John 18:22

22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there hit him. The guard said, "Is that the way 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, "I have spoken openly to everyone. I have always taught in synagogues and in the Temple, where all the Jews come together. I never said anything in secret.

21 So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. They know what I said."

22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there hit him. The guard said, "Is that the way you answer the high priest?"

23 Jesus answered him, "If I said something wrong, then show what it was. But if what I said is true, why do you hit me?"

24 Then Annas sent Jesus, who was still tied, to Caiaphas the high priest.