PrevLuke 22:50Next

Luke 22

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,

Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.

Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

What does Luke 22:50 mean?

Explanation

The verse in question, Luke 22:50, details a moment of violence that occurred during the arrest of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The "servant of the high priest" is traditionally understood to be Malchus, though he is only named in the Gospel of John (John 18:10).

The act was committed by one of Jesus' followers, identified in the Gospel of John as Peter, though he remains unnamed here in Luke.

This act of violence is immediately precedented by Jesus' plea for peace and non-violence. Jesus' subsequent healing of the servant's ear, as related in the verses that follow, underscores his teachings on non-violence and love even in the face of aggression.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

The verse occurs during the Passion narrative, a pivotal moment for Christianity when Jesus is betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples.

The event takes place at night, in a time when Judea was a province under Roman occupation.

The Jewish high priest was a significant religious authority, and his servants likely served functions related to keeping order and adherence to the laws and traditions of the temple.

The action of cutting off the ear can be understood as a symbolic representation of the willingness of Jesus’ followers to fight for him, yet it also sets the stage for Jesus to demonstrate a key point of his teaching: that his kingdom was not to be established by violence.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse demonstrates the tension between human impulse toward violence and divine commandment for peace. In Christian theology, Jesus often represents the ideal of pacifism and the turning away from retributive justice.

Some Christian scholars suggest that Peter's action represented a misunderstanding of Jesus' mission, reflecting the common expectation among Jews at the time that the Messiah would lead a military or political rebellion against Roman rule.

Jesus' rebuke of the act also served to illustrate his teaching to "turn the other cheek" and to love and pray for one's enemies, as established in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:38-48).

Practical Applications

In contemporary life, this verse reminds individuals that responding to aggression with aggression often escalates a situation. It encourages pacifist responses, advocating for de-escalation and non-violent conflict resolution.

For Christians, this can translate to practicing forgiveness, seeking reconciliation over revenge, and embodying Jesus’ teachings to "love your enemies" in personal relationships and broader social conflicts.

Cross-References

Matthew 26:51 (KJV): "And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear."
John 18:10 (KJV): "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear.

The servant's name was Malchus."

Matthew 5:38-48 (KJV): Teachings on non-retaliation and love for enemies.

Language Study

Key words to examine in this verse's original Greek text include:

"smote" (ἔπαισεν, epaisen): This term has connotations of striking or hitting with force and violence.
"servant" (δοῦλος, doulos): This word often refers to a slave or one who is subservient.

It implies the man was under the authority of the high priest.

"high priest" (ἀρχιερέως, archiereos): The religious leader of the Jews having high authority and oversight of religious matters.
"cut off" (ἀπέκοψεν, apekopsen): To cut off or sever; used in a literal sense here regarding physical harm.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In terms of cultural and religious comparisons, the act of cutting off an ear can be contrasted with various cultural depictions of body mutilation, either as punishment, in combat or as a sacrifice.

In various ancient traditions, such acts might symbolize a loss of status or capacity.

However, in this Christian narrative, the act is neither condoning nor institutionalized violence, but rather it serves as a dramatic counter-example to the peaceable teachings of Jesus.

Scientific Perspectives

A modern scientific perspective might examine the psychological aspects of aggression in humans as exemplified by Peter's action.

Science shows that humans, like many animals, can have violent reactions to threats, commonly known as the "fight or flight" response.

This would link to neuroscientific views on self-defense mechanisms.

Advances in medical science also make it clear that an ear can be reattached through microsurgery - a miraculous feat in ancient times presumably beyond human capability, suggesting the divine nature of Jesus’ healing powers as presented in the text.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this verse agree that it serves to highlight Jesus' commitment to non-violence.

William Barclay notes that Jesus’ response not only prevented a violent escalation but also protected his disciples from immediate arrest or harm by Roman soldiers.

Other scholars like Joel B.

Green and John Nolland similarly underscore the contrast between the disciple's misunderstanding and Jesus' commitment to a peaceful kingdom.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary suggests that the incident was designed to fulfill scripture and demonstrate Christ's full control over the situation, allowing his arrest to occur not out of incapability to resist, but as a conscious choice to fulfill his role in salvation.

In all, while the short verse captures a moment of high tension and action, its implications are vast in Christian thought – from soteriological themes to moral instruction on peace and nonviolence.

Luke 22

Luke 22

What does Luke 22:50 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 22:50 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?