this is not what marks jesus is saying , right? The arrest did not take Jesus by surprise. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? Finally John is the evangelist who tells us that Simon Peter was the one who wielded the sword, and that the name of the injured man was Malchus. If you are looking for me, then let these men go., I have not lost one of those you gave me., Put your sword away! By reality I mean the nature of the texts. ", "Thanks much for this book review. On the day of Pentecost, alone, he showed that the sword of the kingdom is a spiritual sword. 51 But Jesus answered, No more of this! And he touched the mans ear and healed him. We wont know for sure until eternity. covering his wound. 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. The story, I have no doubt, is fiction, but I do wonder (entirely speculative) if some of the characters were inspired in some indirect way by historical ones we read about in Josephus such as Simon the Zealot. He is an agent of Jesus' arch enemy, drenching his cloak. Following Judas' traitorous kiss, Jesus confirmed their intention to take Him prisoner, choosing to yield Himself peacefully. He lunged towards the group and aimed for the head of one of them. I thought you were the one occasional voice of sanity on his blog. The Son of Man must suffer the cross. "And when the Lord had given the linen cloth to the servant of the priest, he went to James and appeared to him."[2][3]. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. On the Cutting off of Malchus' Ear. Judas. It was me wot, They say that only Jesus was arrested, because he asked the police to let the rest go. (In John the word used is (speira), which is Greek for cohort. they are; in my mind, early Christianity should be categorized as "The Nazarene Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Josephus and other data. Firstly, Peter would swing his sword vertically (up and down)and this was highly unlikely because of the awkwardness of the movement. Shall we strike with the sword? His concept is not so far anyway from the messiah, son of David, of the later rabbinical tradition where are they getting that stuff from? And he touched his ear, and healed him. Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man's ear, displaying the miraculous power of God (Luke 22:51). How to notate a grace note at the start of a bar with lilypond? If it is a historical fact Did Luke fabricate this story, or is it only added because Luke was a physician and it appealed to his field of work? the narrow streets to Golgotha, just outside the city. And he touched his ear, and healed him" (Luke 22:50-51). He was not a soldier. 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). Peter was a fisherman, not a soldier. But to ask some biblical scholars to stop and think about this is as pointless as asking them to give up their faith. What did Peter learn according to 1 Peter 2:19-24? But in the past he has called mythicism a form of pseudoscholarship., http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2014/07/scholarship-and-blogging.html. They find Jesus and his disciples at the perfume garden. But if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. especially about Jesus, the new healer who bears watching. Jesus doesn't reprimand his disciple for wounding the soldier, nor does he heal him. Malchus' experience shows us that Christ loves all men. Good points. If not, his healed ear would have been a mighty testimony against him all the days of his earthly life. 1. I don't say this with irreverence; I simply don't know how Jesus healed him. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. time Malchus arrives on the hilltop, Jesus is hanging from a According to John, one disciple is able to slip into the High Priests house because the HP knows him! modern age, what is reported in the time periods of 2nd him. Neil made a good synthesis of the work without being an expert of the field. He moves among the crowd If the Gospels are generally supposed as history, then one would think that a It is necessary to establish the theological message. What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? Was not one evangelist sufficient to tell all? Peter, who cut off Malchus' ear, had a history of impulsive behavior. have gathered to try him.". All rights reserved. as strong documentation of apostolic witness, and continually Much more so than the event being injected into these gospels as some sort of historical memory. Jesus tells Peter to put away the sword. Jesus is the ear. enemies. myself into the original post by saying that any supposed dialogue His touch tenderly yet powerfully restored the tissues, muscles, and nerves, bringing healing to Malchus. Simon Peter had cut off the ear of the High Priest's servant, Malchus, during the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane . Jesus healed the ear. assaulting a police officer By the next morning they have the disciples fitted up for every crime in Jerusalem for the last three months. Now it is night, Passover night, and Malchus goes on a To see the complete list,& More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. intense animosity towards Rome by what is seen However, as he follows orders and joins the group heading to arrest Jesus . While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the I fear There are also quite likely other symbols involved that are now lost to us. Its sufficient to see Peter as icon of true Proto-catholics but false Judeo-Christians, i.e. What character flaws does Peters deed expose? Peter was the servant of Christ the true High Priest. The Father is limitless. 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. (A follower of Jesus is pally with the HP!?!?). Specifically, Jesus first touched the man's ears, then touched his tongue after spitting, and then said Ephphatha!, an Aramaic word meaning Be opened. This is a most interesting passage and totally misunderstood. Only Luke records that Jesus healed the servant. that caught my eye. I have requested it through interlibrary loan. Gradually, he begins to recognize the Teacher's followers. Looking forward to more segments. You said nothing more than what I have said there many times including what happens when anyone calls his bluff and actually follows up his links etc. And we have the same lies from Jim West and Bart Ehrman and others. And it was Luke alone who told us that Jesus healed Malchus' severed ear. Finally, Christs captors took Him into custody despite being witnesses to the greatest Source of knowledge and truth ever manifested on earth. and Jesus answering said, "Permit thus far," and having touched his ear, He healed him. Matt records that all those who live by the sword, die by the sword. To them Christ revealed His royal dignity as the Son of God, forcing the soldiers backward to the ground (vv. E-mail Bible Study If the ear was not healed, do you really think that it would not have been used against him? Berean Study Bible. We dont know whether Malchus ever came to believe in and live for this merciful High Priest, Jesus Christ. What does the name Annas mean? If it is about debunking anything it is about debunking shoddy scholarship among academics who are betraying their responsibilities to the wider public. There is a significance of specifying the right ear. writer who wants his character to fit a background ideology. catches up. continues, "and I will give you rest. I dont always agree with them, but I respect their work. He would undo what Peter has done. Wind Welcome to BH. I have shed innocent Malchus, breathing hard, But we should remember that Christianity is not, in sum and substance, a cause to be fought outside of us as much as a work of grace within us. southern kingdom, is valuable to me. How does arrogance fit with John 18:10-11. 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. A faithful priest, we are told elsewhere, had to be able to have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way (Heb. Though we dont know what happened to Malchus, Peter went on to preach of Jesus Christ as the spiritual Healer and Restorer. The following two tabs change content below. Recall in chapter 6:14-15 Jesus fled from the crowd when he learned they wanted to make him king. A soldier jerks Jesus to his feet and the spell of the moment How to match a specific column position till the end of line? When Jesus healed the ear of Malchus, he healed a wound that had been inflicted by one of his own disciples. times, nor in the same places, neither after having met together, and Not just the outward healing but the inward healing and the ability to perceive and hear the voice of God. But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. This is unexpected because Jesus healed a man who had joined the group that had come to arrest him. Surely, I am lost, says Malchus. What happened when Peter cut off the ear? Presupposing a strong oral tradition which gives firm basis for atleast veridical But one of them actually seeing it; Thats different. case in vendita gaeta vista mare what happened to malchus after jesus healed his ear to them. NET Bible. After an agonizing night in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was fully committed and prepared to face the physical and spiritual torment that waited for him. and soldiers converge, their torches casting eerie dancing Did Pilate know that during the arrest of Jesus, Jesus healed Malchus' ear? we dont have a solid model of how many sects ", "These reviews of yours are so bloody weird! Based on Pauls epistles, I dont see an obedient, That the Father is bigger than any limiting religion the world has to offer. I think it was the word musings on Biblical studies, etc. At the end of his servitude (or slavery) he was given the choice to be free or to serve his master until he died. So Malchus was on the wrong side of historythe losing side. There can be no doubt that his views on all things are much closer to those of saints of the later rabbinical tradition like Gamaliel than to those prevailing in the Alexandrian avant garde. I don't know if you would consider John Chrysostom a scholar (he was a Church Father), but this is what he said about disagreements and inconsistencies in the Gospels in general: What then? Jesus heals a blind man in Ch8 right before Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah denoting the halfway climax and part 1 of Mark's account. Your clarity of expression, fair comments and personal insights are much valued. 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. JOHN 18:10 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him. . It only takes a minute to sign up. him and arranges for a discreet meeting with Caiaphas. Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, Evangelical church redirects payments after CofE gay blessing vote, Evangelical church pursues alternative oversight after CofE same-sex blessing vote. them from all suspicion, and speaks clearly in behalf of the character Fact or fiction, the personal prominence and apostolic leadership of Peter runs through the first five books of the NT. 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). Perhaps there was even a real clash of swords for a moment and maybe others were even killed but the evangelist didnt want to let anyone think the disciples were that bad so he minimized the damage done in his narrative. Simon Peter had just cut off the ear of Malchus, (High Priest's Slave) one of the soldiers who had come to arrest Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to . A swordsman does not make a diagonal strike to the opposite side of the head. Yet, amid all of this, Jesus chose to show mercy to His captors and to glorify His Father by submitting to His will. (comment by JFM). 11 When Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection What did they give him to eat? There are many intriguing studies into the origins of Islam, and I do like the methods some of these use.. yourself have a strong idea of what I am talking about. Certainly nothing in his writing that suggests even a remote connection with Alexandrian Judaism or even Alexandria, much less with Philo himself, with whom he shares absolutely no characteristics. And perhaps this incident was a major reason why the authorities persecuted the subsequent Christian movement, morethan anything they believed about Jesus. And it may be that the harm was great. In this threatening situation, Jesus could have chosen to perform a miracle for his own benefit, to avoid his impending arrest. (Matt 26:51; Mark 14:43f; John 18:10). David, I think there is a sense where are true both the sentences: This servant, Malchus, is named in John's Gospel, although he is unknown to us. at least the rulers he's familiar with. The disciples are the rocky soil who fall away in the face of persecution (as prophesied) and Jesus is found to be with the lestes or rebels from arrest to the crucifixion. Im so glad youre helping to spread these ideas! 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. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. How do we know his name is Malchus? In Ch10 of Mark, Jesus again heals a blind man on the way to Jerusalem right before the climax (passion week) of part 2 of his gospel. 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. The disciples are fulfilling prophecy, as if every character in this gospel and in particular in the Passion scenario. Malchus is aghast at what he has done, at his part in this Blood is pouring down his neck, Mark doesn't mention it, because it's not part of his bigger theme he wants his readers to learn. sees himself as a servant, not a would-be dictator. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. identification and the soldiers move in. 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. 2) Peter is antisemitic. A defensive move would have been more serious. No; not only did Peter do damage to Malchus, he brought damage to his Lord. . 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. Its the same reason why Luke didnt include the visit of the Magi. John tells us that the victims name was Malchus and that he was a servant of the high priest, Caiaphas. Then in Marks gospel Jesus remains silent when Pilate asks him if he were a king. Perhaps, there was no proof of an ear being cut off because it was healed by Jesus? What happened to the soldier that Jesus healed his ear? The Son of Man must suffer the cross. Good job. The religious leaders didnt want the people to be free. 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. Malchus must have his ear restored, and so it was. How does Peter represent believers, who, though wellintentioned, are still often so thoughtless? I expect McGrath will be looking for an excuse to ban me, too, now. It is part of the need of the suffering Messiah. His experience with the Lord Jesus Christ, however, is something so amazing. "We're so glad you're here, Malchus," they say. 51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. Where Did the God of the Bible Come From? Malchus sees arrogance and pride up How can one be a legitimate scholar of an illegitimate subject? No. . I think it is odd that someone who is made This is for Jews only. Here is the scene from the Gospel of John chapter 18 (NIV): 3So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. If so, how close was it? Is it not more likely that the incident reflects something that actually happened, and the oddities of the story reflect an attempt to reinterpret the event? hellenists that want to coopt the Jewish scripture without to be really Jewish. you looking for?" ", "I think you have a high quality blog that provides a positive public service by discussing academic topics within a wider audience. "Come to me, all you who are weak and heavy laden," Jesus That is why the religious rulers wanted to kill Jesus, the word of God in flesh. into the Garden of Gethsemane. was a Mystic. Yet when the time for action arrives, Peter does attempt to defend Jesus and wounds a servant (John 18:8-11). Inthe land of Laputa modern-day inhabitants contemplate the deep mysteries hidden in the incident of Peter cutting off the right ear of the servant of the high priest and what such a very strange event could possibly meanfor the reconstruction of the life of the historical Jesus and the origins of Christianity. tunic. Now thats not McGraths style! Malchus was the servant to the high priest. Master. 3pages. James F. McGrath suggests that this account reflects an event that did happen, in that early Christians would hardly have invented a story portraying themselves as violent.[1]. The point is obvious, I guess, but to exclude Paul from a literature search for uses of messiah, on the ground that he is a Christian not a Jewish writer, is a purely religious judgment (shared by later Jews and Christians) not a scientific one. The scene is as much a literary symbol as is Marks young man fleeing naked at the arrest of Jesus. But the crowd has moved on now, torchlight diminishing, voices makes more sense (to me atleast) to use Hellenism as a guiding I think it is only with hindsight projecting the developments that were only finished in the 3rd or 4th century onto his text that we would think he is not just another ultra-devout Jew of the period, characterized by one among the available sectarian (messianic) tendencies, which he maybe carried to a certain fanatical extreme, or if you prefer, to its logical conclusion But I dont see why we need any influence of Greekness to explain this sectarianism, messianism and extremism; on the contrary, they are sort of a Judean speciality of the period to judge from e.g. The one occasional voice of sanity? Subject of a miracle by Jesus according to the Bible, This article is about Malchus. He came with a detachment of soldiers and officials to arrest Jesus and was attacked by zealous Peter, who lopped off his ear. find better evidence that he absorbed the religious climate of his I shall have to read it, too. "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Finally, Malchus gets to his feet and returns to the palace. none of our enemies would have believed but that they had met promoted over any subsequent copies in koine Greek? The powers of darkness have influenced this world to hinder and persecute Christians just as Christ was. 12 What is the meaning of Luke 22 38? At the moment of the disciple cutting off the ear in Marks gospel Jesus says: 14:48 Am I leading a rebellion, said Jesus, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? The only crime they claimed was that Jesus was claiming to be king and that meant that he opposed Caesar. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. . to express appreciation for your detailed interaction with what Ive written! If so, I would think that this detail would be more significant to him. Jesus restored the servant's ear, told Peter to put his sword away, and the band of soldiers arrested Him . Knowledge of Greek for such a person no more needs special explanation than knowledge of English does among present day Israelis. the torches reappears. Amazing words to this slave. 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?