John 18:10

18:10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave, ¹  cutting off his right ear. ²  (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.) ³ 

John 18:26

18:26 One of the high priest’s slaves, ⁴  a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, ⁵  said, “Did I not see you in the orchard ⁶  with him?” ⁷ 

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¹ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

² sn The account of the attack on the high priest’s slave contains details which suggest eyewitness testimony. It is also mentioned in all three synoptic gospels, but only John records that the disciple involved was Peter, whose impulsive behavior has already been alluded to (John 13:37). Likewise only John gives the name of the victim, Malchus, who is described as the high priest’s slave. John and Mark (14:47) both use the word ὠτάριον (wtarion, a double diminutive) to describe what was cut off, and this may indicate only part of the right ear (for example, the earlobe).

³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

⁴ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

⁵ sn This incident is recounted in v. 10.

⁶ tn Or “garden.”

⁷ tn This question, prefaced with οὐκ (ouk) in Greek, anticipates a positive answer.