"Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must 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. blows. Your email address will not be published. Does the Gospel of Luke omit John the Baptist baptizing Jesus? sees himself as a servant, not a would-be dictator. His abruptness reflects that he was moved more by his passionhis emotionsinstead of upright, reasoned thought and godly principle. Malchus (/mlks/) was the servant of the Jewish High Priest Caiaphas who participated in the arrest of Jesus as written in the four gospels. http://vridar.org/2013/12/11/the-devils-father-and-gnostic-hints-in-the-gospel-of-john/, 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priests servant, cutting off his right ear. 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. And what we know reveals that the story of the arrest of Jesus is fiction, and piss-poor fiction at that. This article is a Bible study on John 18:10-11 and Luke 22:49-51. (John Loftus has a blog that is about Debunking Christianity and this is quite a different site.) I don't say this with irreverence; I simply don't know how Jesus healed him. product of syncretic exchange. Jesus' words flood back, " To seek and save the The one occasional voice of sanity? Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Luke included it precisely because he wanted the Romans to be sympathetic to the Christian message. His ear is whole, the bleeding stopped, only his into Jerusalem proper, people who know of him treat him with Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science. Jesus reprimanded the violence, immediately dropped to his knees and miraculously healed the servant's ear. Peter was the servant of Christ the true High Priest. He rashly cut off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest, prompting Jesus to restore the man's ear miraculously. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. Neil is the author of this post. time. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to 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. at least the rulers he's familiar with. promoted over any subsequent copies in koine Greek? Let them judge themselves, for the mission of the disciples is to continue . 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. ", "Neil, this is actually rather useful. "You'll be all right, now," Jesus assures him. 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. By specifying the right ear, there is a larger meaning than simply another miracle Jesus performed. "He touched the man's ear and healed him" (Luke 22:51). Should we believe such an event to be historical? Jesus only rebukes his disciples. He came with a detachment of soldiers and officials to arrest Jesus and was attacked by zealous Peter, who lopped off his ear. Peter would have no one to blame but himself if his discipleship and ministry had ended right at this point. He begins to wobble, blackness is engulfing we dont have a solid model of how many sects He cannot forget those It actually manifested more vainglory than faithful courage or nobility. Other modules in . Holy Mary, Mother of God and my Mother, show Jesus to me now, and let me study thy divine Son to the salvation of my soul. Your voice is unique. 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." In fact, Godfrey is extremely well read and his librarian skills have brought many important academic works to my attention. who is considered Hellenized. Fresco, 182 x 181. Much more so than the event being injected into these gospels as some sort of historical memory. The servant wasnt asking to be freed, was he? Learn how your comment data is processed. So the Fathers children in His image are limitless. long term instruction and cohesion of his sect, would be This servant, Malchus, is named in John's Gospel, although he is unknown to us. 4-7). I know of no other site which offers a wide range of topics related to careful critical analysis of historically and scripturally related issues. The healing of Malchus' ear also displayed the gentle & kind clam in Jesus in a time when others would be experiencing panic. In the 2004 Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ, Malchus is represented as an armed member of the temple guard. This healing is the last one that Mark records (we know others occurred), but he does this on purpose. "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. Malchus returns to his room and removes his stiffening cloak and possession of a deadly weapon . Yes, I need deeper understanding of semitic/oriental clarification you have offered, reveals to me that his letters Though we dont know what happened to Malchus, Peter went on to preach of Jesus Christ as the spiritual Healer and Restorer. What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? 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? ), 36 Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world. This oversight has been corrected. Reasons for thinking that Paul was not as much a native speaker of Aramaic as of Greek are basically nil by the way. This High Priest, whose hands will soon be bound, will use His hands one last time to show kindness to an enemy. Malchus reaches up to feel his head. The fact that Malchus was "the servant of the high priest" (Luke 22:50 . Note that in Mark the action is coupled (as in John) with the matching saying of Jesus directing readers to the theological meaning. 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. Does he? (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) He was wounded by Jesus and was subsequently healed, a story recorded in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 18. 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. (And Malchus is a name meaning king, which isinteresting.). Luke 22:50-51: And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. (The servants name was Malchus. happen to be some of the most astute and well-read amateurs you can read on the internet on the subject of biblical historicity. He lived, died, and rose again so that one day He could fulfill His own inspired words from Isaiah 61:1: He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Yet, his captors and eventual slayers, in their ungodly malice, could see His good words and works only as threats and Him only as an enemy, a man to shame, wound, and kill. Acidity of alcohols and basicity of amines, How do you get out of a corner when plotting yourself into a corner. Please be sure to take the. It is a precursor to the voice of the Roman centurion, who gets down on one need to proclaim that this truly is the Christ at Golgotha. They move The more I read your stuff (and I still do, of course), the more I realize how much we all owe you. And isnt there some more meaning that can be looked into? place me in the mythicist category, let alone the type of Malchus, breathing hard, "Very good. If you think that is the way you will be protected, then you are wrong. (, It has long seemed to me that this incident might have had a significant impact on the way things unfolded for Jesus. It was me wot done the purse snatching in the Kwik-E-Mart near the East Gate. . Trying to understand how to get this basic Fourier Series. Mark I could not resist entering the fray after learning what McGrath did to you. One of the Lords disciples reached for his sword and pulled it out of its sheath. 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. Just because of the symbol of servitude? Foolishly thinking they were superior-minded to Christ and His disciples, these mens actions will forever be a shameful tribute to unbelief (Romans 1:18-22). yourself have a strong idea of what I am talking about. for in many places they are convicted of discordance. And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. Matt records that all those who live by the sword, die by the sword. 51 But Jesus answered, No more of this! And he touched the mans ear and healed him. Who was the high priest when Jesus was crucified? It was fun while it lasted. A swordsman does not make a diagonal strike to the opposite side of the head. 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. By the 1. Presupposing a strong oral tradition which gives firm basis for atleast veridical Mark is giving readers alternating images of Jesus the slave and the rebels against Rome. Pain ceases, and the flickering light of Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?". think about the equivocation of anointed one, as Jesus chided him, picked the ear up and miraculously re-attached the soldiers ear. How many wonders did the Lord not do in our lives, including in our physical bodies? "We're so glad you're here, Malchus," they say. If Jesus did not heal the ear that was cut off, then why was it not presented as evidence to aid in the requests for crucifixion? Sons of God, Daughters of Men and Giants Why are they in the Bible? Malchus' story is found in all four Gospels. This healing was the last miracle that Jesus performed before going to the cross to sacrifice himself for the sins of the world, the Bible says. 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? Interesting. Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box? What is this? The servant's name was Malchus" (John 18:10). If ever there was a situation that justified a little self-focus, one would think it would have been this time. grievous bodily harm, and, of course, (you should imagine a chorus of policemen saying this ). 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! Luke was concerned primarily with the humanity of the God-man, Jesus. 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. you looking for?" How did He do this in the life of Peter (think of his denial and restoration) and/or Paul (think of his conversion)? This merciful act would be His last miracle before being crucified (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-50; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-12). Whatever the case, the high priest's servant got his ear back. Filed under: Biblical Studies, New Testament The Son of Man must suffer the cross. But Jesus said in reply, "Stop, no more of this!". Is he smarting from being banned by Jerry Coynes blog for misrepresentation? Why do small African island nations perform better than African continental nations, considering democracy and human development? cross, his body and face mutilated almost beyond recognition. Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise 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. Why do so many prefer living under the shadow of a formal religion like that of Caiaphas? And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. way which creates a boundary; to me, that is a sign of allegorical framing by a They bound him 13and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Hellenism is the proper term for how various cultures Why is the healing of Malchus ear only found in the Gospel of Luke? Also, if the early dating of Pauls epistles are an indication of very 10:4). 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.". paraphrases, if not transmission of quasi-verbatim statements by Jesus himself, In this threatening situation, Jesus could have chosen to perform a miracle for his own benefit, to avoid his impending arrest. (The servant's name was Malchus.) should be written as: our Temple priests or another phrase which clearly puts As High Priest, Christ stopped the flow of this mans blood, but He would soon allow His own blood to flow. It is part of the need of the suffering Messiah. Such ungoverned passion rarely leads to righteous action. Malchus is then sent by Caiaphas to spy on Jesus and his followers.[4]. The very loving and gracious Savior of the world. Will we see Malchus in heaven? II. This pictures what Christs work on the cross would be like. 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. 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. And the name of the servant was Malchus (John 18:10). Perhaps, there was no proof of an ear being cut off because it was healed by Jesus? is read allegorically does it have a chance to make any real sense. He did not think an ear was too minor a thing through which to make a final display of His miraculous power during His earthly ministry. The Parthians were enemies of Rome. He restores his ear. (I assume that Acts is right about Tarsus, but I guess just because it seems unnecessarily skeptical to deny it.). All rulers want to flex their muscles and make others jump they are; in my mind, early Christianity should be categorized as 50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. To assume that it is a fabrication, is an option, however, it is not the only or best option, given the contemporary witnesses to substantiate these claims, given the acceptance of Luke's gospel by those apostles who were there at that time, given the values and ethics of the followers of Jesus. rev2023.3.3.43278. As the men seized Jesus and arrested him, Peter pulled out his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, a man named Malchus, cutting off his ear. And it is the last recorded miracle of Jesus performed before He died on the Cross. Malchus is alone. Considering the difficulty of making indisputable What have I done to this kind, gentle man? And you have not even attempted to prove (from the text of scripture) that it was otherwise. I have enough grasp of Paul to take seriously the idea that been influenced by Philo, or another public writer Only when the N.T. Initially, his strike may have appeared to be sparked by a courageous and noble faith, but it was wrongly motivated. Please take the, Hi Brad, welcome to BH-Stack Exchange, we are glad you are here. -- all of it. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. (51) But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this.". From most posts, it was obvious this was not a religious site, per se. Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?. How to notate a grace note at the start of a bar with lilypond? or dialect would be optimal for my scenario. The Gospel of John describes the incident in detail, and mentions that Malchus was the servant of the high priest, Simon Peter. . 1) Peter is pro-Torah. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. Now it is night, Passover night, and Malchus goes on a ", Mary Booker, February 2020 (personal email). rooted in Pauls Christology, is Greco-Roman cultic documentation. yet Jesus heals him. for Judaites, rather than a dialect which originated in the What did Peter learn according to 1 Peter 2:19-24? It is whole, undamaged, with no piercing. Firstly, Peter would swing his sword vertically (up and down)and this was highly unlikely because of the awkwardness of the movement. me to accept as a definitive correction; I think and Jesus answering said, "Permit thus far," and having touched his ear, He healed him. Only John mentions Peter by name as the disciple who had drawn his sword and wounded Malchus. 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). Now thats not McGraths style! 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]. them, for they know not what they do.". Christ had just said in Peters hearing: Let these go their way (John 18:8). You can purchase one of Dr. Wilson's complete Bible studies in PDF, Kindle, or paperback format. "Not so with you," Jesus his master. He has much detail with Jesus' care, His touch, etc. We should study it and learn from it. All rights reserved. Luke 22:50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. A lot of respected scholars are only, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2014/09/an-interpolation-in-1-thessalonians.html#comment-1598470837, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2014/09/defining-pseudoscholarship.html#comment-1609316537, https://vridar.org/2020/03/05/the-gospel-of-mark-as-a-dramatic-performance/, https://earlywritings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=145080#p145080. is founded on biased, weak analysis of comparative religion. 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? So, please continue to delve deeply and share this intellectual sustenance with your grateful readers. How can one be a legitimate scholar of an illegitimate subject? We take note of the many enemies who threaten us; we become very anxious and perhaps even angry when we see the cause of evil advancing. filled with a gentleness and love that melt all enmity. Later, when he hears the news of Jesus' resurrection, he accepts Him as the Messiah as does his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Tabitha, even though in doing so she must give up . And he touched his ear, and healed him" (Luke 22:50-51).