Simon Peter strikes Malchus (Notes)

Saint John - Chapter 18

Simon Peter strikes Malchus. J-J Tissot

[10] Simon ergo Petrus habens gladium eduxit eum : et percussit pontificis servum, et abscidit auriculam ejus dexteram. Erat autem nomen servo Malchus.
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus.

[11] Dixit ergo Jesus Petro : Mitte gladium tuum in vaginam. Calicem, quem dedit mihi Pater, non bibam illum?
Jesus therefore said to Peter: Put up thy sword into the scabbard. The chalice which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

But there was a servant named Malchus. He mentions the name of the servant to signify the mystery. For Malchus is the same as “king.” But as the servant of the High Priest he signifies the Jewish people, which was formerly a kingly and free power, but afterwards became subject to the Priesthood, which burdened it with its traditions and ceremonies, and also preyed upon it. See Matt. 23. Now this man, when S. Peter and the Apostles preached the Gospel, lost his right ear on account of his unbelief and hatred of Christ: that is, he became deaf to the Gospel, and to those things which were necessary to salvation, till the Lord converted him, and healed his ear. So S. Cyril (in loc.), S. Ambrose on Luke 22, and S. Jerome on Matt. 26 S. Ambrose adds that S. Peter wished to imitate the zeal of Phinehas, who slew a prince of Israel who committed fornication with the daughters of Moab: and thus obtained the High Priesthood (Num. 25) The love therefore of S. Peter, and his zeal for Christ, lessened his fault. And yet he sinned in drawing his sword without consulting Christ, more especially when he had heard just before from His own lips, that He was going of His own accord to His Passion and Death.

Saint Luke - Chapter 22

And when He had touched his ear, he healed him. J-J Tissot

[51] Respondens autem Jesus, ait : Sinite usque huc. Et cum tetigisset auriculam ejus, sanavit eum.
But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And when he had touched his ear, he healed him.

[52] Dixit autem Jesus ad eos qui venerant ad se principes sacerdotum, et magistratus templi, et seniores : Quasi ad latronem existis cum gladiis et fustibus?
And Jesus said to the chief priests, and magistrates of the temple, and the ancients, that were come unto him: Are ye come out, as it were against a thief, with swords and clubs?

[53] Cum quotidie vobiscum fuerim in templo, non extendistis manus in me : sed haec est hora vestra, et potestas tenebrarum.
When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

From The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by J-J Tissot (1897)

Jesus had just been nearly strangled with barbarous brutality, and Peter, in his zeal for his Master, had used his sword, cutting off the ear of Malchus, which, covered with blood, hangs down from the head of the luckless soldier.  But Jesus was there; He rebuked the too eager Apostle, and, turning to the wounded man, expressed His willingness to heal him.  No doubt, thinks the bystanders, He is going to be guilty of some fresh act of sorcery; what a good thing it will be to have some fresh charge to add to the indictment which is being drawn up against Him whom they characterize as a deceiver.  Did He not, only the other day, heal a blind man in the Temple by merely anointing his eyes with a clay made of earth mixed with His own spittle?  Had He not restored to health at the Pool of Bethesda the cripple who had had an infirmity of 38 years' standing?  Jesus, however, troubled Himself not at all about their perverse thoughts, He touched the ear of the wounded man, and thus consecrated His last moment of liberty to the healing of one of His enemies.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam