Luke 22
CHAPTER 22
The last Passover
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.
3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. 4 And he went away, and discussed with the chief priests and captains how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 And he consented, and looked for an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of the crowd.
7 And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed. 8 And he sent Peter and John on an errand, saying: Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover. 9 And they asked him: Where do you want us to prepare for it? 10 And he said to them: When you enter into the city, there you shall meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house to which he goes. 11 And you shall say to the master of the house: The Teacher says to you: Where is the guest room, in which I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? 12 And he will show you a large furnished upper room. There make ready. 13 And they went and found as he had said to them, and they made ready the Passover.
14 And when the hour had arrived, he sat down with the apostles. 15 And he said to them: I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I say to you, I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said: Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I say to you, I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine from this time forward, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread, and when he had given 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. 20 And the cup in like manner after supper, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
21 But behold, the hand of him that betrays me is with me at this table. 22 For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it has been determined, but woe to that man through whom he is betrayed! 23 And they began to question among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
24 And there arose also a dispute among them, as to which of them would be counted as greatest. 25 And he said to them: The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them, and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors. 26 But you shall not be so, but he that is the elder among you, let him become as the younger, and he that is chief, as he that does serve. 27 For which is greater, he that sits at the table, or he that serves? Is not he that sits at the table? But among you, I am he that serves.
28 But you are those who have stayed with me in my time of trial. 29 And I appoint to you a kingdom, even as my Father appointed me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 And the Lord said: Simon, Simon, Satan has asked for you that he might sift you as wheat. 32 But I prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have been converted, strengthen your brothers. 33 And he said to him: Lord, with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death. 34 And he said: I tell you Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, until you shall deny three times that you know me.
35 And he said to them: When I sent you out without purse and wallet and shoes, did you lack anything? And they said: Nothing. 36 And he said to them: But now, he that has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet, and he that has none, let him sell his cloak and buy a sword. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: And he was numbered with the transgressors. For what is written about me must have its fulfilment. 38 And they said: Lord, look, here are two swords. And he said to them: That is quite enough.
The prayer and arrest of Jesus
39 And he came out and went, as his custom was, to the mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them: So you do not enter into temptation, pray. 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw away, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying: Father, if You be willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless let not my will, but Yours be done.
43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
45 And when he rose up from his prayer, he went to the disciples, and found them sleeping from sorrow, 46 and said to them: Why do you sleep? Get up and pray, so that you will not enter into temptation.
47 While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said to him: Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?
49 And when they that were about him saw what would follow, they said: Lord, shall we strike with the sword? 50 And a certain one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said: No more of this! And he touched his ear and healed him.
52 And Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and elders that had come against him: Have you come as against a robber, with swords and staves? 53 When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
Peter denies Jesus
54 And they seized him and led him away, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed from a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 And a certain maid seeing him as he sat in the light of the fire and looking earnestly upon him, said: This man also was with him. 57 But he denied it, saying: Woman, I do not know him. 58 And after a little while another person saw him and said: You also are one of them. But Peter said: Man, I am not. 59 And after the space of about one hour another confidently affirmed, saying: Of a truth, this man also was with him. For he is a Galilean. 60 But Peter said: Man, I do not know what you say. And immediately, as he spoke, the cock crew. 61 And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord that he had said to him: Before the cock crow this day, you shall deny me three times. 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.
63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him and beat him. 64 And they blindfolded him and questioned him, saying: Prophesy- who is he that struck you? 65 And many other things they spoke against him, reviling him.
66 And as soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away into their council, saying: 67 If you are the Christ, tell us. But he said to them: If I tell you, you will not believe. 68 And if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from this time forward shall the Son of Man be seated at the right hand of the power of God. 70 And they all said: Are you then the Son of God? And he said to them: You say that I am. 71 And they said: What further testimony do we need? For we ourselves have heard it from his own mouth.
Commentary
22:10 Carrying water was women’s work. Jesus seemed to take special pleasure in challenging the 1st century gender roles.
22:16 When we break bread, we remember that we shall by grace do this again with Jesus when He returns.
22:19 This is- The bread isn’t the actual body of Jesus; it “is” His body in the sense that the bread represents His body.
22:20 The new covenant is God’s solemn set of promises to save us and give us eternal life in His Kingdom on earth as He promised Abraham. That set of promises were confirmed in the death of Jesus; whenever we take the cup we remind ourselves of our participation in this great hope.
22:23 There was some self-examination at the first memorial meeting. There should be every time we conduct the service (1 Cor. 11:28).
22:28 Yet Jesus knew the disciples would run away and Peter would deny Him. But He counted them as righteous; and He sees us so positively today, for all our failings. Quite simply, because He loves us.
22:36 Buy a sword- But the Lord’s comment in v. 38 suggests He was being sarcastic or ironic in commenting upon their collapse of faith and dependence upon human strength. He wasn’t literally suggesting they buy swords- in any case, He surely knew that they already had two swords with them (V. 38). And when the disciples used those swords, Jesus sharply rebuked them (:50,51 “No more of this!”). True Christians follow their Master in non-violent resistance of evil and do not believe in the use of force even in a just cause.
22:40 Prayer is our strength against temptation.
22:42 The wills of the Father and Son were different; therefore Jesus was not God Himself in a Trinitarian sense.
22:44 This condition indicates Jesus was at the limits of nervous endurance. He prayed to God at this time “with strong crying and tears” (Heb. 5:7). But even now, Jesus intercedes for us in Heaven, praying to God with intense groanings which cannot be uttered (Rom. 8:26). If He is so intensely praying for and with us, and offers our prayers to God with this intensity; then our prayers should also be intense and focused. Be careful not to rattle off the same old phrases in your prayers; put meaning into words; don’t let your mind wander in prayer; pray out loud if necessary; and beware of only praying at night, warm in bed and drifting into sleep.
22:54 High Priest’s house- About seven weeks later, Peter was standing maybe 100 meters from this spot and powerfully persuading people to believe in Christ. He converted more people in one day than anybody else ever is recorded as doing. God used the repentant, public sinner- and very quickly after his repentance. God loves to use humbled people.
22:57 Denied- Years later, Peter wrote that the worst possible category of sin was to “even deny” the Lord Jesus (2 Pet. 2:1). Peter preached to others and pastored his converts on the very basis that he had denied the Lord- and repented of it. He often alludes to his failings in his preaching addresses. This kind of thing is the very qualification which is required, rather than an apparently sinless life which is in fact only hypocrisy.
