John 18:22

22 And he having said these things, one of the officers standing by did give Jesus a slap, saying, `Thus dost thou answer the chief 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 spake freely to the world, I did always teach in a synagogue, and in the temple, where the Jews do always come together; and in secret I spake nothing;

21 why me dost thou question? question those having heard what I spake to them; lo, these have known what I said.'

22 And he having said these things, one of the officers standing by did give Jesus a slap, saying, `Thus dost thou answer the chief priest?'

23 Jesus answered him, `If I spake ill, testify concerning the ill; and if well, why me dost thou smite?'

24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the chief priest.