John 18:22

22 When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"

John 18:22 Meaning and Commentary

John 18:22

And when he had thus spoken
What was so right and reasonable, in so becoming a manner, without heat or passion:

one of the officers which stood by;
it may be one of those who had been sent to him and had been a hearer of him, whom Jesus might look wistfully at, or point unto, when he said the above words, at which he might be provoked: and therefore

stroke Jesus with the palm of his hand;
or gave him a rap with a rod, or smote him with a staff, as some think, is the sense of the phrase; though the Syriac, agreeably to our version, reads it, he smote him, (yhwewl le) , "upon his cheek"; gave him, what we commonly call, a slap on the face; and which is always esteemed a very great affront, and was a piece of rudeness and insolence to the last degree in this man:

saying, answerest thou the high priest so?
This he said, as well as gave the blow, either out of flattery to the high priest, or to clear himself from being a favourer of Christ; which, by what had been said, he might think would be suspected: some have thought this was Malchus, whose ear Christ had healed; if so, he was guilty of great ingratitude.

John 18:22 In-Context

20 Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together; I have said nothing secretly.

21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I said to them; they know what I said."

22 When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"

23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"

24 Annas then sent him bound to Ca'iaphas the high priest.