John 18:10

Having a sword

(εχων μαχαιραν). It was unlawful to carry a weapon on a feast-day, but Peter had become alarmed at Christ's words about his peril. They had two swords or knives in the possession of the eleven according to Luke (John 22:38). After the treacherous kiss of Judas (on the hand or the cheek?) the disciples asked: "Lord, shall we smite with the sword?" (Luke 22:49). Apparently before Jesus could answer Peter with his usual impulsiveness jerked out (ειλκυσεν, first aorist active indicative of ελκυω for which see John 6:44) his sword and cut off the right ear of Malchus (John 18:10), a servant of the high priest. Peter missed the man's head as he swerved to his left. Luke also (Luke 22:50) mentions the detail of the right ear, but John alone mentions the man's name and Peter's. There was peril to Peter in his rash act as comes out later (John 18:26), but he was dead long before John wrote his Gospel as was Lazarus of whom John could also safely write (John 12:9-11). For ωταριον, diminutive of ους, see Mark 14:47 (only other N.T. example), another diminutive ωτιον in Matthew 26:51 (Mark 14:47; Luke 22:51).