Luke 22

Luke 22:1

XI. THE SON OF MAN’S PASSION AND DEATH (Chaps. 22, 23) A. The Plot to Kill Jesus (22:1, 2) 22:1 The Feast of Unleavened Bread here refers to the period beginning with the Passover and extending for seven more days during which no leavened bread was eaten. The Passover was held on the fourteenth of the month Nisan, the first month of the Jewish year. The seven days from the fifteenth of the month to the twenty-first were known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but in verse 1, that name takes in the entire feast. If Luke had been writing primarily to Jews, it would not have been necessary for him to mention the connection between the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover. 22:2 The chief priests and scribes were ceaselessly plotting how they might kill the Lord Jesus, but they realized that they must do it without causing a tumult, because they feared the people, and knew that many still held Jesus in high esteem.

Luke 22:3

B. The Treachery of Judas (22:3-6) 22:3 Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples. In Joh_13:27, this action is said to have taken place after Jesus had handed him the piece of bread during the Passover meal. We conclude either that this took place in successive stages, or that Luke is emphasizing the fact rather than the exact time when it took place. 22:4-6 At any rate, Judas made a bargain with the chief priests and captains, that is, the commanders of the Jewish temple guard. He had carefully worked out a plan by which he could betray Jesus into their hands without causing a riot. The plan was entirely acceptable, and they agreed to give him moneythirty pieces of silver, as we learn elsewhere. So Judas left to work out the details of his treacherous scheme.

Luke 22:7

C. Preparations for the Passover (22:7-13) 22:7 There are definite problems in connection with the various time periods mentioned in these verses. The Day of Unleavened Bread would normally be thought of as the thirteenth of Nisan when all leavened bread had to be put away from a Jewish home. But here it says it was the day on which the Passover must be sacrificed, and that would make it the fourteenth of Nisan. Leon Morris, along with other scholars, suggests that two calendars were used for the Passover, an official one and one followed by Jesus and others. We believe that the events of the final Thursday begin here and continue through verse 53. 22:8-10 The Lord sent Peter and John into Jerusalem to make preparations for the celebration of the Passover meal. He showed His complete knowledge of all things in His instructions to them. Once inside the city, a man would meet them carrying a pitcher of water. This was an unusual sight in an eastern city; it was ordinarily the women who carried the pitchers of water. The man here makes a good picture of the Holy Spirit, who leads seeking souls to the place of communion with the Lord. 22:11-13 The Lord not only foreknew the location and route of this man, but He also knew that a certain homeowner would be willing to make his large, furnished upper room available to Him and His disciples. Perhaps this man knew the Lord and had made a total commitment of his person and possessions to Him. There is a difference between the guest room and the large, furnished upper room. The generous host provided better facilities than the disciples expected. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was no room for Him in the inn (Gk: kataluma). Here He told His disciples to ask for a guest room (Gk: kataluma), but they were given something bettera large, furnished upper room. Everything was as He had predicted, so the disciples prepared the Passover.

Luke 22:14

D. The Last Passover (22:14-18) 22:14 For centuries, the Jews had celebrated the Passover feast, commemorating their glorious deliverance from Egypt and from death through the blood of the spotless lamb. How vividly this must all have come before the mind of the Savior as He sat down with His apostles to keep the feast for the last time. He was the true Passover Lamb whose blood would soon be shed for the salvation of all who would trust in Him. 22:15, 16 This particular Passover held inexpressible meaning for Him, and He had ardently desired it before He was to suffer. He would not keep the Passover again till He returned to earth and set up His glorious kingdom. The construction With fervent desire I have desired carries the sense of ardent, passionate longing. These revealing words invite all believers of every time and place to consider how passionately Jesus longs for communion with us at His table. 22:17, 18 When He took the cup of wine as part of the Passover ritual, He gave thanks for it and passed it to the disciples, reminding them once again that He would not drink of the fruit of the vine again until His Millennial Reign. The description of the Passover meal ends with verse 18.

Luke 22:19

E. The First Lord’s Supper (22:19-23) 22:19, 20 The last Passover was immediately followed by the Lord’s Supper. The Lord Jesus instituted this sacred memorial so that His followers down through the centuries would thus remember Him in His death. He first of all gave them bread, a symbol of His body which would shortly be given for them. Then the cup spoke eloquently of His precious blood which would be shed on the cross of Calvary. He spoke of it as the cup of the new covenant in His blood, which was shed for His own. This means that the new covenant, which He made primarily with the nation of Israel, was ratified by His blood. The complete fulfillment of the New Covenant will take place during the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth, but we as believers enter into the good of it at the present time. It should go without saying that the bread and wine were typical or representative of His body and blood. His body had not yet been given, neither had His blood been shed. Therefore it is absurd to suggest that the symbols were miraculously changed into the realities. The Jewish people were forbidden to eat blood, and the disciples knew therefore that He was not speaking of literal blood, but of that which typified His blood. 22:21 It seems clear that Judas was actually present at the last supper. However, in John 13, it appears equally clear that the betrayer left the room after Jesus had handed the piece of bread dipped in the gravy to him. Since this took place before the institution of the Lord’s Supper, many believe that Judas was not actually present when the bread and the wine were passed. 22:22 The sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus were determined, but Judas betrayed Him with the full consent of his will. That is why Jesus said, Woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. Though Judas was one of the twelve, he was not a true believer. 22:23 Verse 23 reveals something of the surprise and self-distrust of the disciples. They did not know which of them would be guilty of this dastardly thing.

Luke 22:24

F. True Greatness Is Serving (22:24-30) 22:24, 25 It is a terrible indictment of the human heart that immediately after the Lord’s Supper, the disciples should argue among themselves as to which of them was the greatest! The Lord Jesus reminded them that in His economy, greatness was the very opposite of man’s idea. The kings who ruled over the Gentiles were commonly thought of as great persons; in fact they were called benefactors. But it was only a title; actually they were cruel tyrants. They had the name of goodness, but no personal characteristics to match it. 22:26 It was not to be so of the followers of the Savior. Those who would be great should take the place of the younger. And those who would be chief should stoop in lowly service to others. These revolutionary dicta completely reversed the accepted traditions of the younger being inferior to the elder, and the chief manifesting greatness by mastery. 22:27 In men’s estimation, it was greater to be a guest at a meal than to serve the meal. But the Lord Jesus came as a servant of men, and all who would follow Him must imitate Him in this. 22:28-30 It was gracious of the Lord to commend the disciples for having continued with Him in His trials. They had just been quarreling among themselves. Very soon they would all forsake Him and flee. And yet He knew that in their hearts, they loved Him and had endured reproach for His name’s sake. Their reward would be to sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel when Christ returns to take the throne of David and rule over the earth. Just as surely as the Father had promised this kingdom to Christ, so surely would they reign with Him over renewed Israel.

Luke 22:31

G. Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial (22:31-34) Now comes the last in a series of three dark chapters in the history of human faithlessness. The first was the treachery of Judas. The second was the selfish ambition of the disciples. Now we have the cowardice of Peter. 22:31, 32 The repetition Simon, Si mon, speaks of the love and tenderness of the heart of Christ for His vacillating disciple. Satan had asked to have all the disciples that he might sift them as wheat. Jesus addressed Peter as representative of all. But the Lord had prayed for Simon that his faith might not suffer an eclipse. (I have prayed for you are tremendous words.) After he had returned to Him, he should strengthen his brethren. This turning back does not refer to salvation but rather to restoration from backsliding. 22:33, 34 With unbecoming self confidence, Peter expressed readiness to accompany Jesus to prison and to death. But he had to be told that before the morning light had fully dawned, he would deny three times that he even knew the Lord! In Mar_14:30, the Lord is quoted as saying that before the rooster crows twice, Peter would deny Him three times. In Mat_26:34; Luk_22:34; Joh_13:38, the Lord said that before the rooster crows, Peter would deny Him three times. It is admittedly difficult to reconcile this seeming contradiction. It is possible that there was more than one cock-crowing, one during the night and another at dawn. Also it should be noticed that the Gospels record at least six different denials by Peter. He denied Christ before:

1. A young woman (Mat_26:69-70; Mar_14:66-68).
2. Another young woman (Mat_26:71-72).
3. The crowd that stood by (Mat_26:73-74; Mar_14:70-71).
4. A man (Luk_22:58).
5. Another man (Luk_22:59-60).
6. A servant of the high priest (Joh_18:26-27). This man is probably different from the others because of what he saidDid I not see you in the garden with him? (v. 26).

Luke 22:35

H. New Marching Orders (22:35-38) 22:35 Earlier in His ministry, the Lord sent the disciples out without money bag, knapsack, and sandalsthe minimum. Bare essentials would be sufficient for them. And so it had proved. They had to confess that they had lacked nothing.22:36 But now He was about to leave them, and they were to enter into a new phase of service for Him. They would be exposed to poverty, hunger, and danger, and it would be necessary for them to make provision for their current needs. They should now take a money bag, a knapsack or lunch box, and in the absence of a sword, they should sell their garment and buy one.

What did the Savior mean when He told the disciples to buy a sword? It seems clear that He could not have intended them to use the sword as an offensive weapon against other people. This would be in violation of His teaching in such passages as: My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight (Joh_18:36). All who take the sword will perish by the sword (Mat_26:52). Love your enemies … (Mat_5:44). Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also (Mat_5:39; see also 2Co_10:4.) What then did Jesus mean by the sword?

1. Some suggest that He was referring to the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph_6:17). This is possible, but then the money bag, the knapsack, and the garment should be spiritualized also.
2. Williams says that the sword means the protection of an ordered government, pointing out that in Rom_13:4, it refers to the power of the magistrate.
3. Lange says the sword is for defense against human enemies, but not for offense. But Mat_5:39 seems to rule out the use of the sword, even for defensive purposes.
4. Some think that the sword was for defense against wild animals only. This is possible. 22:37 Verse 37 explains why it was necessary for the disciples to take money bag, knapsack, and sword now. The Lord had been with them up to this point, providing for their temporal needs. Soon He would be departing from them in accordance with the prophecy of Isa_53:12. The things concerning Him had an end, that is, His earthly life and ministry would come to a close by His being numbered with the transgressors. 22:38 The disciples completely misunderstood the Lord. They brought forth two swords, implying that these would surely be enough for any problems that lay ahead. The Lord Jesus ended the conversation by saying It is enough. They apparently thought that they could foil the attempt of His enemies to slay Him by using the swords. This was the farthest thought from His mind!

Luke 22:39

I. The Agony in Gethsemane (22:39-46) 22:39 The Garden of Gethsemane was situated on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. Jesus often went there to pray, and the disciples, including the betrayer, of course, knew this. 22:40 At the conclusion of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus and the disciples left the upper room and went to the garden. Once they were there, He warned them to pray that they should not enter into temptation. Perhaps the particular temptation which He had in mind was the pressure to abandon God and His Christ when the enemies closed in. 22:41, 42 Then Jesus left the disciples and went further into the garden where He prayed alone. His prayer was that if the Father were willing, this cup might pass from Him; nevertheless He wanted the will of God to be done, not His own. We understand this prayer to mean: If there is any other way by which sinners can be saved than by My going to the cross, reveal that way now. The heavens were silent, because there was no other way. We do not believe that Christ’s sufferings in the garden were part of His atoning work. The work of redemption was accomplished during the three hours of darkness on the cross. But Gethsemane was in anticipation of Calvary. There the very thought of contact with our sins caused the Lord Jesus the keenest suffering. 22:43, 44 His perfect humanity is seen in the agony which accompanied His travail. An angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. Only Luke records this, as well as the fact that His sweat became like great drops of blood. This latter detail caught the interest of the careful physician. 22:45, 46 When Jesus returned to His disciples, they were sleeping, not from indifference, but rather from sorrowful exhaustion. Once again He urged them to rise and pray, because the crisis hour was drawing near, and they would be tempted to deny Him before the authorities.

Luke 22:47

J. Jesus Betrayed and Arrested (22:47-53) 22:47, 48 By now, Judas had arrived with a group of the chief priests, elders, and captains of the temple to arrest the Lord. By prearrangement, the traitor was to mark out Jesus by kissing Him. Stewart comments: It was the crowning touch of horror, the last point of infamy beyond which human infamy could not go, when out in the garden Judas betrayed his master, not with a shout or a blow or a stab, but with a kiss. With infinite pathos, Jesus asked, Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?22:49-51 The disciples realized what was going to happen, and were ready to take the offensive. In fact one of them, Peter to be specific, took a sword and cut off the right ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus rebuked him for using carnal means to fight a spiritual warfare. His hour had come, and God’s predetermined purposes must come to pass. Graciously, Jesus touched the ear of the victim and healed him. 22:52, 53 Turning to the Jewish leaders and officers, Jesus asked them why they had come out after Him as if He were a fugitive robber. Had He not taught daily in the temple area, yet they had not tried to take Him then? But He knew the answer, This was their hour, and the power of darkness. It was now about midnight on Thursday. It seems that the religious trial of our Lord had three stages. First, He appeared before Annas. Then He appeared before Caiaphas. Finally He was arraigned before the Sanhedrin. The events from this point through verse 65 probably took place between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Friday.

Luke 22:54

K. Peter Denies Jesus and Weeps Bitterly (22:54-62) 22:54-57 When the Lord was brought into the high priest’s house, Peter followed at a distance. Inside, he took his place with those who were warming themselves at a fire in the center of the courtyard. A servant girl looked across at Peter and exclaimed that he was one of the followers of Jesus. Pathetically Peter denied that he knew Him. 22:58-62 Shortly afterwards, someone else pointed the accusing finger at Peter as one of the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Again Peter denied the charge. After about an hour, someone else recognized Peter as a Galilean, and also as a disciple of the Lord. Peter denied any knowledge of what the man was talking about. But this time his denial was punctuated by the crowing of the rooster. In that dark moment, the Lord turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the prediction that before the rooster crows, he would deny Him three times. The look from the Son of God sent Peter out into the night to weep bitterly.

Luke 22:63

L. The Soldiers Mock the Son of Man (22:63-65) It was the officers assigned to the sacred temple in Jerusalem who had apprehended Jesus. Now these supposed guardians of God’s holy house began to mock Jesus and to beat Him. After blindfolding Him, they struck Him on the face, then asked Him to identify the one who did it. This is not all they did, but He patiently endured this contradiction of sinners against Himself.

Luke 22:66

M. Morning Trial Before the Sanhedrin (22:66-71) 22:66-69 At daybreak (5:00-6:00 a.m.), the elders … led Jesus away to their council, or Sanhedrin. The members of the Sanhedrin asked Him outright if He was the Messiah. Jesus said, in effect, that it was useless to discuss the matter with them. They were not open to receive the truth. But He warned them that the One who stood before them in humiliation would one day sit on the right hand of the power of God (see Psa_110:1). 22:70, 71 Then they asked Him plainly if He was the Son of God. There is no question what they meant. To them, the Son of God was One who was equal with God. The Lord Jesus answered You rightly say that I am (see Mar_14:62). That was all they needed. Had they not heard Him speak blasphemy, claiming equality with God? There was no need for further testimony. But there was a problem. In their law, the penalty for blasphemy was death. Yet the Jews were under Roman power and they did not have authority to put prisoners to death. So they had to take Jesus to Pilate, and he would not be the least bit interested in a religious charge such as blasphemy. So they had to prefer political charges against Him.