Luke 23

Luke 23:1

The Last Supper SUMMARY OF LUKE 22: The Rulers Take Steps to Slay the Lord. Judas Bargains to Betray Christ. The Passover Prepared. The Lord’s Supper Instituted. The Traitor Pointed Out. Exhortation to the Apostles. The feast of unleavened bread. The Passover, so called because no leavened bread was eaten during the passover week.

Luke 23:2

The chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him. Tried to devise means to accomplish this without exciting the multitude. See Matthew 26:1-5.

Luke 23:3

Then entered Satan into Judas. He gave himself up to do the work of Satan. See notes on Matthew 26:14-16.

Luke 23:7

Then came the day of unleavened bread. Josephus calls both the fourteenth and fifteenth of Nisan, “the day of unleavened bread”. I have followed Neander, Tischendorf, Winer, Alford, Ellicott, Erasmus, Grotius, Calvin and others in the view that the Lord’s passover was eaten one day before the Jews ate theirs, and that he died about the time that the paschal lambs were slain for the Jews’ passover. See notes on John 18:28 19:31.

Luke 23:9

Where wilt thou that we prepare? On the preparation for the Passover, see notes on Matthew 26:17-19.

Luke 23:12

A large upper room furnished. The upper room was usually the guest chamber.

Luke 23:14

When the hour was come. There are four accounts of the institution of the Lord’s Supper: Matthew 26:26-30 Mr 14:22-25 1 Corinthians 11:23-25. See notes on Matthew.

Luke 23:21

Him that betrayeth me. The incident concerning the betrayal mentioned in these verses occurred before the Lord’s Supper was eaten (Matthew 26:21). It seems probable, from John 13:21-35, that Judas left before the supper On this passage, see notes on Matthew 26:21-25.

Luke 23:24

There was also a strife among them. This contention probably arose while they were taking seats for the paschal meal, each seeking the chief place. It was rebuked by the Lord washing their feet (John 13:3-5). See notes on Matthew 18:1-4.

Luke 23:25

Benefactors. This very title has often been conferred on Gentile rulers, as Ptolemy “Euergetes”, “Ptolemy, the Benefactor”, one of the kings of Egypt.

Luke 23:26

Ye [shall] not [be] so. Greatness shall be sought by serving. He is greatest who serves the world best.

Luke 23:29

I appoint unto you a kingdom. A kingdom to be secured, not by conquering and ruling, but humility, self-denial, and service. “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 18:14).

Luke 23:30

That ye may eat and drink, etc. Thus shall the apostles be entitled to eat at the Lord’s table in the kingdom, and to sit on thrones, etc. They attained these thrones, but they are spiritual, rather than temporal. See PNT Matthew 19:28.

Luke 23:31

Simon, Simon. For the warning to Peter of his Denial of the Lord, see Matthew 26:31-35. Compare Mr 14:27-31.

Luke 23:35

When I sent you without purse. See Matthew 10:9-15 Mr 6:8,9.

Luke 23:36

But now. Now has come a time of trial when all will be against you. He that hath no sword, let him . . . buy one. Not to be taken literally, but a striking way of saying that enemies upon every side will assail them.

Luke 23:37

He was reckoned among the transgressors. This, quoted from Isaiah 53:12, was about to be fulfilled in him.

Luke 23:38

Here [are] two swords. How they come to be in their possession is not told. It is enough. This is a dismissal of the subject, not a warrant for their use. That was rebuked when Peter resorted to one (Matthew 26:52-54).

Luke 23:39

Went . . . to the Mount of Olives. For the Agony in Gethsemane, see notes on Matthew 26:36-46. Compare Mr 14:32-42.

Luke 23:44

Being in agony. Luke alone mentions that “his sweat became as great drops of blood”, a fact that portrays, as language could not, the agony of our Lord’s struggle.

Luke 23:47

Behold a multitude. For notes on the Betrayal and Seizure of Jesus, see Matthew 26:47-56. Compare Mr 14:43-52 John 18:1-12.

Luke 23:54

The Denial of Peter is recorded here, in Matthew 26:69-75 Mr 14:66-72 and John 18:15-27. See notes on Matthew’s account.