No other evangelist but John hath this passage perfect. What he hath we have opened in our notes on Mat 26:51,52, because it tendeth to complete that part of the history there discoursed, concerning Christs being apprehended. John relates it with more circumstances, telling us that it was Peter who drew the sword, and that his name whose ear was cut off was Malchus, and relates some further words used by our Saviour to Peter, which we shall further consider in their places. This rash act of Peter might have cost him dear, for it made a kinsman of Malchus take such notice of him, as he was very near being accused by him, Joh 18:26. Swords are dangerous things for us to use, until God puts them into our hands. Peter ought not only to have asked his Master if he should smite with the sword, but also to have staid his hand till Christ had given him an answer.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

When they which were about him,…. That is, the eleven disciples that were about Christ, and with him in the garden:

saw what would follow; that their Lord and master was about to be betrayed by Judas, and would be seized, and carried away by the multitude, that were with him:

they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? or “swords”, as the Syriac and Persic versions read; with the two swords which they had along with them. This they said, not being thoroughly acquainted with the mind of Christ in this matter, whether they should use the temporal sword or not; and might choose to show this forwardness to stand by him, and defend him, remembering how lately they had said, that though they died with him, they would not deny him: and might, no doubt, be thoroughly exasperated and provoked to see Judas at the head of such a mob, with swords and staves, and burned with true zeal for their Lord and master; and might be the more spirited up to this, by observing, that the men fell backwards to the ground, upon Christ’s saying that he was the person they sought; at least their dependence was upon the exertion of his almighty power; for they could never otherwise imagine that eleven men, with two swords only, would be able to defend him, and rescue him out of the hands of such a multitude.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

What would follow ( ). Article and the future middle participle of , to be.

Shall we smite with a sword? ( ;). Note in a direct question like the Hebrew. Luke alone gives this question. Instrumental use of . They had the two swords already mentioned (22:38).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

1) “When they which were about him saw,” (idontes de hoi peri auton) “Then when those around him (around Jesus) saw or perceived,” from the looks of the armed crowd, as Peter struck with his sword, cutting off the ear of Malchus, servant of the high priest, Mat 26:51; Mar 14:47; Joh 18:10.

2) “What would follow, they said unto him,” (to esomenon elpan) “What was about to occur, they said,” as the horde of night-marchers were binding Him like a criminal to lead Him to prison. The Lord was being captured, seized as, and numbered with, transgressors, Isa 53:7-12.

3) “Lord, shall we smite with the sword?” (kurie ei pataksomen en marchaire) “Lord do we have your permission to strike with the sword?” to protect you with a sword? Mat 26:52; Joh 18:8. The answer was “no.” Civil matters may be defended by the sword, but not religious matters.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(49) When they which were about him.The phrase is apparently chosen as more accurate than the disciples would have been. Those who spoke were probably the three that had been nearest to Him, and possibly one or two others who had rushed forward.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

‘And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we smite with the sword?” ’

After a few moments of total bewilderment those who were with Jesus caught on to what was about to happen, and turning to Jesus they asked whether they should act to defend Him, so that He could slip away while they engaged His opponents. Were they to use what swords they had? The question was really rhetorical. It expressed their intention rather than a suggestion, for speed was of the essence, although it deferred to the fact that Jesus was their leader. In the darkness it is quite possible that they did not realise immediately that this was an official arresting party, headed by the Temple police and supported by a Roman cohort, and thought that it was a band of thugs and would be assassins (which, of course, it actually was).

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

Ver. 49. Lord, shall we smite? ] But before he could answer, Peter smote, which might easily have cost him his life. Quod dubites, ne feceris, is a safe rule.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Luk 22:49 . , those about Him, i.e. , the disciples , though the word is avoided. , what was about to happen, i.e. , the apprehension. The disciples, anticipating the action of the representatives of authority, ask directions, and one of them (Luk 22:50 ) not waiting for an answer, strikes out. In the parallels the apprehension takes place first.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

about = around. Greek. peri. App-104. saw. Greek. eidon. App-133.

would follow = was about to happen.

with. Greek en. App-104.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Luk 22:49. , what was about to follow) Contrary to their own opinion, which heretofore they had continued to hold.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Reciprocal: 2Ki 6:21 – shall Mat 14:28 – bid Mat 26:51 – General Mar 14:47 – General Joh 18:10 – General Act 4:30 – By stretching

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

9

Neither of the other records says anything about this conversation.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Luk 22:49. Saw what would follow. They not only wake up, but wake to an understanding of the case.

Lord, shall we smite with the sword? In the same spirit as the occurrence of Luk 22:38.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Luk 22:49-51. When they which were about him saw what would follow That the band was just going to seize Jesus, or had already seized him, and were about to lead him away; they said, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? Thou didst allow us to have two swords, shall we now make use of them? Surely never can there be a greater occasion for doing it: and we doubt not but, few as we are, thou canst render us victorious over this armed multitude. They did not wait for an answer from Jesus, but one of them Namely, Peter, immediately smote the servant of the high-priest One who, it is probable, was the forwardest, and seemed peculiarly officious in seizing Christ. Peter struck full at his head, intending to cleave him down, but the stroke glanced a little on one side, so that he only cut off his right ear. Jesus said, Suffer ye thus far Let me go to the wounded man, and have my hands at liberty, while I do one more act of mercy. And he touched his ear, and healed him Putting the ear on again, which was cut off, or creating a new one in the place of it. It may not be improper to observe, that two other interpretations are given of the clause, Suffer ye thus far. All antiquity, says Dr. Campbell, seems agreed in understanding our Lords expression as a check to his disciples, by intimating that they were not to proceed further in the way of resistance, as it was not to such methods of defence that he chose to recur: and what is recorded by the other evangelists, as likewise said on the occasion, strongly confirms this explanation. Dr. Whitby thinks that Christ spake thus to the soldiers, desiring them thus far to suffer the rash opposition of his disciples, and not to proceed to violence against them, on account of the assault made, and injury done by one of them, which he would immediately repair; for it follows, and he healed him. And this, adds the doctor, he said and did partly to show, that he, who had such power to heal, and (Joh 18:6) to throw down his enemies, was taken willingly, and not for want of power to preserve himself: and partly to preserve his apostles from their assaults. It must be acknowledged that all these interpretations are plausible; but the first, which is adopted by Elsner, Doddridge, Macknight, Wesley, and many others, seems as probable as either of the others, and certainly exhibits the mercy and benevolence of our Lord in the most amiable and striking point of view. And one would have thought, that such a generous piece of kindness to his enemies would have so overcome them, that they would have proceeded no further against him. But, alas! their hearts were hardened! How illustriously did our Lord now exemplify his own rule of doing good to them that hate us, as he afterward did that which enjoins us to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

22:49 {17} When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

(17) That zeal which carries us out of the bounds of our God-given position does not please Christ.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The disciples asked Jesus if they should use their swords (Luk 22:38). Their question was not so much a request for permission as an announcement of the action they intended to take. Jesus had earlier expressed His submission to the Father’s will in prayer (Luk 22:41-44). The disciples had failed to pray and expressed their opposition to Jesus’ will here. Luke did not identify the assailant as Peter (Joh 18:10) probably to keep the emphasis on his act rather than his identity. Interestingly Luke identified Judas clearly, but he did not identify Peter. Perhaps this magnifies the seriousness of Judas’ sin while playing down Peter’s failure. Doctor Luke and John noted that it was the right ear that Peter severed. Evidently Peter had swung to split the servant’s head open and had missed. The sword (Gr. machaira) was small, curved, and commonly used for self-defense.

In Matthew and Mark, Peter’s attack follows Jesus’ arrest, but in Luke it precedes it. Probably the soldiers took hold of Jesus, then Peter flew into action, then Jesus restored the servant’s ear, and then the soldiers led Jesus away.

"Peter had been sleeping when he should have been praying, talking when he should have been listening, and boasting when he should have been fearing. Now he was fighting when he should have been surrendering." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:270.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)