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The Gospel of Luke Chapter 22:1–38 The Conspirators 22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. The Passover, the most important feast of the Jewish religion, celebrated the time when the angel of death passed over Egypt taking the lives of all the first born sons. Through Moses, God instructed the people of Israel to kill a lamb that had no blemish and to sprinkle their door posts with its blood. When the angel of death saw the blood he would pass by that house and the first born son was spared; a lamb's life for a son's life (Exodus 12:12–13). Thus the Passover celebrated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. 22:2 The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to execute Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. As the Passover approached, the chief priests and scribes came together to discuss a way that they could kill Jesus without the people knowing in advance, for they feared that the people would side with Jesus against them. 22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. Yet the chiefs priests and scribes were not the main conspirators in this plot, Satan was the real instigator of it all. Clearly the Devil was not fully aware of the significance of the death of Jesus, which would bring about his own destruction and the release of those he had enslaved through sin (Heb. 2:14–15). It is sad that the Devil often finds allies among men, and in this case he found an ally in Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, who was already a thief so had opened himself to Satan (John 12:5–6). The scripture clearly states that Satan entered into Judas; which he could not do unless Judas was an open to it. From this moment Judas came entirely under the Devil's control. 22:4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard how he might betray Jesus, handing him over to them.
Once Satan had entered him, Judas lost no time—he went immediately to the chief priests and the captains of the temple guards to discuss how he might betray Jesus into their hands. 22:5 They were delighted and arranged to give him money. This was the opportunity they had been hoping for; one of Jesus' own disciples prepared to join the plot to kill him. It also answered Judas' greed for money, since they agreed to pay him for his help. 22:6 So Judas agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus when no crowd was present. The financial terms being agreed (only Matthew mentions the price—thirty pieces of silver—in Matt. 26:15), Judas promised them that he would betray Jesus to them at the first opportunity, when there were no crowds present.
Preparations for the Passover 22:7 Then the day for the feast of Unleavened Bread came, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. The feast of Unleavened Bread lasted for eight days, from 14th to 21st of the first month. On the first day, all the yeast was to be removed from the home and only unleavened bread was eaten during the feast (Exodus 12:18–20). The Passover was to be killed and eaten after dusk on the 14th, remembering that Hebrew days begin at sunset, not sunrise. 22:8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us to eat." Jesus instructs two of his disciples, Peter and John, to go and make preparations for them to keep the Passover. 22:9 They said to him, "Where do you want us to prepare it?" The Passover had to be celebrated in Jerusalem, and as no placed had been booked for them to stay for the feast, Peter and John asked Jesus where he wanted them to go to prepare it (Deut. 16:2). 22:10 He said to them, "Listen, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters, The Lord Jesus Christ gave them some very strange directions as to where he would keep the Passover. As they enter the city a man will meet them; they could not mistake him for he would be carrying a pitcher of water (usually the job of women). They were to follow him to the house that he went into. It should be noted that this was a divinely arranged rather than a prearranged encounter. 22:11–12 and tell the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"’ Then he will show you a large furnished room upstairs. Make preparations there." They were to seek out the master of the house and say to him that the Teacher, Jesus, asks where is the guest room that he may eat the Passover with his disciples. The words suggest a prior knowledge of this request by the house-owner. Perhaps he had received a dream or vision from God concerning
this. For, sure enough, the upper room of the house had been prepared and furnished for this occasion. 22:13 So they went and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. As strange as these instructions may have seemed, the two disciples faithfully obeyed Jesus and found things to be exactly as he had told them. They made preparations for the Passover in the upper room.
The Institution of the Communion 22:14 Now when the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table and the apostles joined him. When the evening had come, Jesus sat down with the twelve apostles. The term ‘the hour’ or ‘my hour’ may be significant, as it is used in John's gospel as referring to the time when the Lord Jesus Christ would be crucified (John 2:4 and John 16:32) and that hour was now at hand. 22:15 And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. As they were eating the Passover Jesus told them that he had longed (set his heart on), eating the Passover with them before his sufferings began. 22:16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." He further told them that he would not eat it again ‘until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God’— signifying not that he would eat it again in future glory, but rather that there would be no need for a Passover in the kingdom to come. That significance of that meal, so full of relevance for the Jew, would be surpassed by the significance of his offering his life as a sacrifice for sin once and for all on the cross (Hebrews 7:27) for He is ‘the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the whole world’ (John 1:29) and so in this sense becomes our Passover. 22:17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves. According to Gill there were four cups of wine drunk during the Passover meal. This was the first of them ‘the cup of blessing’ usually done by starting with the words ‘blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, the King of the world’ (cf. 1 Cor. 10:16). Jesus takes this cup, gave the thanks and passed it to his disciples to divide among themselves. 22:18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." Just as he had earlier said about eating the Passover, so He says the same of the wine, that he will not drink it again prior to his death. 22:19 Then he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." Jesus then took the bread, gave thanks and broke it for the disciples to pass to one another. As he gave it to them he said that the broken bread was a symbol of his body that would soon be given for
them on the cross. They were to observe this breaking of bread and the drinking of wine that went with it as a continual ordinance in remembrance of him. 22:20 And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. After supper he took another cup of wine and told his disciples that this was symbolic of the New Covenant which he would bring in by means of his death. Under the terms of this covenant his shed blood would provide an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world for all time (Heb. 12:24). 22:21 But look, the hand of the one who betrays me is with me on the table. Still speaking in connection with the dreadful vents of his crucifixion, Jesus astounded his disciples by telling them that the one who would betray him to death was sat at the table with them all (Psalm 41:9). 22:22 For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!" Although Jesus adds that the manner of his death had already been decreed (Gen. 3:15), nevertheless, this would not lessen the guilt of the betrayer. 22:23 So they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this. The disciples could not believe the news and began question who among them would do such a thing—a question which involved a deep searching of their hearts.
The Greatest is the One who Serves 22:24 A dispute also started among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. Before the supper had ended, in spite of what the Lord had said to them, the disciples once again began arguing about which of them would be the greatest (see Luke 9:36). 22:25 So Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called 'benefactors.' Intervening in this ill-timed quarrel, Jesus reminds them of the practice of the heathen kings to rule over their subjects with an iron hand, and of the servility of those who were dependent on their rulers as so-called ‘benefactors’; in doing so he is holding this practice up as a bad example which ought not be followed. 22:26 Not so with you; instead the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves. By way of contrast, among his disciples, the leading figures among them, those thought worthy of respect, should act as if they were young, or servants; these are people who lack a sense of superiority. True leadership in the kingdom of God is one that serves those it leads (1 Peter 5:3).
22:27 For who is greater, the one who is seated at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. Jesus offers his own behavior as an example of how his followers should lead. Usually, the person who is greatest sits at the table to be waited on by others, but in the case of Jesus, who is the greatest of all, he had made them sit down at the table so that he might serve them (Matthew 20:28; John 13:13–14). Jesus’ example is always the one which Christians must follow. 22:28 "You are the ones who have remained with me in my trials. Jesus shows his disciples that it is not their greatness but their faithfulness that he values. Up to this time his chosen disciples had remained loyal to him throughout all the opposition he had received from the Jewish leaders. 22:29 Thus I grant to you a kingdom, just as my Father granted to me, Such faithfulness to Jesus proved they were worthy to enter the kingdom of God. God the Father has given Jesus Christ all power and authority over his Kingdom, and so he bestows upon all His disciples and an enduring inheritance in this spiritual kingdom (James 2:5; Rom. 8:17). 22:30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Every believer in Jesus will be able sit and eat at the table with him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9), and every believer who has suffered for their faith will one day rule with him (2 Tim. 2:12); however, it is not clear whether in this case the promise to the apostles that they will sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel is specific to them (Matt. 19:28)
Jesus Prays for Peter 22:31 "Simon, Simon, pay attention! Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat, Jesus now centers His whole attention on the impetuous Peter. Twice addressing him as Simon, Jesus discloses that Satan has asked for permission to ‘sift’ him—like wheat is thrashed and separated from the chaff (Job 2:3–6; 1 Peter 5:8). Satan would to try to separate Peter from the Lord Jesus Christ, but he would find this to be impossible (John 10:29, Rom. 8:35,39). 22:32 but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." After warning Peter about what was about to happen, Jesus also gave him the assurance that he— who knows all things in advance—had prayed for him. As a result, Satan would be unable to succeed in his designs to cause him to completely backslide from his faith in Christ (Heb. 7:25). When he had been fully restored, Peter was to strengthen, encourage and establish his brothers in the faith. 22:33–34 But Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!" Jesus replied, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me."
Peter protests against the omniscience of Christ, claiming to know himself better than the Lord knew him. He boasts that no matter what may happen he would stand by Jesus even if it meant going to prison or be killed. Jesus, who knows the limitations of all his people, tells Peter plainly that by the time the cock crowed to signify the coming of dawn, he will have denied three times that he ever knew him (Mark 14:71–72)
Jesus Prepares His Disciples 22:35 Then Jesus said to them, "When I sent you out with no money bag, or traveler's bag, or sandals, you didn't lack anything, did you?" They replied, "Nothing." Jesus now turns again to all of his disciples, asking them about the time when he sent them to evangelize (Luke 9:2). At that time he told them not to make any preparation or take any provisions with them (Luke 9:3), and yet they lacked nothing; God provided all their needs. 22:36 He said to them, "But now, the one who has a money bag must take it, and likewise a traveler's bag too. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. The situation was now different; they were not going out to evangelize but to face a hostile crowd, and so Jesus’ instructions were correspondingly different to match the change in the situation. This time, they were to take whatever money they had, and their suitcases with their clothes. Those who didn't have a sword were to sell their garment in order to buy one. This was to not prepare them to defend Jesus, nor was it permission to use violence. Instead, as Gill remarks, ‘the phrase is expressive of the danger they would be exposed to, and of their need of protection’; Jesus’ words thus brings home to them the seriousness of the situation they were in, although he does not abdicate his care of them (John 18:9). 22:37 For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, 'And he was counted with the transgressors.' For what is written about me is being fulfilled." The time had now come that the prophecies would be fulfilled concerning Christ’s death. The one that Jesus quotes here is from Isaiah 53:3 ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors; And He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors’. Even though he and his disciples were viewed by the religious leaders as outlaws, yet the prophecies concerning his sacrificial death on the cross for the sin of the whole world would soon be accomplished, and everlasting salvation made available. 22:38 So they said, "Look, Lord, here are two swords." Then he told them, "It is enough." Still not fully comprehending, the disciples asked if the two swords they possessed between them would be enough. Jesus reply serves to indicate that he had not literally meant ‘go and buy a sword’ for he replies that what they had was enough—and in 22:51 he unambiguously forbids the use of them. © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2015 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org