The Greek word Luke uses for "smote" suggests a continuous, brutal beating, not just a single blow. This highlights the prolonged suffering Jesus endured in that moment, as the guards violently mistreated Him while He was already condemned.
Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following Jesus' official condemnation by the high priest Caiaphas and the council, the guards who were holding him subjected him to brutal mockery and physical abuse. This happened in the hours before dawn, after Peter's denials and while awaiting the full Sanhedrin to convene. The guards, emboldened by the council's judgment, spat on him, blindfolded him, and struck him, taunting him to prophesy who had hit him.
As the accusations fly and the fists begin to fall, Jesus remains eerily quiet. Why?
In Luke 22:63, the scene is brutal: "the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him." This isn't just a passing insult; it's a prolonged, violent assault. Yet, Jesus, the 'Just One,' endures unimaginable mistreatment without a word in response to the guards. This silence isn't weakness; it's deliberate. The Gospel writers, particularly Matthew and Mark, highlight Jesus's quietude during his trials, even when faced with false witnesses and direct accusations. Calvin notes that Christ remained silent not because he was vanquished, but because his 'hour was come' and he was 'appointed to be a sacrifice.' His silence speaks volumes of his submission to the Father's will and his willingness to bear the sins of the world.
They didn't just hit Him; they played games with Him. What does this reveal about their hearts?
The description in Luke 22:63 isn't just about physical pain; it's about profound humiliation. The men holding Jesus 'mocked him as they beat him.' This wasn't a quick execution of justice (or injustice); it was a deliberate act of degradation. Commentators point out that the mocking often involved taunts like 'Prophesy, who was it that struck you?' (as seen in related accounts). This turned Jesus's divine power into a game, stripping Him of His dignity. Vincent notes the original word for 'smote' originally meant 'to flay' or 'cudgel,' highlighting the severity. Bengel emphasizes that no one, not even the worst criminal, endured such 'wantonness.' This wasn't just a physical beating; it was a psychological assault, designed to break His spirit and belittle His claims.
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Understand the original words
empaizō · Greek Verb
To treat with scorn, derision, or contempt. This was a common form of suffering endured by Christ, where his authority and personhood were insulted by those who did not recognize him as Lord.
blasphēmeō · Greek Verb
The act of speaking impiously or profanely against God. It involves attributing evil to God, denying his divine nature, or treating the sacred with utter contempt, which Christ endured during his passion.
prophēteuō · Greek Verb
To declare by divine inspiration or to reveal truths under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Here, it is used sarcastically by those mocking Jesus, challenging his identity as the Son of God.
c. AD 30, night— this verse
Arrest and initial questioning
After His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was taken to the palace of the high priest, Annas, and then to Caiaphas. This period involved preliminary, informal questioning before the official Sanhedrin trial.
c. AD 30, night
Sanhedrin Trial
Jesus was brought before Caiaphas and a committee of the Sanhedrin. False witnesses were presented, and Jesus was interrogated, ultimately being condemned for blasphemy when He affirmed He was the Son of God.
c. AD 30, night
Abuse in the High Priest's Palace
Following His condemnation by the Sanhedrin, and while awaiting the morning for the full council, Jesus was subjected to mockery, spitting, and physical blows by the guards and others present in the high priest's palace.
c. AD 30, morning
Full Sanhedrin Council
The entire Sanhedrin convened in the morning to confirm the death sentence, solidifying the decision made during the night trial before Jesus was handed over to the Roman authorities.
This passage describes the same event of Jesus being mocked and struck, specifically mentioning spitting and blindfolding, highlighting the humiliation and mistreatment He endured.
Mark 14:65Similar to Luke's account, Mark details the spitting, blindfolding, and striking of Jesus, emphasizing the ongoing cruelty and mockery by His captors.
Isaiah 50:6This Old Testament prophecy foretells the suffering servant allowing Himself to be struck and spat upon, directly anticipating the humiliation Jesus faced in Luke 22:63.
Psalm 22:7-8This psalm depicts the suffering Messiah being mocked by onlookers who 'scoffed and wagged their heads,' providing a prophetic parallel to the derision Jesus experienced.
Philippians 2:7-8This passage speaks to Jesus 'emptying himself' and taking the form of a servant, culminating in His obedience unto death, even the death on a cross. The physical abuse in Luke 22:63 is a stark example of the profound suffering He willingly underwent.
barnesLuke 22:63: "And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him."
See the notes at Matthew 26:57-68 .
calvinLuke 22:63-71: "And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him."
- And the high priest, rising up, said to him, [227] Answerest thou nothing? What is it that those men testify against thee? 63. And Jesus was silent. And the high priest answering said to him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou art the Christ, the Son of God. 64. Jesus saith to him, Thou hast said it; but yet I tell you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, an…
The Greek word Luke uses for "smote" suggests a continuous, brutal beating, not just a single blow. This highlights the prolonged suffering Jesus endured in that moment, as the guards violently mistreated Him while He was already condemned.
Following Jesus' official condemnation by the high priest Caiaphas and the council, the guards who were holding him subjected him to brutal mockery and physical abuse. This happened in the hours before dawn, after Peter's denials and while awaiting the full Sanhedrin to convene. The guards, emboldened by the council's judgment, spat on him, blindfolded him, and struck him, taunting him to prophesy who had hit him.
Following Jesus' official condemnation by the high priest Caiaphas and the council, the guards who were holding him subjected him to brutal mockery and physical abuse. This happened in the hours before dawn, after Peter's denials and while awaiting the full Sanhedrin to convene. The guards, emboldened by the council's judgment, spat on him, blindfolded him, and struck him, taunting him to prophesy who had hit him.
"Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him." — The Greek word Luke uses for "smote" suggests a continuous, brutal beating, not just a single blow. This highlights the prolonged suffering Jesus endured in that moment, as the guards violently mistr…
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Last reviewed October 2026
