Mark 14:47

14:47 One of the men with Jesus (Peter, see John 18:10) attempted a hurried defense by slashing off the ear of the high priest’s slave (see Luke 22:50-51).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 14:47-52 . Attempt at rescue .

Mar 14:47 . εἷς τ . παρ ., one of those standing by, i.e. , one of the three, Peter according to the fourth gospel (Joh 18:10 ). τὴν μάχ ., the sword = his sword, as if each disciple was armed; vide on Mt. ὠτάριον = ὠτίον , T.R., diminutive of οὖς ; the use of diminutives for the members of the body was common in popular speech. Vide Lobeck, Phryn., p. 211.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, Peter.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

47. And one of them that stood by] This we know from St John was Simon Peter (Joh_18:10), displaying his characteristic impetuosity to the end. Some think the Apostle’s name was omitted by the Synoptists lest the publication of it in his lifetime should expose him to the revenge of the unbelieving Jews.

a servant of the high priest] In none of the Synoptic Gospels do we find mention of his name either. This we are told by St John was Malchus. St John was an acquaintance of the high-priest’s, and probably a frequenter of his house; hence he knew the name of his servant.

his ear] Both St Mark and St John use a diminutive = little ear. St Luke alone (Luk_22:50) tells us it was his right ear. Perhaps it was not completely severed, for St Luke, who alone also records the healing, says that our Lord simply touched it and healed him.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I was daily with you in the temple,.... That is, for several days past; ever since he made his public entry into Jerusalem:

teaching; the people, in a public manner:

and ye took me not; did not attempt to lay hands on him, seize him, and carry him away; which he signifies might have been easily done; See Gill on Mat 26:55.

But the Scriptures must be fulfilled: which spoke of the betraying him by Judas; and of their taking him in this private and secret manner; and of the flight of the disciples from him next mentioned; See Gill on Mat 26:56.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

46 And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

Ver. 47. And one of them] Beza gathered from this text that Mark received not this Gospel from Peter, because Peter would no less have confessed this rashness in himself than he had done his denial of his Master.

And cut off his ear] This was his indiscreet zeal, proceeding ab affectu carnis, non ab afflatu Spiritus sancti, from the flesh, not spirit. (Piscator.)

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This was Peter, as we learn from St. John xviii. 10. He is here actuated with his usual ardent zeal, calling to mind the example of Phinees, who by executing justice on the wicked, merited the reward of justice, and a continual priesthood. (Ven. Bede) --- St. Mark conceals his master’s name, lest he should seem to be publishing the ardour of his zeal for Christ. (Theophylactus)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

But a certain one of them that stood by drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear (afeilen autou to wtion). We learn from St. John (Joh_18:10) that this was Peter. St. John also is the only evangelist who mentions the name (Malchus) of the high priest"s servant. Malchus would probably be prominent amongst them. St. Luke (Luk_22:51) is the only evangelist who mentions the healing of the wound by our Lord.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matt. xxvi, 51; Luke xxii, 49; John xviii, 10.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

who stood by

"who was standing nearby"

Jesus said to them

"Jesus said to the crowd"

Do you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?

Jesus is rebuking the crowd. This can be written as a statement. AT: "It is ridiculous that you come here to seize me with swords and clubs, as if I were a robber!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

But this was done that

"But this has happened so that"

All those with Jesus

This refers to the disciples.

translationWords

high priest

Jesus

thief

temple

word of God

fulfill

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

47. εἶς δέ τις ([3211][3212][3213][3214][3215][3216][3217]) rather than εἶς δέ ([3218][3219][3220][3221][3222]) or καί τις ([3223][3211] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[3212] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[3213] Codex Purpureus. 6th cent. Full text in Texts and Studies v. No. 4, 1899. Contains Mar 5:20 to Mar 7:4; Mar 7:20 to Mar 8:32; Mar 9:1 to Mar 10:43; Mar 11:7 to Mar 12:19; Mar 14:25 to Mar 15:23; Mar 15:33-42. See below on Ψ.

[3214] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[3215] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[3216] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

[3217] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

[3218] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[3219] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[3220] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[3221] Codex Campianus. 9th cent. At Paris. Gospels complete.

[3222] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mar 9:5 to Mar 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

[3223] odex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

47. εἷς δέ τις. Both Mk and Lk. have τις, but Mt. omits it. It suggests that the writer could name the εἷς, if he thought it wise to do so. Here, as in the cases of Mary anointing Christ, and of Judas murmuring at her, the later records are more definite than the earlier. Mk says that this assault was committed by a certain person, Mt. and Lk. that it was done by one of Christ’s followers, Jn that it was the act of Simon Peter. After Peter’s death, and long after the event, no harm would be done in giving the name. Jn alone gives the name Malchus; as an acquaintance of the high-priest (Joh 18:15) he would know his slave’s name. Malchus may have been the first to lay hands on Jesus, and hence Peter’s impulsive attack on him. Peter’s mingled affection and self-confidence are again conspicuous. He does not think of the risk to himself, nor does he stop to consider what good it would do to wound one man, and him a mere subordinate. His μάχαιρα was probably a large knife rather than a sword; there were two such weapons in the party (Luk 22:38).

ἀφεῖλεν. Took off. In no other connexion is ἀφαιρέω used in N.T. of physical sundering; but cf. Gen 40:19; Exo 29:27; 1Sa 17:46, etc. Both Lk. and Jn specify the right ear, a very rare instance of agreement between Lk. and Jn in narrative, as distinct from Mk and Mt. Mt. alone records Christ’s rebuke to Peter, and Lk. alone records the healing of the ear. In some cases diminutives retain their force in N.T., e.g. πλοιάριον (Mar 3:9), κυνάρια (Mar 7:27); but here ὠτάριον (Mk, Jn) and ὠτίον (Mt.) = οὖς (Lk.).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

47. Εἶς δὲ. It is probable that the numeral is used here, as it is commonly, to call attention to the number, not like the indefinite τις. The probability of this is increased if τις is retained in the text. Only one of the disciples resorted to this extreme action, involving, as it did, a certain courage, and also blindness. There was in it also an element of tentativeness, an initiative, in which all the prejudices of the disciples pointed to success, but in which the words of the Master must have raised bewilderment and doubt. Luk 22:49 says that the disciples generally asked if they should strike with the sword, and that one of them, without waiting for an answer, sought to precipitate matters by taking the offensive. J. 18:10 gives the name, Simon Peter, and the incident is entirely characteristic. He also names the servant, Malchus. Luk 22:51 adds the interesting fact, that Jesus healed the man.

Omit τις, a certain, after εἶς, one, Treg. (WH.) א ALM, mss. Lat. Vet. Egyptt. Harcl. ὠτάριον, instead of ὠτίον, Tisch. Treg. WH. א BD 1, Harcl. marg.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The servant. See on Mt 26:51.

Ear [ωταριον] . A word found only here and at Joh 23:10. See on Mt 26:51.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.