MALCHUS (MdXxos), the servant of the high priest whose ear Peter cut off at the arrest of our Lord. All the Evangelists record the act (Matt. xxvi., Mark xvi., Luke xxii., John xviii.), but only St. John gives the names Peter and Malchus. Some think Peter's name was omitted by the synoptists lest the publication of it in his lifetime should ex pose him to the revenge of the unbelieving Jews ; but as the gospels were not published, this seems improbable. St. John was an acquaintance of the fhigh -priest's, and probably a frequenter of his house ; hence he knew the name of his servant. Doubt less Peter, when he began to smite with the sword, aimed a more deadly blow, which Malchus sought to avoid by moving his head aside, and thus escaped with the loss of his right ear. It has been ques tioned whether the use by the four Evangelists of a diminutive (drier by Matt. and Luke, thraplew by Mark and John), instead of as—which Luke alone has, and but once—does not imply that only part of the ear—the lappet—was cut off; but it is a sufficient answer that late Greek was partial to di minutives, and often employed them in the sense of their primitive. It is probable that the ear was
not completely severed from its place, for our Lord is not said to have picked it up and replaced it, but simply to have touched it (alfrdi.Levos To0 dniov). St. Luke alone records the healing. Jesus, who as we find from St. Matthew had been already laid hands on, first rebuking Peter, and forbidding further smiting, then turned to his captors and asked them to release his arm, 'Ears gws rooroy. This done, he touched the ear of Malchus and healed him. How wonderful is the sight of captive and restrained omnipotence ! How strange is the sound of a petition to be let loose from him whose arm is strength, whom legions of angels were ready to deliver ! What importance is given to the outward sign and form of spiritual help and blessing, by the fact that Jesus, even in such a case, asked permis sion to go through the form, as though the healing waited for it, and somehow were dependent on it ! J. G. C.