Matthew Poole and continuators on John 18:22

22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by , stroke Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so ?

This lets us see in what indecent disorder the Iewish Government was at this time, that an inferior Officer dared to strike a supposed Criminal, standing before the Judgment-seat, and defending himself from their own known rules and methods; for what had our Saviour said or done, more than making use of the liberty their own Law allowed, not confessing any thing against himself, but putting them upon the proof of what they laid to his charge? yet we read no notice taken of this disorder.

Marginal references: Jer. 20.2. Acts 23.2.; Or, With a rod.