Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 18:26
One of the servants of the high priest, being [his] kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
26. his kinsman ] A kinsman of him. How natural that an acquaintance of the high-priest ( Joh 18:15) and known to his portress ( Joh 18:16) should know this fact also as well as Malchus’ name ( Joh 18:10). This confirms the ordinary view that the ‘other disciple’ ( Joh 18:15) is the Evangelist himself. This third accusation and denial was, as S. Luke tells us, about an hour after the second; so that our Lord must have ‘turned and looked upon Peter’ either from a room looking into the court, or as He was being led to receive the formal sentence of the Sanhedrin after the trial before Caiaphas, not as He was being taken from Annas to Caiaphas.
Did not I see thee ] ‘I’ is emphatic; ‘with my own eyes.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
26. One of the servants of the highpriest, being his kinsman, whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not Isee thee in the garden with himNo doubt his relationship toMalchus drew attention to the man who smote him, and this enabled himto identify Peter. “Sad reprisals!” [BENGEL].The other Evangelists make his detection to turn upon his dialect.“After a while [‘about the space of one hour after’ (Lu22:59)] came unto him they that stood by and said to Peter,Surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech betrayeth thee”(Mt 26:73). “Thou art aGalilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto” (Mr14:70; and so Lu 22:59).The Galilean dialect had a more Syrian cast than that ofJudea. If Peter had held his peace, this peculiarity had notbeen observed; but hoping, probably, to put them off the scent byjoining in the fireside talk, he only thus revealed himself.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
One of the servants of the high priest,…. Hearing him so stiffly deny that he was a disciple of Jesus, when he had great reason to believe he was:
being his kinsman, whose ear Peter cut off; a near relation of Malchus, to whom Peter had done this injury; and who was present at the same time, and no doubt took particular notice of him; and the more, because of what he had done to his kinsman:
saith unto him, did not I see thee in the garden with him? as if he should have said, I saw thee with my own eyes along with Jesus, this very night in the garden, beyond Kidron, where he was apprehended, how canst thou deny it? and wilt thou stand in it so confidently, that thou art not one of his disciples?
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Did not I see thee in the garden with him? ( ‘ ;). This staggering and sudden thrust expects an affirmative answer by the use of , not as in verses John 18:17; John 18:25, but Peter’s previous denials with the knowledge that he was observed by a kinsman of Malchus whom he had tried to kill (verse 10) drove him to the third flat denial that he knew Jesus, this time with cursing and swearing (Mark 14:71; Matt 26:73). Peter was in dire peril now of arrest himself for attempt to kill.
Straightway (). As in Mt 26:74 while Luke has (Lu 22:60). Mark (Mark 14:68; Mark 14:72) speaks of two crowings as often happens when one cock crows. See Mt 26:34 for (cock). That was usually the close of the third watch of the night (Mr 13:35), about 3 A.M. Luke (Lu 22:61) notes that Jesus turned and looked on Peter probably as he passed from the rooms of Annas to the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (the ecclesiastical court). See Mrs. Browning’s beautiful sonnets on “The Look”.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “One of the servants of the high priest,” (legei eis ek ton doulon tou archiereos) “One of the slave-servants of the high priest says,” of Caiaphas, the administrative high priest that year, the one who was then presiding over the night time trial or arraignment, at that moment, Joh 18:14; Joh 18:24.
2) “Being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off,” (sungenes hon hou apekopsen Petros to otion) “Being a relative of him and whose ear Peter cut off.” a kinsman and servant to Caiaphas; only John tells that this servant was a kinsman to the high priest, and the attendant servant Malchus, who had gone into the garden with the band of soldiers earlier in the night to arrest Jesus, during which event Peter cut his ear off, while meaning to cut off his head, Joh 18:10.
3) “Saith, Did not I see thee,” (legei ouk se eidon) “Says, I saw you did I not;” at close range. It was this servant whose ear had been cut off, which Jesus immediately healed, Joh 18:11; Luk 22:51.
4) “In the garden with him?” (en to kepo metautou) ”in the garden with him?” In the garden of Gethsemane with him, with Jesus and His associate disciples, and he did, Joh 18:1; Joh 18:10-11.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(26) One of the servants of the high priest.Comp. Luk. 22:59.
Did not I see thee in the garden with him?This kinsman of Malchus, who had probably gone with him to the arrest, is not to be silenced by a simple denial. He asks emphatically, Did not I see thee in the garden with Him? He feels certain that he is not deceived. The probable interpretation of Joh. 18:4 is that Jesus went forth out of the garden towards the band and the officers. If so, the moment when the kinsman saw Peter was previous to that of Malchus wound. If the kinsman had witnessed this, he would almost certainly have charged Peter with it now.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
Ver. 26. Whose ear Peter cut off ] A great mercy it was that Peter had not then been hewed in a hundred pieces, by the ruffianly soldiers. But God had designed him to a further service. “My times are in thy hand,” saith David. They were deceived, that swore to kill Paul by such an hour,Act 23:12Act 23:12 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26. ] This was about an hour after the former, Luk 22:59 . Notice the emphatic : as we say, with my own eyes .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 18:26 . , “one of the servants of the high priest, who was a kinsman of him,” etc., “a detail which marks an exact knowledge of the household (Joh 18:15 ),” Westcott.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
see. Greek. eidon. App-133.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
26.] This was about an hour after the former,-Luk 22:59. Notice the emphatic : as we say, with my own eyes.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 18:26. , whose ear Peter cut off) Peter struck the man: accordingly it is by the mans relative that Peter is attacked. A sad retaliation.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 18:26
Joh 18:26
One of the servants of the high priest, being a kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?-He saw and recognized him [and knew that he had lied. Matthew reports that Peter made his denial with an oath, even cursing and swearing. He grew desperate.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
being: Joh 18:10
Did: Pro 12:19, Mat 26:73, Mar 14:70, Mar 14:71, Luk 22:59, Luk 22:60
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
It had not been long since Peter had attacked this servant and cut off his ear, and die surely would recognize him. However, he leaves out mentioning the matter of being a disciple, directly, and treats the same subject by asking if he had not seen him with him. This conversation is significant, for it means that in the estimation of this servant, being with Jesus was evidence of his being a disciple. His idea was correct as the scripture elsewhere teaches. (See Oba 1:11; 1Co 15:33.) Many professed disciples of Christ today will deny any sympathy with the enemies of the church just because they have not taken any formal stand with them. At the same time, they may be seen often associating with them and thus giving them encouragement.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 18:26. One of the servants of the high priest, being a kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? It is natural to ask why mention is made of the relationship between the servant who asks this question and the other servant who had suffered through Peters hasty zeal. The probable answer is, that the circumstance is not merely historical, but that it aids in developing the idea which the Evangelist has in view. It heightens the effect. This man would ask his question with far more bitterness than the others (comp. the expression of Luke when he says in chap. Luk 22:59, he confidently affirmed). He had been personally aggrieved by the injury inflicted on his kinsman. His question too is much more pointed,not whether Peter is one of the disciples, but whether his own eyes had not seen him but a little before upon a spot which he could name.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 26
Saith; about an hour afterwards (Luke 22:59.)
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
The third questioner was a relative of Malchus whose ear Peter had cut off in Gethsemane (Joh 18:10). Only John recorded the relationship. This fact supports the view that the "other disciple" was John. He knew the relationships of people within the high priest’s household.
The accuser also identified Peter as a Galilean (Mat 26:73; Mar 14:70; Luk 22:59). His question expected a positive answer in contrast to the former two that expected a negative answer. It posed the greatest threat to Peter’s security. Peter responded by uttering his most vehement denial. Immediately a cock crowed (for the second time, Mar 14:72) fulfilling the prediction that Jesus had spoken just hours earlier (13:38). John also omitted Peter’s oaths and curses (cf. Mat 26:74; Mar 14:71), Jesus’ convicting look (Luk 22:61), and Peter’s bitter tears of contrition (cf. Mat 26:75; Mar 14:72; Luk 22:62). The effect is that the fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction receives the emphasis.
The encouraging record of Peter’s restoration to fellowship and usefulness follows in chapter 21.