MARK 14:47 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
“And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.”
Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear — the swordfighter (identified in John 18:10 as Peter) strikes the high priest's servant and cuts off his ear. Mark does not identify the swordfighter or the servant; John names both (Peter and Malchus). The violence is reflexive and ineffective — it does not prevent the arrest and it violates the principle Jesus is enacting. Luke 22:51 records Jesus healing the ear.
Church Fathers on Mark 14:47
After that our Lord had prayed three times, and had obtained by His prayers that the fear of the Apostles should be amended by future repentance, He, being tranquil as to His Passion, goes to His persecutors, concerning the coming of whom the Evangelist says, 'And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas Iscariot, on of the twelve.'
This is not put without reason, but to the greater conviction of the traitor, since though he was of the chief company amongst the disciples, he turned himself to furious enmity against our Lord.
For he who despairs of help from God, has recourse to the power of the world.
Read all 16 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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