View source for Malchus

{{short description|Subject of a miracle by Jesus according to the Bible}}
{{About|the New Testament figure}}

[[File:Brooklyn Museum - The Ear of Malchus (L'oreille de Malchus) - James Tissot.jpg|thumb|Brooklyn Museum – ''The Ear of Malchus'' (''L'oreille de Malchus'') – [[James Tissot]]]]
[[File:The capture of Christ mg 1674.jpg|thumb|250px|A depiction of [[Saint Peter|Peter]] striking Malchus (c. 1520, [[Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon]])]]

'''Malchus''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|æ|l|k|ə|s}}; {{langx|grc-x-koine|Μάλχος|translit=Málkhos}}, {{IPA|grc|ˈmal.kʰos|pron}}) was the [[Servant (domestic)|servant]] of the [[Jewish]] [[Kohen Gadol|High Priest]] [[Caiaphas]] who participated in the [[Arrest of Jesus|arrest]] of [[Jesus]] as written in the [[Gospel|four gospels]]. According to the [[Bible]], one of the [[Disciple (Christianity)|disciples]], [[Saint Peter|Simon Peter]], being armed with a [[Sword of Peter|sword]], cut off the servant's ear in an attempt to prevent the [[arrest of Jesus]].

==Biblical accounts==

That a disciple cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest is related in all four [[canonical gospels]], in {{bibleverse||Matthew|26:51|KJV}}, {{bibleverse||Mark|14:47|KJV}}, {{bibleverse||Luke|22:50–51|KJV}}, and {{bibleref2|John|18:10-11|9|John 18:10–11}}, but Simon Peter and Malchus are named only in the [[Gospel of John]]. Also, [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] is the only gospel that says Jesus healed the servant. This was Jesus' last recorded miracle prior to his resurrection.

The relevant passages in the Gospels of John and Luke, [[KJV]], read:
{{Quote|1=<poem>10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?</poem>|2={{bibleref2|John|18:10-11|9|John 18:10–11}}}}

{{Quote|1=<poem>50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.</poem>|2={{bibleref2|Luke|22:50-51|9|Luke 22:50–51}}}}

[[James F. McGrath]] suggests that this account reflects an event that did happen, in that early Christians would hardly have invented a story portraying themselves as violent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionprof/2014/09/the-case-of-the-severed-ear.html|last=McGrath|first=James F.|title=The Case of the Severed Ear|work=Patheos|date= September 20, 2014 |publisher=Patheos.com |access-date=2018-04-19}}</ref>

Later in Chapter 18, John records that a relative of Malchus witnessed Peter's assault in the Garden of Gethsemane, and identified Peter as a follower of Christ. Peter [[Denial of Peter|denied]] this.

== Other accounts ==

4th century church father Jerome cites a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to Malchus, quoting a passage from the lost "[[Gospel of the Hebrews|gospel according to the Hebrews]]."  "And when the Lord had given the linen cloth to the servant of the priest, he went to James and appeared to him."<ref>Jerome, De viris inlustribus 2, in The Other Gospels: Non-Canonical Gospel Texts, ed. Ron Cameron, Westminster John Knox Press, 1982. </ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelhebrews-throck.html|title=Gospel of the Hebrews|website=earlychristianwritings.com}}</ref>

==Literature and arts==

[[Thornton Wilder]] wrote a short play entitled, "The Servant's Name Was Malchus"; it appears in the collection ''The Angel That Troubled the Waters and Other Plays''.

''[[The Fire Gospel]]'', a 2008 novel by [[Michel Faber]], centers on the discovery of the fictional [[New Testament apocrypha|lost gospel]] of Malchus.

Malchus is portrayed by [[Paul Brightwell]] in the 2013 TV miniseries ''[[The Bible (TV miniseries)|The Bible]]''.

In the 2004 [[Mel Gibson]] film ''[[The Passion of the Christ]]'', Malchus is represented as an armed member of the temple guard. In this depiction, Jesus [[Miracles of Jesus|heals]] Malchus' wounded ear, leaving the latter to stay behind sitting dumbfounded in a state of disbelief, suggesting a possible conversion to Christianity.

[[Isak Dinesen]] in ''The Deluge at Norderney'' (the first of ''[[Seven Gothic Tales]]'') relates a story about Simon Peter wherein he uses the memory of cutting off Malchus' ear "to control his temper".

The book ''Touch'' by John Ferguson portrays Malchus as a Roman soldier sent by Pilate to spy on the Sanhedrin. Malchus is then sent by Caiaphas to spy on Jesus and his followers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2228838.Touch |title = Touch by John Ferguson}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=April 2025}}

==See also==
* [[Sword of Saint Peter]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{CathEncy|wstitle=Malchus}}

{{New Testament people}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Servants]]
[[Category:People in the Gospel of John]]
[[Category:Supernatural healing]]
[[Category:Saint Peter]]
[[Category:Caiaphas]]
[[Category:Ancient slaves]]
[[Category:Miracles of Jesus]]