Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 22:50-53

"And a certain one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye [them] thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. And Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and elders, that were come against him, Are ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched not forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness." — Luke 22:50-53 (ASV)

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far.

And he touched his ear, and healed him. Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

"This is the time when I am given up, on the one hand to the temptations of Satan—the power of darkness—and, on the other hand, to you: 'This is your hour.'" And, as beasts that prowl in the darkness are generally the most ravenous and fierce, so were these chief priests and captains and elders most determined in seeking the blood of Christ. Paul afterwards wrote that none of the princes of this world knew the hidden wisdom, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. It was just the darkness of their minds that led them thus to hunt the only Savior of sinners to his death. Satan himself would scarcely have had a hand in crucifying Christ had he understood that, by that very crucifixion, Christ would break the old serpent's head forever.