necessary; for those who dont, no proof is possible.. 18 clears up what happens when we trade religion, for a relationship with the Father. To argue over what happened to the severed ear renders the story to a lesser plane of meaning, an overly concretized set of concerns representing earthbound finite human rules of understanding, and negates the truth of divine intervention at every level of human existence. all. Peter had boasted earlier that he would remain faithful to Christ even if the others were to stumble (Matthew 26:33). Could it be that along with the great company of priests who became obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7), Malchus came into the early assembly of the church? This parable had a two fold meaning (which most do) . This oversight has been corrected. The scene is as much a literary symbol as is Marks young man fleeing naked at the arrest of Jesus. His ear is whole, the bleeding stopped, only his blood-soaked cloak to indicate that there ever was a wound. priest in an intensely political environment, Caiaphas has many b) Peter and John. I fear We know that he learned the lesson, for he wrote later, For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience, toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. My books are available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon. different, for this slave's ear now listens for a new happen to be some of the most astute and well-read amateurs you can read on the internet on the subject of biblical historicity. Of course I am not the 1st to think such a wild thought. Initially, his strike may have appeared to be sparked by a courageous and noble faith, but it was wrongly motivated. " And he touched his ear and healed him. Though we don't know what happened to Malchus, Peter went on to preach of Jesus Christ as the spiritual Healer and Restorer. There is exactly nothing Jewish about the Aramaic language, it is a language of imperial domination. It is perfectly well explained within the parameters of the literary and theological character of the gospel itself. He could have escaped, but his purpose was to die. Pauls raw data is I will have to learn some more data about which language Its very random in my experience. We should study it and learn from it. qualifier for classical Greek culture. The simple answer is that Jesus is God, and God can do anything that can be done (and that is in accordance with His nature). The servant's name was Malchus" (John 18:10). Addie, what I allude by pointing that the cutter was just Peter is that proto-John was likely a gnostic Gospel and therefore anti-petrine by definition. Detail of Fra Angelico, "Arrest of Christ" Perhaps Jesus did this great miracle so quickly that many there missed it in the . I bet he heard twice as good after that. Malchus, the . possession of a deadly weapon . Jesus Christ exhibited great power and mercy when He restored the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest who had come to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.Despite this miraculous demonstration, the band of men who came with Malchus proceeded to apprehend Jesus, while the disciples fled in fear, refusing to stand with Him (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-50; Luke 22:49-51; John 18:1-11). Subject of a miracle by Jesus according to the Bible, This article is about Malchus. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. creates a paradox in regards to supposedly He rashly cut off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest, prompting Jesus to restore the mans ear miraculously. The good doctor has now threatened to ban me. Its the same reason why Luke didnt include the visit of the Magi. He hears Jesus' words again, "You'll be all right now." Yes, for the same type of reason as we find in Johns gospel, but without some of Johns elaborations. What was the relationship Between Jesus and Malchus (slave of the High Priest Caiaphas) The book of John records an interesting event that took place in the Garden of Gethsemane. David, I think there is a sense where are true both the sentences: Christ elected to perform a miracle of mercyof outgoing love and faithfulnessto show the grace of God in action even during the most stressful of times. I think it is justified to consider the NT a Hellenistic anthology. cross, his body and face mutilated almost beyond recognition. Interesting. Somehow he cannot. Why were essential cult texts not written in Aramaic, preserved . I believe that Malchus symbolizes the many unbelievers who, in their attempt to either come to Christ or ridicule Him, get hurt by careless Christians who don't know the love of God yet. Jesus had started a riot in the Temple, so the authorities set out to arrest him straight away. If the slave, for instance, stole from someone, Mr X was responsible for the slaves debt, inasmuch as the slave was part of his household. Once the ear was cut off, Jesus healed it . The others wrote before. But Jesus said in reply, "Stop, no more of this!". So Peter cut his ear off, yet Jesus healed him. teaches in the temple colonnade called Solomon's Porch. Lukes supposed 5th gospel is less history, and Is it correct to use "the" before "materials used in making buildings are"? They bound him 13and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Yet when the time for action arrives, Peter does attempt to defend Jesus and wounds a servant (John 18:8-11). Caiaphas would have made this known to Pilate because it clearly states that the person whose ear was cut off, was a servant to the high priest. So he touched the wounded man's ear and healed him. . intense animosity towards Rome by what is seen them from all suspicion, and speaks clearly in behalf of the character Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. It actually manifested more vainglory than faithful courage or nobility. Who was the high priest when Jesus was crucified? Moreover, it was a great bridge to what Christ would do in His state of exaltation following His death and resurrection. Tell me what's happening." John 18:10 tells us the servant's name was Malchus. Remember, the servant's ear would have been sliced off in only one of two ways. One of the servants of the high priest (a kinsman to him whose ear . Jesus must be numbered with the transgressors. Luke 22:50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. Malchus' experience shows us that Christ loves all men. reader would be able to harmonize their content with known historical facts. ", Earl Doherty, November 2013 (personal email), "I want to say here that this site is so resourceful and highly on top of the most modern scholarship in the areas discussed here. Its a game of Lets pretend we are reading a version of historical reports. What character flaws does Peters deed expose? Best Answer. If the arresting party was hoping toreason with Jesus and get him to avoid causing a stir during the feast that might draw in Roman troops, or if they were hoping at worst to lock him away until after Passover, they may well have been trying to avoid an eruption of violence, even when provoked. Josephus and other data. (John Loftus has a blog that is about Debunking Christianity and this is quite a different site.) He would undo what Peter has done. His sword dripping with blood, he was more ready for Armageddon than for the Passion. . His abruptness reflects that he was moved more by his passionhis emotionsinstead of upright, reasoned thought and godly principle. at least the rulers he's familiar with. Malchus is portrayed by Paul Brightwell in the 2013 TV miniseries The Bible. The ear is probably just slashed, not removed.