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? 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?
During an unlawful, secret early-morning examination at the high priest's palace before Annas, also called Caiaphas, before any guilt had been proved, Jesus was kept under only a pretense of legality lest the people learn of it and vindicate Him. One of the officers standing by struck Him in the face with the palm of his hand for supposed disrespect in answering the high priest, invoking the dignity of the office. The blow came after Jesus stated plainly that He had taught openly in synagogue and temple with nothing in secret and told Annas to ask those who heard Him, laying bare months of spying and entrapment by a secret tribunal. He did not retaliate but calmly and meekly kept His dignity, exposing the wrong by requiring witness of evil if He had spoken evil, though He could have summoned legions of angels and instead endured insult and blows in human weakness as humanity's substitute and surety unto a shameful death. By so enduring unjust shame and violence with nothing proven against Him, He left an example of patient forbearance that His followers must be prepared to share for His name's sake.
Setting and Meaning of Blow
The blow fell during an unlawful preliminary examination in the early morning at the high priest's palace before Annas, also called Caiaphas, before Jesus had been accused or proved guilty and before He was brought to Pilate. It belonged to a mock trial that kept only a pretense of legality and was carried on in great secrecy, lest the people learn what was being done and come forward with testimony and mighty works in vindication of Jesus, bringing indignation upon the Sanhedrin, condemning their acts, liberating Jesus, and giving Him new honor. Amid that hurried proceeding He was insulted and mocked, coarsely accused, sneeringly questioned, and reviled by the assembly.
One of the officers or servants of Annas and the high priest, standing by, struck Jesus in the face with the palm of his hand. He did so saying, Answerest thou the high priest so, invoking the dignity of the office and rebuking Him as though He had shown disrespect and lacked due respect. The stroke came because the officer objected to Jesus answering the high priest as He had.
It followed Jesus answering directly about His teaching and disciples, stating plainly that He had taught openly in the synagogue and temple with nothing said in secret and demanding that Annas ask those who heard Him. That answer rebuked Annas for hunting Him for months with spies at every gathering and seeking to entrap Him before a secret tribunal by perjury to stir the Roman authorities with a charge of secret conspiracy for a new kingdom. Annas himself felt his soul read and hid his hatred until a fitter opportunity, while his servant acted at once with insulting challenge.
John was close enough to see and hear what happened, and Peter as well as John witnessed much of the trial. Amid these indignities Jesus felt a keener pang in hearing His beloved disciple deny Him. Peter saw the raised hand and the blow to the face and, overwhelmed by the dishonor he had also brought on Jesus, fled the hall heartbroken and in grief, in the hour when Peter denied Jesus.
Endurance and Example for Believers
The blow was unjust shame, violence, and humiliation inflicted while Jesus was being questioned and betrayed and condemned, though no sin had been proven against Him. He did not retaliate but calmly, mildly, and meekly met the insult, keeping His dignity and enduring without answering more than was needed, speaking only what tended to glorify God. He exposed the wrong by requiring that if He had spoken evil the officer should bear witness to it, but if He had spoken well and rightly there was no cause to strike Him.
Though He could have summoned angels and legions of angels to protect Him, His mission in human nature as a passive prisoner was to endure taunts, insults, and blows patiently in human weakness. His submission to this treatment was part of bearing humanity's guilt as its substitute and surety, and led to His shameful death by crucifixion. His captors treated His helplessness as permission for further abuse.
By enduring, He left an example of patient forbearance. The abuse He endured shows what His followers must be prepared to endure for His name's sake. The account is meant to speak to believers' hearts and strengthen those who suffer for faith, for whom the disciples had been prepared by such insults and by the fickleness of those who had once followed Him. Remembering Jesus' agony in Gethsemane and His humiliation when struck, Peter became truly repentant and was converted, which humbled him and fitted him to pity the tempted, caution the presumptuous, and strengthen his fellow believers.