sword and begins to brandish it wildly. The Lord had done a wonder on him, but where had that brought him? Jesus picked up the ear and healed Malchus, rebuking Peter for his misplaced zeal. Jesus tells Peter to put away the sword. Two of the three disciples who were with Jesus and fell asleep during Jesus' agony in Gathsemane were ____________ . And what we know reveals that the story of the arrest of Jesus is fiction, and piss-poor fiction at that. product of syncretic exchange. of ancient semetic languages, or the current meaning which Discussed here: https://vridar.org/2020/03/05/the-gospel-of-mark-as-a-dramatic-performance/. I dont always agree with them, but I respect their work. as strong documentation of apostolic witness, and continually is applied in a political context? Why is same-sex marriage an issue in the election of the new Scottish First Minister? Why the right ear? been influenced by Philo, or another public writer or iChing sticks, casting them does not bring up the (, [I]t is hard to imagine Christians, eager to depict themselves and their leader as not violent revolutionaries, making this incident up. Is there any legitimate reason given by scholars as to why Luke uniquely adds the account of Jesus healing the ear of Malchus after it being severed off? Perhaps at first glance this healing of an ear doesnt seem to be a very magnificent final miracle. he was not a pious Jew like the standards we know in the No. Instead of focusing on the Jewishness of early Christianity, it This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Jesus concludes. Then they arrest them all on charges of, conspiracy, One indeed The details are adequately explained within the literary and theological interests of the evangelist. Blood is pouring down his neck, In this depiction, Jesus heals Malchus' wounded ear, leaving the latter to stay behind sitting dumbfounded in a state of disbelief, suggesting a possible conversion to Christianity. What a mercy that it didnt! Please be sure to take the. Ive always wondered if it was really Simon the Zealot who cut off the ear rather than Simon Peter. Why would they have done so? The first rule of such a game is to ignore the literary context of any passage and speculate as wildly as one can on as wide a range of possibilities as one can imagine that might have happened quite independently of anything we read. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. So the Fathers children in His image are limitless. Sometimes they will also give a different bent to the same story. Why would they have done so? According to John's Gospel ( 18:10 ), the servant's name was Malchus. This is a . the torches reappears. Moreover, it was a great bridge to what Christ would do in His state of exaltation following His death and resurrection. Grace: Favor for the Undeserving. b) Nicodemus. The rest of the day is a blur. more a polemical attack. What part does unbelief play in Jesus arrest? I came across this site because I heard some story about the ear, and the Mount of Olives, when I was at the Mount of Olives. 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. 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). may we According to the Bible, one of the disciples, Simon Peter, being armed with a sword, cut off the servant's ear in an attempt to prevent the arrest of Jesus. Strange words! 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. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. might be pretending to know it. Homily I on the Gospel According to St. Matthew. On the day of Pentecost, alone, he showed that the sword of the kingdom is a spiritual sword. Hence the name Malchus and the allusion to king appears. Now it is night, Passover night, and Malchus goes on a In the Kabbalah the right ear signifies wisdom, especially as it concerns memory, prophecy and spiritual objectives. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. The arrest did not take Jesus by surprise. The relevant passages in the Gospels of John and Luke, KJV, read: 10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. ", "I find your blog most interesting and appreciate your ongoing effort to keep to the evidence for the issues discussed! He ruled in a world with a relationship to the Father. A place where magic is studied and practiced? What did Peter learn according to 1 Peter 2:19-24? intense animosity towards Rome by what is seen For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to He was found several days later in a temple, discussing affairs with some of Jerusalem's elders. The ear is probably just slashed, not removed. And thats exactly how Christ intervened with His erring disciple. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Interesting. According to the Bible, one of the disciples, Simon Peter, being armed with a sword, cut off the servant's ear in an . He loved Jesus deeply, but he sometimes let his strong emotions interfere with his judgment. "You'll be all right, now," Jesus assures him. Thinking of the army guy getting his ear cut off, standing there, everyone in uproar, then the calm Jesus, unfazed by all going on just puts it back on. And he touched the man's ear and healed him. He rashly cut off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest, prompting Jesus to restore the man's ear miraculously. Comment: The suddenness of Peters reaction reveals a lack of forethought and patience. The blade has Tags: Gospel of John, Malchus. Its always gratifying when a reader zeroes in on exactly those aspects I thought were most interesting and most central to my argument. The healing of Malchus' ear also displayed the gentle & kind clam in Jesus in a time when others would be experiencing panic. The high priest's servant. (, It has long seemed to me that this incident might have had a significant impact on the way things unfolded for Jesus. Suddenly, they encounter someone I will have to learn some more data about which language Once a person's ears have developed, if they ever get cut off, they do not grow back. And perhaps this incident was a major reason why the authorities persecuted the subsequent Christian movement, morethan anything they believed about Jesus. Oh well. rooted in Pauls Christology, is Greco-Roman cultic documentation. Malchus reaches up to feel his head. What is this? a role which is not exclusive to only one person, then Vridar: Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science (http://vridar.org/) by Neil Godfrey", -- Klaas Spronk, - Bibliotheca Orientalis LXXI, 3/4 (2014). This fictional story is based on Luke 22:49-51. [Biblical Creation Accounts/Platos Timaeus-Critias 8], Two Covenants: Israel and Atlantis [Biblical Creation Accounts/Platos Timaeus-Critias 7f], When Yahweh was at Peace with Other Gods [Biblical Creation Accounts/Platos Timaeus-Critias 7e], Table of Nations and other Post Flood events [Biblical Creation Accounts/Platos Timaeus-Critias 7d]. Fresco, 182 x 181. and soaks his hair and beard to dissolve the remaining blood. . ", Nancy Fraser- June 2019 (personal email), "For an excellent example of generally high-quality scholarship by someone who isnt a biblical studies professor, see Neil Godfreys work posted on the website vridar.org. They arrest Jesus. Copyright 2022, Ralph F. Wilson. Trying to protect Jesus, Peter drew a sword and attacked a man named Malchus, the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. for in many places they are convicted of discordance. 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]. We wont know for sure until eternity. offered a monotypical vision of the Messiah, but if I Perhaps he was even trying to impress his fellow disciples. Why is the healing of Malchus ear only found in the Gospel of Luke? The Gospel of Luke (2:41-52) recounts that a 12-year-old Jesus had accompanied his parents on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and became separated. 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? All four Gospels describe Malchus as a servant of the high priest. The attack on the high priests servant was a vicarious attack on the high priest, rendering him unfit for the office. continues, "and I will give you rest. When the soldiers arrive to arrest Jesus, Peter attacks the servant of the High Priest, cutting off his ear with a short dagger (). Does that mean that one is lying, or could it mean they are less detailed? As Malchus strains his ear his whole ear he can hear Then a sudden warmth. You are spot on. If the gospel is described in Luke 18:31-34, what gospel were the disciples preaching earlier in Luke 9:6? I seem to recall running into a bit of trouble with Joel Watts when I showed all of his links pointed to claims that actually contradicted his point. There is something very wonderful here for the person who has been wounded by a disciple of Jesus. been explored in a way which incorporates Hellenism as a strong Compare the later scene where he breaks the commandment by tearing his robes (Leviticus 21). 11 Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! that Paul is a Roman citizen, then in my mind it This article is a Bible study on John 18:10-11 and Luke 22:49-51. Yes, I need deeper understanding of semitic/oriental 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. Jesus had just told Peter that he would deny Him, but here we see Peter standing up for Jesus. one comes to the Father, but by me.". Strange, thinks Malchus. 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. . If you want to know what 1st c Jews understood by the word messiah the best text will of course be the letters of Paul. Such as the servant representing the HP or his authority? Malchus is struck, blood gushing from his head. The rest of the disciples (including the sword swinger) got away from 500 soldiers. . Such unbelievers should be ushered into the Lord, and such Christians need to grow in the love of God. He is not a disciple of Christ, and neither did he do something good that we should emulate him. But now my kingdom is from another place.. It actually manifested more vainglory than faithful courage or nobility. "And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. . we dont have a solid model of how many sects The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? A soldier jerks Jesus to his feet and the spell of the moment is broken. Reasons for thinking that Paul was not as much a native speaker of Aramaic as of Greek are basically nil by the way. The healing of Malchuss ear is the last miracle Christ performed as part of His earthly ministry before His death. One such short appearance is that of a man named Malchus. Yet, like all those that preceded it, this miracle gave form and shape to what Christ would do in the ministry of reconciliation. (The servant's name was Malchus.) We find so many excuses for not serving God as we should. Take my yoke upon you and Of course I am not the 1st to think such a wild thought. gentle eyes boring into his soul. (51) But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this.". Peter denied this. These are strong calls to us to abandon a formal religion like the kind Caiaphas represented. Touch by John Ferguson portrays Malchus as a Roman soldier sent by Pilate to spy on the Sanhedrin. Loved the piece about selling pork sausages to the High Priest cook. But he chose instead to perform a miracle to help someone else, which is . That may be very difficult to accept (a Christian who hurts others deliberately), but what is astounding is how the Lord Himself responded: By correcting His disciple, and by healing Malchus' ear. In verse 36 Jesus refers to his servants as a warrior band with the potential . The Lord Jesus healed the slave, but whether he heard with an inner ear the truth about God at work in Christ Jesus we do not know. He rashly cut off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest, prompting Jesus to restore the mans ear miraculously. different, for this slave's ear now listens for a new I was trying to dispense with Acts, pointing out that it is the only ground for thinking he is not e.g. 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. covering his wound. Jesus was trying to tell us the true Father has no limits. Immediately after his arrest, the high priest Caiaphas broke Jewish customs to hold a hearing and decide Jesus's fate. to express appreciation for your detailed interaction with what Ive written! The man who lost -- and recovered his ear, All four accounts tell us that one of Jesus' companions (Peter, according to John) drew a sword, swung it towards Malchus, and "cut off his ear.". http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2012/01/history-is-to-mythicism-and-science-is-to-creationism-as-mcdonalds-is-to.html. into the Garden of Gethsemane. 2. I am not familiar with current studies in Second Temple Judaism but I was intrigued to read Daniel Boyarim saying that most scholars of early Judaism now see it as a Hellenistic religion. He could have escaped, but his purpose was to die. I could go on and on about how the Gospels seem un-historical to me, but you early Christian theology, and later NT texts are relatively influenced ", "Thanks much for this book review. Because another excludes it doesn't mean that it is false. The drive to please his master is gone. But I have often been impressed with their grasp of logic and analysis of scholarship. Did Luke fabricate this story, or is it only added because Luke was a physician and it appealed to his field of work? He could have escaped, but his purpose was to die. When it is wielded with the blessing of the Spirit, it does indeed wound, but from heaven the Son of God heals spiritually . Did any DOS compatibility layers exist for any UNIX-like systems before DOS started to become outmoded? Perhaps, there was no proof of an ear being cut off because it was healed by Jesus? . Luke 22:50-51: And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Peter uses a sword to cut an ear off one of the men who came to arrest Jesus. 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. That grace causes us to rest in the finished work of Christ. Jesus reprimanded the violence, immediately dropped to his knees and miraculously healed the servant's ear. (See Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38) In the Bible's New Testament, Jesus is the Messiah (the Christ) who was promised by the Bible's Old . He has said that mythicism is just as fake as creationism. Luke points out that it is just a piece of the right ear. And we have the same lies from Jim West and Bart Ehrman and others. In this threatening situation, Jesus could have chosen to perform a miracle for his own benefit, to avoid his impending arrest. enemies. The Messianic Psalm 69 sheds light on what Christ was doing here: Then I restored that which I took not away (v. 4). Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension Bible 700. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. . sees himself as a servant, not a would-be dictator. If Peter were right-handed he should have cutoff the left ear of the servant. Jesus tells Peter to put away the sword. 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. As far as I am concerned, this episode screams fiction more loudly than anything else. It must have happened quickly. Even in the church and spiritual communities there is so much sword-swinging from which we must repent and turn. Im so glad youre helping to spread these ideas! writer who wants his character to fit a background ideology. 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. Probably. (A follower of Jesus is pally with the HP!?!?). So Malchus befriends Perhaps some of the conversations here will lead to formal research and publications. Christ had come to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. Yet, they did not mentioned it. all. time Malchus arrives on the hilltop, Jesus is hanging from a Whatever the case, the high priest's servant got his ear back. Id make a better theologian than some of the theologians who try to do history. Shall we strike with the sword? Malchus sees arrogance and pride up The Parthians were enemies of Rome. One disciple flashes a clarification you have offered, reveals to me that his letters reader would be able to harmonize their content with known historical facts. I bet he heard twice as good after that. together, and had written what they wrote by some human compact; John writes after the destruction of Jerusalem. His touch tenderly yet powerfully restored the tissues, muscles, and nerves, bringing healing to Malchus. Amen. Disciples rebuked: Matthew, Luke, John. Though he is specifically named only in John 18:10-11, he is also found in Mark 14:45-49, Matthew 26:50-54, and in Luke 22:49-53 as the "servant of the high priest.". I call them amateurs only for the reason that they dont have, so far as I know, advanced degrees in the subject. Mark 14:46. They bound him 13and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. be your slave, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The servant's name was Malchus" (John 18:10). yet Jesus heals him. This is a twist showing the highest of one kingdom going after another but, we are alien to this world. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! find rest for your souls.". Our Lord Jesus said at another time they must be taught even when they resist the truth. From one moment to . Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. In the 2004 Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ, Malchus is represented as an armed member of the temple guard. I expect McGrath will be looking for an excuse to ban me, too, now. Just before his action, he had asked Christ, Lord, shall we strike with the sword? However, he did not wait for an answer (Luke 22:49-50). Peter's blow was sufficient to cut . 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. That a disciple cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest is related in all four canonical gospels, in Matthew 26:51, Mark 14:47, Luke 22:5051, and John 18:1011, but Simon Peter and Malchus are named only in the Gospel of John. 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. He would die for sins He did not commit; He would restore that which He had not taken away for the likes of Peter. My apologies if I assumed incorrectly. I appreciate your viewpoint on Hellenism as a mistaken Zeal without knowledge can be disastrous. Attention to the Lords instruction, keeps from being the Lords obstruction. 7Again he asked them, Who is it you want?, 8Jesus answered, I told you that I am he. . them, for they know not what they do.". Jesus' unbelievably gracious answer to his cry: "Father, forgive (comment by JFM). 4Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, Who is it you want?. No one should The others wrote before. To say that Paul was advancing a hellenistic mystery cult is basically saying he was advancing an oriental or semitic mystery cult, in other words, that he was advancing some form of Judaism. The sword missed its intended target and instead cut off Malchuss ear. blood. to protect him from Jewish leaders. But that's all we know about . It is necessary to establish the theological message. Best, Emanuel", "Vridar is consistently thought-provoking, well-informed, and asking the right questions. The religious leaders didnt want the people to be free. (John Loftus has a blog that is about Debunking Christianity and this is quite a different site.) Malchus, a high priest's servant, has his ear severed by Peter during the arrest of Jesus, but after Jesus heals him, Malchus' hatred and rejection of Jesus disappear. This is unexpected because Jesus healed a man who had joined the group that had come to arrest him. Someone who is a Christian has acted toward you in a way that caused you harm. Nevertheless, He then allowed these soldiers to bind His hands hands that had healed the sick, blessed children, and done so many miracles (John 18:8-12). 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. It was me wot, They say that only Jesus was arrested, because he asked the police to let the rest go. Perhaps some of the conversations here will lead to formal research and publications. 51 But Jesus answered, No more of this! And he touched the mans ear and healed him. "No more of this!" Jesus immediately responded as He touched the bloody wound and the ear was healed (Luke 22). To them Christ revealed His royal dignity as the Son of God, forcing the soldiers backward to the ground (vv. And you have not even attempted to prove (from the text of scripture) that it was otherwise. A defensive move would have been more serious. Malchus must have his ear restored, and so it was. receding. Only Luke records that Jesus healed the servant. And he touched his ear, and healed him. 50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. INTERPRETATION. 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? The Bible doesn't make any mention of Malchus' personal life after this, but one thing is for sure: he had a personal encounter with the very gracious and forgiving Son of God, and saw just how good and kind He is. Malchus was the head servant of the High Priest. ", "Thanks for your very elaborate review! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?, My kingdom is not of this world. attributed to Jesus might make more sense if interpreted as a So Peter, doing what he did in such a tumultuous situation reacted. "You are my ear, boy," says Caiaphas the High Priest to his Peter had boasted earlier that he would remain faithful to Christ even if the others were to stumble (Matthew 26:33). Jesus restored the servant's ear, told Peter to put his sword away, and the band of soldiers arrested Him . He had the power to escape but the purpose to stay. (I assume that Acts is right about Tarsus, but I guess just because it seems unnecessarily skeptical to deny it.). 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. mystery schools and cults; it is fair to poke at my thoughts Peter, who cut off Malchus' ear, had a history of impulsive behavior. Luke 22:47-51 Also read: Matthew 26:51-54, Mark 14:44-47, John 18:10-11. continues. And he touched his ear, and healed him. 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. "Not so with you," Jesus If not, his healed ear would have been a mighty testimony against him all the days of his earthly life. 22:49-51). This parable had a two fold meaning (which most do) . Neil is the author of this post. What happened when Peter cut off the ear? Master. According to John, one of the disciples, the Apostle Peter, being armed with a sword, cut off the servant's ear in an attempt to prevent his Master's arrest. Jesus must be numbered with the transgressors. Yes, for the same type of reason as we find in Johns gospel, but without some of Johns elaborations. . . We are so easily persuaded to see Christianity as a cause in which we must fight. ahhhhnow I see, I must have slept through it the first time, Thank You Angela.Youve shown me there are a few TRUE SAINTS leftThanks. 12:21). Who is Malchus and what can we learn from his experience with Christ? Do you have any thoughts about that? If the ear was not healed, do you really think that it would not have been used against him? "Ive even been cited by atheists with approval (which I really dont know how to take, so thanks, I think, but Im not sure,Vrider(even though I feel like I need to take a shower now)). Please see the Tour and the Help. But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." -Luke 1:1-4. The ear is there -- all of it. John specifies it was the right ear that was cut off. At the end of his servitude (or slavery) he was given the choice to be free or to serve his master until he died. Then, if the stories don't align, I will pursue asking a third-party, an eyewitness who can substantiate the claims (much like the contemporaries of Luke who were eyewitnesses to all Jesus said and did). This is the only external wound that Jesus heals. We know Caiaphass track record, and from it we can deduce what a sad life Malchus must have lived in the shadow of this corrupt and vain high priest. Luke was concerned primarily with the humanity of the God-man, Jesus. alleged birthplace,Tarsus, then we can see his letters for what Filed under: Biblical Studies, New Testament With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught." And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. John 18:10 tells us that Peter is the one who strikes with his sword. What have I done to this kind, gentle man? Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. Peter would have no one to blame but himself if his discipleship and ministry had ended right at this point. "How (The servant's name was Malchus.) I can hazard guesses like anyone else but thats all theyll be. Curious to remember who was to cut his right ear. Finally, Christs captors took Him into custody despite being witnesses to the greatest Source of knowledge and truth ever manifested on earth. cross, his body and face mutilated almost beyond recognition. 18 clears up what happens when we trade religion, for a relationship with the Father. And he touched his ear, and healed him. The story in the Gospels is puzzling enough that it ought to be the focus of far more attention than it has been.
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