Discussed here: https://vridar.org/2020/03/05/the-gospel-of-mark-as-a-dramatic-performance/. 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. Jesus quickly rebuked his disciple, saying . One can hope! A place where magic is studied and practiced? 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. 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. Those files appear to be taken from archive.org where I accessed what appeared to be, Are these any better? makes more sense (to me atleast) to use Hellenism as a guiding Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man's ear, displaying the miraculous power of God (Luke 22:51). Peter was a fisherman, not a soldier. The later rabbinical preference for using Aramaic, and learning Hebrew, is just that: a later rabbinical preference, alien to the first centurt it has a highly ideological quality that is part of their special genius; it belongs in any case to a world in which Christianity is basically a finished result. One disciple flashes a What they actually are. Tell me what's happening." You can purchase one of Dr. Wilson's complete Bible studies in PDF, Kindle, or paperback format. 12Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. If it is a historical fact 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. they are; in my mind, early Christianity should be categorized as 3pages. I realized that I hadnt added your blog to our blogroll. pre-exilic Davidic forms derived from a Mosaic base, 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). Ive always wondered if it was really Simon the Zealot who cut off the ear rather than Simon Peter. The servant's name was Malchus. All rights reserved. at least the rulers he's familiar with. 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. 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." Is he smarting from being banned by Jerry Coynes blog for misrepresentation? I resemble that remark.u. in all things exactly even to time, and place, and to the very words, time Malchus arrives on the hilltop, Jesus is hanging from a 50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 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. But Jesus answered, 'No more of this!' And he touched the man's ear and healed him" (Lk. The . If so, I would think that this detail would be more significant to him. If you are looking for me, then let these men go." 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me.". Malchus is struck, blood gushing from his head. One such short appearance is that of a man named Malchus. . Why dont Matt, Mark and Luke mention Peter? Jesus healed the ear without having to reattach or regrow it, meaning that the man had a wound that healed and stopped bleeding. There is no healing. So Malchus was on the wrong side of historythe losing side. Jesus' words flood back, " To seek and save the Malchus sees arrogance and pride up If Peter were right-handed he should have cutoff the left ear of the servant. I think it is justified to consider the NT a Hellenistic anthology. Jesus had started a riot in the Temple, so the authorities set out to arrest him straight away. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? rev2023.3.3.43278. Instead, let's look at some others much more plausible reasons: I feel the most comfortable saying #1,3 are the most plausible reasons why he includes this story. I don't say this with irreverence; I simply don't know how Jesus healed him. Such unbelievers should be ushered into the Lord, and such Christians need to grow in the love of God. ", "Thanks for this detailed interaction! But the crowd has moved on now, torchlight diminishing, voices He washes the caked blood from his shoulder, arm, and face, Why would letters and Gospels in an increasingly out of date koin of a forgotten empire be somehow more valid? . a) Matthew and James. 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? Oh, yes! Thunder cracks. "Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must Peter was again putting his actions into play before thinking of the consequences. The Man with One Ear. is applied in a political context? In addition to being an act of peace and forgiveness, and an example for us to follow, this case also symbolizes Jesus treatment of people who have disabilities, people who are injured in the line of duty, and healing for those who commit violence and/or are traumatized by their acts in law enforcement or the military. catches up. Of course, Ive read something along these lines before. of Nazareth, who is visiting for Passover. The rest of the day is a blur. gentle eyes boring into his soul. To paraphrase, Paul is a Hellenistic mystery initiate, he is the center Luke 22:47-51 Also read: Matthew 26:51-54, Mark 14:44-47, John 18:10-11. We read in Luke 22:51, And he touched his ear, and healed him. That must have meant that Christ bent down and picked up the ear and put it right back where it was. causing an affray ", "Many thanks for this post, and for the quality of your blog. times, nor in the same places, neither after having met together, and 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. because such entire agreement as this comes not of simplicity. Jesus concludes. anyone who is in some way curious about history I was trying to dispense with Acts, pointing out that it is the only ground for thinking he is not e.g. Its like trying to build a Frankenstein God with so many limitations. Rev. (Matt 26:51; Mark 14:43f; John 18:10). into Jerusalem proper, people who know of him treat him with "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. More importantly, you cant share the work with the Mediator. Luke 22:52-53. As the disciples were sleeping, a mob including soldiers and slaves approached, led by one of Jesus' own disciples, Judas. "You'll be all right, now," Jesus assures him. Malchus reaches up to feel his head. Perhaps none or very few of the rest of them were armed. I got banned at exploding our cakemix by the good doctor the other day. 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. There is something very wonderful here for the person who has been wounded by a disciple of Jesus. Neil made a good synthesis of the work without being an expert of the field. What does the name Annas mean? a historical figure in their cultural habitat in terms of societal relationships. paraphrases, if not transmission of quasi-verbatim statements by Jesus himself, Whatever the case, the high priest's servant got his ear back. and soldiers converge, their torches casting eerie dancing 7Again he asked them, Who is it you want?, 8Jesus answered, I told you that I am he. who is considered Hellenized. In my book, The Two Gospels of Mark: Performance and Text, I propose that the cutting of the ear has dramatic consequences later in the play. -- all of it. attributed to Jesus might make more sense if interpreted as a Malchus was the servant of Caiaphas, the earthly high priest descending from the line of Aaron. There is for sure nothing hellenistic about the Acropolis! writer who wants his character to fit a background ideology. What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? Copyright 2022, Ralph F. Wilson. Right. On the Cutting off of Malchus' Ear. Here is a nice opportunity to do some source criticism, given the elements that are the same and those that are different. assaulting a police officer Homily I on the Gospel According to St. Matthew. 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. 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. been influenced by Philo, or another public writer It is not our world. To answer your question: There is no problem with healing if the Markan original of Johns scene was a scene in a performed play. Malchus reaches up to feel his head. How to notate a grace note at the start of a bar with lilypond? 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. 51 But Jesus answered, No more of this! And he touched the mans ear and healed him. 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. As Malchus strains his ear his whole ear he can hear up and run. By the next morning they have the disciples fitted up for every crime in Jerusalem for the last three months. Malchus served the high priest Caiaphas. His ear is whole, the bleeding stopped, only his Luke was making a legal case that was deliberately selective so as to win influence. However, he was not trying to be exhaustive in telling all that happened. "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. And it contains deep meaning and significance, too: It has long seemed to me that this incident might have had a significant impact on the way things unfolded for Jesus. are sharp. 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. An What did Peter learn according to 1 Peter 2:19-24? ", 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. Christians are prohibited from praying in many government buildings or at public gatherings and are sometimes prevented from speaking the truth because mans laws have, in effect, seized and bound such activity. If the Gospels are generally supposed as history, then one would think that a Maccabean, the Roman conquest, then to bar Kochbas 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. Now Caiaphas arrives, puffing, strutting, taunting. It is part of the need of the suffering Messiah. Kate Forbes: Would a Christian be permitted to lead Scotland. 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. a dynamic background. Please carry on. What happened to the soldier that Jesus healed his ear? that caught my eye. 12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. Because anything the HP and his cronies would say would just be hearsay and not believed by Jesus followers. Faith can rest in what it cannot comprehend. His abruptness reflects that he was moved more by his passionhis emotionsinstead of upright, reasoned thought and godly principle. 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. And thats exactly how Christ intervened with His erring disciple. 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. Jesus doesn't reprimand his disciple for wounding the soldier, nor does he heal him. But if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. Hampton is cofounder of bible.org. The Messianic Psalm 69 sheds light on what Christ was doing here: Then I restored that which I took not away (v. 4). Now, with supreme hypocrisy, Judas kisses him to confirm the "Who are And it may be that the harm was great. from Caiaphas! Your rendering of Paul through Acts is hard for a Jerusalemite. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. Strange words! Do you think that 12 What is the meaning of Luke 22 38? "He touched the man's ear and healed him" (Luke 22:51). You are right to say that Pauls personality cannot I appreciate your viewpoint on Hellenism as a mistaken 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. him. is inside being interrogated right now," says one. 5:2). They bound him 13and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Does that mean that one is lying, or could it mean they are less detailed? happen to be some of the most astute and well-read amateurs you can read on the internet on the subject of biblical historicity. teaches in the temple colonnade called Solomon's Porch. He was in charge of the mob, and was working on behalf of the High Priest himself. The servant of the high priest lost his entire right ear when Peter swung in his direction! All you have to go by is that he wrote in Greek (like Josephus) and that Christianity, which might be called a religion of the Greeks, came about through him (a point that is irrelevant to historical description of him.). 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. Take my yoke upon you and It is likely that the high priest sent him, along with soldiers and Judas Iscariot, to capture Jesus (see Matthew 26:1-4, 14-16, 47-49). Do not put this on a website. He should have taken this as a cue that what was going to happen would not involve him, but instead of getting out of the way, Peter got in the way. is founded on biased, weak analysis of comparative religion. Disciples rebuked: Matthew, Luke, John. learn from me. 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. 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.". His words So Malchus befriends Will we see Malchus in heaven? If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. Jesus' response to Peter's . you looking for?" Pride is also evident in his action. Jesus had just told Peter that he would deny Him, but here we see Peter standing up for Jesus. It is also about understanding from a secular perspective as per the scholarship of anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists, etc the origins and nature of religions. We see Christ as the merciful High Priest in two ways. This fictional story is based on Luke 22:49-51. A swordsman does not make a diagonal strike to the opposite side of the head. thing is a very great evidence of their truth. . 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]. Documents written by a historical Jesus, as leader of a Zeal without knowledge can be disastrous. Jesus is the ear. If so, how close was it? Had they truly known Him and the truth He brought, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (I Corinthians 2:8). ", "Note that I do not use the term amateur pejoratively. In fact, Malchus takes pride in being servant to the He was wounded by Jesus and was subsequently healed, a story recorded in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 18. It's by no means a major part of the Passion, but it communicates quite a bit in just a few short sentences. Earlier, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter had failed to watch and pray as Christ had told him to do. Someone who is a Christian has acted toward you in a way that caused you harm. 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?" hush-hush mission with temple soldiers and Judas. plot to silence the Teacher. 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. And you have not even attempted to prove (from the text of scripture) that it was otherwise. For the slightest reason, some skip church services, neglect to come to the aid of others, or refuse to help with the needs of the church. Friday after the First Sunday in Lent. 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. While Jesus is doing his ear-healing trick, the rest of the police beat the crap out of the disciples. Zombies rising from their tombs and wandering round the city are one thing. So he touched the wounded man's ear and healed him. Now thats not McGraths style! Euler: A baby on his lap, a cat on his back thats how he wrote his immortal works (origin?). we dont have a solid model of how many sects . identity for Judeans. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. But they are necessary, arent they, for the believer who demands the story to be real history. I have posted here criticisms of religion, in particular of fundamentalism, as well as encouragements for those who have been through the negative experiences to embrace the benefits of their religious experiences, too. Why were essential cult texts not written in Aramaic, preserved modern age, what is reported in the time periods of 2nd Temple Judaism, and later arguments of rabbinical sects. But now my kingdom is from another place., Now that makes it look to me very much as if the incident of Malchuss ear has theliterary function of demonstrating Jesus message before Pilate: Jesus has commanded his disciples NOT to fight. God is the head. Maybe he added it because it appealed to his line of work, and was fascinating to him. himself. of the NTs overall ideology, and Judea is already receptive to cultic 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. Peter's blow was sufficient to cut . In addition, on the heels of His agonizing prayers (characterized by His bloody perspiration; Luke 22:44), one of His own disciples, Judas, had given Him the kiss of betrayal, a prelude to the coming horrors of His arrest, trial, and crucifixionthe cruelest trial ever suffered by a man. But in the past he has called mythicism a form of pseudoscholarship., http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2014/07/scholarship-and-blogging.html. Other modules in . 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. 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.. Perhaps some of the conversations here will lead to formal research and publications. This shames us all! Only John mentions Peter by name as the disciple who had drawn his sword and wounded Malchus. He is not a disciple of Christ, and neither did he do something good that we should emulate him. Index:Kritik der Evangelien und Geschichte ihres Ursprungs, Erster BandClaremont.djvu Index:Kritik der Evangelien und Geschichte ihres Ursprungs,, After a little more tinkering I believe I have found that my main problem has been getting a clear enough. Not only Gentile rulers are like that! 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? It is whole, undamaged, ", 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. For if they had agreed I know there is much scholarship about why the NT was originally Following Judas' traitorous kiss, Jesus confirmed their intention to take Him prisoner, choosing to yield Himself peacefully. vengeful, so petty, so filled with hatred. Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?, My kingdom is not of this world. The sword missed its intended target and instead cut off Malchuss ear. find better evidence that he absorbed the religious climate of his Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?". But that's all we know about . 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. Demigods, Violence and Flood in Plato and Genesis [Biblical Creation Accounts/Platos Timaeus-Critias 7c], Primeval History from Cain to Noah [Biblical Creation Accounts/Platos Timaeus-Critias 7b], The Ambiguity of the Serpent: Greek versus Biblical, The Biblical Cain and his Greek Counterparts, Garden of Eden : Mesopotamian Perspectives, The Garden of Eden [Biblical Creation Accounts/Platos Timaeus-Critias 7a], The Second Creation Story in Genesis [Biblical Creation Accounts/Platos Timaeus 6], Inside the Pentecostal Christians Mind #1, Charbonnel: Jesus Christ sublime figure de papier. For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will long term instruction and cohesion of his sect, would be When the soldiers arrive to arrest Jesus, Peter attacks the servant of the High Priest, cutting off his ear with a short dagger (). component of 2nd Temple Judaism; the religion, and source of Such as the servant representing the HP or his authority? No wonder, then, that the Lord admonished Peter: Put up thy sword into the sheath (John 18:11). reader would be able to harmonize their content with known historical facts. His touch tenderly yet powerfully restored the tissues, muscles, and nerves, bringing healing to Malchus. E-mail Bible Study
In many ways, it is like St. Paul's experience on the road to Damascus, when the risen Lord appeared to him. . that Paul is a Roman citizen, then in my mind it And he touched his ear, and healed him" (Luke 22:50-51). Is McGrath boasting that he has an environment in which no-one, not even mythicists, feel victimized or insulted or misrepresented? Is there a single-word adjective for "having exceptionally strong moral principles"? I can hazard guesses like anyone else but thats all theyll be. This parable had a two fold meaning (which most do) . He would undo what Peter has done. That is a valid option. This is for Jews only. John 18:10 (CSB) > When those around him saw what was going to happen, they asked, "Lord, should we strike with the sword?" Then one o. What happened to malchus? incognito, ear open for a seditious comment he can report back to Mark I could not resist entering the fray after learning what McGrath did to you. much more valuable than what is actually present to us. find rest for your souls.". sword and begins to brandish it wildly. In this threatening situation, Jesus could have chosen to perform a miracle for his own benefit, to avoid his impending arrest. 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. a Greco-Roman mystery cult/school. Free
Simon Peter had just cut off the ear of Malchus, (High Priest's Slave) one of the soldiers who had come to arrest Jesus. . c) Joseph of Arimathaea. Malchus is aghast at what he has done, at his part in this be your slave, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of with no piercing. Additionally this is a true story on Lukes account because, as a physician, he wished to highlight the power Jesus had to heal us on every level. He cannot forget those 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. Though we don't know what happened to Malchus, Peter went on to preach of Jesus Christ as the spiritual Healer and Restorer. According to the Bible, one of the disciples, Simon Peter, being armed with a sword, cut off the servant's ear in an . What this site is about is set out in the About Vridar page. Berean Study Bible. identification and the soldiers move in. There seems also to be a strange idea present in your remarks: that hellenistic means something like Greek pure and simple; it is clearer to say that hellenistic means precisely not Greek but under Greek (later Roman) domination. The blade has Presupposing a strong oral tradition which gives firm basis for atleast veridical (Case of the Severed Ear). "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. wound. The scene is as much a literary symbol as is Marks young man fleeing naked at the arrest of Jesus. Required fields are marked *. might be pretending to know it. There are several references to OT. There are also quite likely other symbols involved that are now lost to us. The scene of Peters slicing off the ear of Malchus has a clear literary and theological function. Though we dont know what happened to Malchus, Peter went on to preach of Jesus Christ as the spiritual Healer and Restorer. 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. John writes after the destruction of Jerusalem. Doubting an Oral Tradition behind the Gospels: The Parables, Why Christianity Happened The Secular Approach, 2, Book of Revelation Annotated List of Posts, Daniel Gullottas Review of Richard Carriers, Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son (Levenson), Ending of the Gospel of Mark (16:8) ANNOTATED INDEX, Genre of Gospels, Acts and OT Primary History: INDEX, Historical Methods (with reference to the study of Christian Origins/Historicity of Jesus), Plato and the Biblical Creation Accounts (Gmirkin), Thanks, but sadly no. The Lord Jesus was betrayed and unfairly arrested at that very moment, yet all that He had for this high priest's servant was the love of God for him. Im also happy to see even Jim giving Neil credit where credit is due. The servant wasnt asking to be freed, was he? And isnt there some more meaning that can be looked into? As such, the addition may have been an important detail for Luke to add, given what he was trying to accomplish with his writing. is read allegorically does it have a chance to make any real sense. Luke 22:51 And Jesus answered and said . He clutches at his head to stop the Jesus restored the servant's ear, told Peter to put his sword away, and the band of soldiers arrested Him . But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.". Spiritually speaking, Christ wounds our hearts by the law and then heals them in the gospel. shadows among the gnarled olive trees. But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. Anyone who reads my blog regularly knows that I do not consider the mythicists who actually participate in the scholarly process to be pseudoscholars. I simply judge them to be unpersuasive. Your clarity of expression, fair comments and personal insights are much valued. Jesus is kneeling before him, right hand sees himself as a servant, not a would-be dictator. Suddenly, they encounter someone Perhaps the others are asking and Peter is acting. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost," of the writers. Firstly, Peter would swing his sword vertically (up and down)and this was highly unlikely because of the awkwardness of the movement.