Who Cut the Ear Off in the Bible?
There are several accounts of a person cutting someone else’s ear off in the Bible, but who is the most common victim? Peter, Jesus, Luke, and Mark all had their share. Let’s consider each in turn. What can we learn from each? Listed below are some interesting facts about the characters involved.
Peter
The Bible is very detailed about this incident. The ear that Peter cut off in the Bible was a servant’s right ear. The sword, which Peter used to slash the servant’s ear off, missed the man’s head. Instead, it fell down the side of his head.
There is some disagreement over the exact moment at which Peter cut the ear off in the Bible. Nevertheless, both the gospels tell the story in slightly different ways. The Gospel of John mentions the name of the disciple who cut off the ear of the servant and mentions that Jesus told Peter to put the sword back into its sheath. This means that both Jesus and Peter knew that a specific moment would come to pass.
Jesus
The miracle of Jesus cutting off an ear is well documented in the Bible. In all four canonical gospels, it is mentioned. It is also mentioned in the book of Luke. This miracle was the last miracle recorded by Jesus before his death and resurrection. It is not entirely clear how the disciples interpreted Jesus’ action.
The incident is thought to have a symbolic meaning. The slaves in Malchus’ house were being kept as slaves. In addition, the servant of the high priest represents the entire Jewish priesthood.
Luke
The miracle of Jesus’ healing of the servant’s ear is described in all four of the gospels, including Luke. In John’s account, the servant and disciple were named Malchus and Simon Peter. Luke’s account records that Jesus healed the servant and reattached the ear to its right side. This healing episode is the last miracle recorded in the Canonical Gospels before Jesus’ Crucifixion.
The events surrounding Jesus’ ear-chopping are often difficult to follow in a chronological order, but Luke’s version is somewhat different from the others. The story in Luke begins when Judas brings a great crowd of men, including chief priests and elders, to confront Jesus. The disciples then kiss Jesus as a sign to the crowd. In response, Judas cuts off the ear of a high priest.
Mark
Mark’s story of cutting off a man’s ear in the Bible has a certain literary and theological purpose. The incident is best understood within the context of the gospel characters. The story probably comes from the Gospel of Mark and was adapted by the fourth evangelist.
It is possible that Mark’s disciples did this to gain the respect of the Roman authorities. It is likely that the disciples would have felt threatened or even terrified by the arrest. It is unknown why Mark did not mention their names in the Bible. Perhaps he didn’t want to take credit for the incident, considering that Peter would betray Jesus shortly afterward. In any case, this omission may have been intentional, as it underlines the last effort of the disciples to keep Jesus safe.
John
In the Gospel of John, Jesus had one of his disciples cut off the ear of a servant. The disciple who cut off the ear was named Peter. Peter had been in charge of the ear of a servant. The man’s ear had a ring and was probably very sensitive to pain. John did not say that Peter cut the ear off of the servant, but he did state that it was the servant’s right ear.
While it’s impossible to know for sure which gospel contains this story, there is some evidence to support the idea that Peter cut off the ear of Malchus. This story, recorded in the Gospel of John, traces its roots to the Gospel of Mark. The fourth evangelist may have adapted the story.
Allegorical meaning
Oftentimes, Scripture is translated literally, and this is the case with this verse. However, its allegorical meaning is not limited to biblical literature. The phrase “cutting off an ear” is also used in Jewish texts. In the Jewish Bible, Hyrcanus was a high priest, and Antigonus cut off his ear with his teeth. While he was doing this, he was in violation of Leviticus 21:18, which forbids approaching people with physical defects. In addition, this verse mentions the practice of Persians who cut off their ears to make themselves appear unpopular with their king and their enemies.
The incident is mentioned in all four canonical gospels, but different accounts of the event are found in other gospels. The account of the disciple cutting off the ear is mentioned in John’s gospel, while the account in Luke mentions only the event when Peter cuts off Malchus’ ear. The story was also recorded in the Gospel of Mark, although it is unclear if the fourth gospel borrowed it from Mark.
Jesus’ response
The gospel accounts of Jesus’ response to cutting the ear off vary slightly. While Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John relate the story of the same event, they differ slightly on details. The Gospel of John, for instance, mentions that the high priest had ordered Simon Peter to strike the servant, and it also mentions that Jesus instructed Peter to put his sword back in its sheath. The incident occurs in a context that demonstrates Jesus’ power of symbolic interpretation.
After Jesus heals the ear, he tells Peter not to use violence any more. Healing was part of the Kingdom of God and the way of God. Healing was an important part of Jesus’ life, and He did it on people who came to him in faith. While Malchus was not a patient for this healing, this story is instructive for all Christians.