John 18:22
And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
Original Language Analysis
αὐτοῦ
G846
αὐτοῦ
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
3 of 17
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
τῶν
G3588
τῶν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
6 of 17
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ὑπηρετῶν
of the officers
G5257
ὑπηρετῶν
of the officers
Strong's:
G5257
Word #:
7 of 17
an under-oarsman, i.e., (generally) subordinate (assistant, sexton, constable)
παρεστηκὼς
which stood by
G3936
παρεστηκὼς
which stood by
Strong's:
G3936
Word #:
8 of 17
to stand beside, i.e., (transitively) to exhibit, proffer, (specially), recommend, (figuratively) substantiate; or (intransitively) to be at hand (or
ἔδωκεν
G1325
ἔδωκεν
Strong's:
G1325
Word #:
9 of 17
to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)
τῷ
G3588
τῷ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
11 of 17
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦ
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦ
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
12 of 17
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
ἀποκρίνῃ
Answerest thou
G611
ἀποκρίνῃ
Answerest thou
Strong's:
G611
Word #:
15 of 17
to conclude for oneself, i.e., (by implication) to respond; by hebraism (compare h6030) to begin to speak (where an address is expected)
Historical Context
Striking a defendant was illegal under Jewish law unless after conviction. This premature violence proves the proceeding's illegitimacy. Similarly, Roman law forbade beating unconvicted citizens—yet Jesus faced repeated assaults (Matthew 26:67; 27:30) from both Jewish and Roman authorities.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus's calm legal defense, met with violence, expose the difference between power and authority?
- What does this officer's reaction reveal about how truth often provokes hostility when it threatens institutional control?
- When truth-telling brings punishment rather than dialogue, how can you maintain Jesus's courage without responding in kind?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
One of the officers struck Jesus with the palm of his hand—The Greek ῥάπισμα (rhapisma) can mean a slap or strike with a rod. This unprovoked assault for Answerest thou the high priest so? (οὕτως ἀποκρίνῃ τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ, houtōs apokrinē tō archierei) reveals the sham trial's brutality.
Isaiah 50:6 prophesied Messiah would give His back to smiters and not hide His face from shame. This violence fulfills prophecy while exposing judicial corruption—legitimate courts don't permit guards to assault defendants for respectful responses. The officer's rage betrays awareness that Jesus's logic was unassailable, requiring force rather than refutation.