Luke 22:1-30

Butler's Comments

SECTION 1

Communion (Luke 22:1-30)

22 Now the feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover.2And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death; for they feared the people.

3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve; 4he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5And they were glad, and engaged to give him money. 6So he agreed, and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of the multitude.

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare the passover for us, that we may eat it. 9They said to him, Where will you have us prepare it? 10He said to them, Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters, 11and tell the householder, -The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?-' 12And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready. 13And they went, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover.

14 And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. 15And he said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 16for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves; 18for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. 19And 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. 20And likewise the cup after supper, saying, This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed! 23And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this.

24 A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.

28 You are those who have continued with me in my trials; 29and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luke 22:1-13 Preparation: The day on which the Passover feast was to be observed was determined by the Lunar Calendar (moon phases). Passover supper was to be eaten on the 14th of Nisan (Jewish month). This was calculated to be fourteen days after the first new moon, following the vernal (Spring) equinox. Passover, therefore, was in the month we know as April. According to the Gregorian Calendar (presently in use by most of the world), Passover varies as to the day because Gregorian months are not lunar. Fourteen days after each new moon a full moon appears. So Passover time was always at full moon.

The Hebrew word pesach is translated Passover, and means literally, to pass, spring over, or spare (cf. Exodus 12:13-27). Passover day was one day out of a festival of seven or eight days duration, called in Hebrew, hammatzzoth, literally, the unleavened things, (cf. Leviticus 23:4 ff.). So, Passover came to be called, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Luke 22:1). The parallel accounts, which the student should read are Matthew 26:3-75; Matthew 27:1; Mark 14:1-72; Mark 15:1 and John 13:1 through John 18:27.

Luke notes that as the Passover drew near, the chief priests and scribes were seeking how to put Jesus to death. Matthew records that at that moment Jesus was predicting, for the fifth time, His death at their hands (Matthew 26:1-2). While the chief priests and Sanhedrin were planning to postpone their efforts to destroy Jesus until after the Feast (Matthew 26:3-5), Jesus was predicting they would actually crucify Him during the Feast. Jesus not only knew their murderous scheme, but He knew they would change their plans to delay and carry them out during the Feast. So, in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest, they concluded they must arrest Jesus by stealth or secretly, lest the multitudes, who were proclaiming Jesus to be the Son of David, their king, might rise up against them. Quite unexpectedly, they are presented a way to find Him and arrest Him without the multitudes knowing it until it is done.

Luke alone records, Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and captains how he might betray him to them, (see also John 13:2; John 13:27). Scripture indicates Judas was greedy and dishonest from the beginning of his discipleship (cf. John 12:6). The point to remember here is that Satan accomplished possession or entry into Judas-' heart because Judas wanted him to! Men may either give place to the devil or not, Ephesians 4:27. Men may resist the devil or not, James 4:7. God only gives up on men when men refuse to have God (Romans 1:18 ff.; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Revelation 13:1 ff.). Judas knew of the hatred, anger, malice and subterfuge of the priesthood toward Jesus. Judas had seen and heard their desire to destroy Jesus many times. Judas was not an unwilling victim of Satan. Judas-' motive, so far as the record goes, was strictly greed. There is no indication that there was anything political, ideological or theological involved at all. H. Schonfield says in his book, Passover Plot, that Jesus, wanting to be Messiah, plots to get Himself crucified so He can fulfill Old Testament prophecies. In doing so, Jesus tricks Judas into betraying Him by continually applying pressure or psyching Judas into it through pointed references to Judas as betrayer, thief, etc. Judas, then, having supposedly discerned that this is what Jesus wanted, decided to make a few pieces of silver from the plot. One has only to read the gospel documents to see the absurdity of such run-away imagination. For Jesus to have carried out such a plot would have required more divine omniscience and omnipotence almost than even the gospel records accord Him! He would have to know with divine certainty the future movements and decisions of scores of people; He would have to have had the power to manipulate people and times and circumstances beyond any mortal's control. How did Jesus, if He were only human and not divine, even know Judas had betrayed Him? Judas did not report back to Jesus!

The day of Unleavened Bread was the day when the Jew searched his house for chametz, leaven, to purge the house of all of it. It was also the day on which the passover lamb had to be sacrificed on the Temple altar. Luke indicates Jesus waited until the Feast was in its first day to prepare. He apparently did this because there would be no need to prepare sooner (except to have the lamb selected, which the owner of the upper room probably did), and He was extremely busy up until the very day of the Passover meal. It also gave opportunity for another demonstration of His supernatural foreknowledge of the exact place and circumstances in connection with His observance. Finally, it would keep the meeting place secret until He could assemble His disciples for a final, personal and intensive session of instructions and encouragements. Judas was thereby prevented from betraying the place where Jesus might be arrested before Jesus desired it.

Jesus appointed Peter and John to make preparations for the observance of the Passover. When they asked Him Where?, He demonstrated once again His divine foreknowledge by predicting -they would meet a man carrying a pitcher (Gr. keramion, from which we get English, ceramic) of water. It would be unusual for the master of a house (Gr. oikodespote, the despot of the house) to be carrying a ceramic jar of waterthat was the work of servants and women! But Jesus foreknew the exact moment the two disciples would reach a certain point in order to be able to find this particular householder carrying a jar of water, and that this householder would invite them to use his upper room, A literal translation of the Greek text would read: And you will say to the house-master of the house, Says to you the Teacher.. This man must have been a wealthy disciple of Jesus. The homes of the wealthy had large upper rooms as second-story guest rooms with a staircase built on the outside wall of the house. Guests could enter and leave their guest room on the second floor without disturbing the householder's family. The word furnished is the Greek word estromenon and means literally, spread out, as one prepares a bed or spreads out straw for a bed. The upper room was spread out (furnishes) especially with a table and couches for Jesus-' observance of the Passover.

The two apostles went into the city and found it exactly as Jesus had told them it would be. They immediately set about to prepare for the Passover. Wednesday evening, at sundown, would have begun the Passover when every householder would gather his family and they would all take lamps and search the house diligently for leaven. So many preparations were required, the actual meal itself would not be eaten until the next evening (Thursday). The ingredients for bitter herbs had to be gathered (horse radish, bay, thyme, majoram or mint and basil). This was all used to make the sauce or gravy called charoseththe sop into which the unleavened bread (matza-bread) was dipped to symbolize the mortar the Hebrews had to make as slaves in Egypt. Utensils for holding the sop, for drinking the wine, for washing (purification) of hands and feet, etc., had to be procured. The most important preparation was taking the lamb (which had been selected four days earlier) to the temple and slitting its throat so that its blood could be poured out on the altar. Priests and Levites collected the blood and poured it out. The blood then ran down the gutters into the Kidron valley. Even with a conservative estimate of one million worshipers at Passover, there would be 100,000 lambs slain in one day. That would average approximately 4,166 every hour or 69 every minute! The entrails and fat were thrown on the fire on the altar causing the stench of burning flesh to float over the city. The smoke, bleating of sheep, smell of warm blood, trumpets blowing and people shouting must have made a spectacle beyond imagination. The worshiper took his slain lamb home, roasted it, careful not to break a bone, and the Feast was ready, Using a bunch of hyssop, its blood was sprinkled on the lintel and door-posts of the house. All these preparations probably took Wednesday night and most of Thursday morning so Jesus and the apostles did not start supper until late Thursday afternoon. They may have slept a few hours Wednesday night, but they would not get but a few winks for on Thursday night they were out in the garden of Gethsemane.

Luke 22:14-30 Participation: When everything was ready, Jesus reclined (Greek, anepese) on a couch pulled up to the table (Luke 22:21, Greek word for table is trapezes, from which we get the English word, trapeze). Jews of that day usually ate according to the Roman custom by reclining on couches large enough to hold three people. When the family had gathered to the table, a prayer was said and then everyone dipped a piece of matza bread into the charoseth sauce (the sop). Charoseth is a Hebrew word meaning bondage or captivity. This was eaten and the first cup of wine was drunk accompanied by a blessing (the Greek word for blessing is euchariste, see Luke 22:17). Then, Psalms 114:1-8 was recited telling how the Israelites left Egypt. Next, drops of salt water were drunk in memory of the tears their forefathers shed in bondage. Next, they began to eat the roasted lamb, accompanied by the bitter herb sauce. Two more cups of wine were drunk, passed from hand to hand, and the third cup was called, with particular solemnity, the cup of benediction. Next, the Hallel (Psalms 113:1-9; Psalms 114:1-8; Psalms 115:1-18; Psalms 116:1-19; Psalms 117:1-2; Psalms 118:1-29) was chanted as a prayer of thanksgiving, and when the verse, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Psalms 118:26) was recited, a fourth cup of wine, the last of the ritual, was passed among the family. The Passover was usually a cheerful feast, reminding the Hebrews of the deliverance of their nation from bondage. The Talmud says: It is as savory as an olive, and, The Hallel should burst through the roof of the house. This feast was extremely significant for Jesus! Just before they began the rituals of the Passover, Jesus announced, I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer. He knew it would be the last Passover of any significance for these apostles. The Passover was to be superceded by the fulfilling of it in the kingdom of God (the church). Henceforth Jesus-' disciples would memorialize Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; 1 Peter 1:19) as their Passover in a ceremony called, the Lord's Supper. This is the last Jewish communion Jesus would have with His disciples. After this, in His Spirit, He would meet with them around His table, communing with them in His Supper. Paul clearly indicates that when Christians observe the Lord's Supper they are communing with Him (1 Corinthians 10:16) and He is participating with them. Jesus said, Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them, (Matthew 18:20). Jesus had much to teach these apostles before He left them to return to heaven. The Passover usually called forth the most spiritual moments in the life of a Hebrew. With all the remembering of God's atonement, God's love, God's serving and God's Spirit guiding the Hebrews in their deliverance from Egypt, Jesus anticipated this last Passover at the most opportune time to focus the hearts of the apostles on the new deliverancethe fulfillment of what the Passover merely typified. It is evident the apostles needed spiritual edification! The kingdom of God was soon to be established and left to their charge and they were still very much insensitive to its true nature. They were arguing and competing for places of honor and position, (Luke 22:24).

Luke apparently departs from a strict chronological account of these events, and places the institution of the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:19-23) before it actually took place. Mark's gospel places it later, after the departure of Judas (cf. John 13:27-30). It seems more logical to follow Mark's chronology. When one takes all four gospel accounts into consideration here, it is evident that some omit what others record and as a result some rearrangement in chronology must be made. This, of course, does not destroy the integrity of authenticity of any of the accounts. The same omissions and anachronisms would be found in the notes of any four newspaper reporters should they report on the same incident after having talked to different eyewitnesses on different days! We skip now to Luke 22:24-30 for the sake of chronological precision.

Apparently Jesus had just poured the first cup of wine for the Passover and given it to the apostles when He noticed their contention. The Greek word philoneikia, means love of strife and signifies a spirit of contentiousness. The apostles were enjoying their dispute over who would be greatest. Jesus had to interrupt this precious moment to rebuke these ambitious men. He had already rebuked them in practically the same words, just a few weeks earlier, as they walked through Perea on their way to this very Passover (cf. Matthew 20:25-28). They did not get the message then. Now they were still acting like pagans. Gentiles (unbelievers) get power over one another by bribery, flattery, deceit, favoritism or force. They do it for selfish reasons: security, fame or self-indulgence. Jesus made it very plain: Not so with you! They must understand what the world does not understandthe only man who really has any influence over others is the one who gets it from others who have given it willingly because he has loved them and served them. Any man whose influence over others depends on force, deceit, flattery or partiality does not really have honor, willingly, but grudgingly. That is false honor. The greatest apostle would be the one who served the most. Jesus was the ultimate example of this principle. Whereas the so-called great rulers of mankind have ruled because men gave in to them grudgingly, and partially, Jesus rules completely because men and women surrender to Him willingly and totally. Men give Jesus their minds, souls, hearts and bodies, because He demonstrated genuine, perfect love for them. He who was the greatest servant is the greatest ruler. He promised the apostles that the rewards which were to be theirs when they served in His kingdom would surpass any kind of fleshly reward or honor they were then dreaming about. They would receive the real rewards, the spiritual rewards, the eternally abiding rewards. They, as believers, would be allowed to sit with Him at His table in the messianic kingdom, constantly feasting on the Bread of Life and the Living Water. They, as apostles and evangelists, would be given the privilege of preaching the gospel and writing the new covenant scriptures which would judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus is not ranking the apostles in some sort of ecclesiastical hierarchy here, He is offering them the privilege of being first into the vineyard (cf. Matthew 20:1-16). They will be first to open the doors of the kingdom of the Messiah by preaching the gospel on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47). Every Jew will ultimately be judged by Jehovah according to the response he makes to the apostolic gospel, preached and written. So will every Gentile. The apostles themselves are not the judgethe gospel is. Whatever they proclaim will have already been bound in heaven (cf. Matthew 16:19 et al.).

Immediately after this rebuke, Jesus rose from the supper, laid aside His garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist. He then took a wash basin filled with water and began to wash the apostle's feet (cf. John 13:1-21). This event should be chronologically inserted here.

Next, as Luke records in Luke 22:21-23, Jesus exposed the betrayer, Judas (see also Matthew 26:21-24; Mark 14:18-21; and John 13:22-30). A number of Old Testament predictions were fulfilled when the Messiah was betrayed (see Psalms 41:9; Zechariah 11:7-14). Jesus predicted His betrayal before it was known by others so that when it came to pass the apostles would not be caught unaware and fall into despondency. When they looked back on these events after His resurrection they would have their faith in Jesus strengthened. Jesus also made a last attempt to provoke Judas to repentance. Mainly, Jesus-' prediction here was to show that what was happening to Him was within the fore-ordained plan of God. Jesus was not the unfortunate victim of circumstances. He was not powerless before the evil machinations of men. He was not killed, He chose to die. He chose when, how, and by whom. He laid down His life and He took it up again. No one took it from Him (cf. John 10:17-18; John 19:11). Jesus encouraged His apostles, that when they should see Him betrayed, they should not be dismayedit was what He came for, He was in complete control, this was His mission (cf. John 13:20).

The other disciples did not understand that Judas was the betrayer when Jesus announced it! Perhaps this was because He first gave a generalized statement about a betrayer. Matthew and Mark indicate the apostles began to be very depressed and question one after the other, Is it I, Lord? Peter beckoned to John to ask Jesus who the betrayer was (John 13:23-26). Still Jesus gave an answer that could have included all or any one of them when He said, It is he to whom I shall give this morsel.. (John 13:26). He probably had dipped the morsel for each one of them since He would be the master of the group. Judas was expert at deceiving his comrades. He joined right in with the chorus of Is it I, Lord? Jesus probably reclined on a couch with John and JudasJohn at His front, Judas at His back; Peter was on a couch with two others across the table from Jesus. Jesus leaned back toward Judas and lowered His voice as He replied to Judas (John 13:27-30). The other apostles, still in a state of shock and confusion, murmuring among themselves, did not observe Jesus-' hushed remarks to Judas, nor did they observe Judas as he got up and slipped out into the night. Jesus aimed to expose the plot, let Judas know privately He knew who the betrayer was, and yet not cause the other apostles to mob Judas and kill him with their own hands.

Now we come back to Luke 22:19-20, and the institution of the Lord's Supper. The careful student will notice there is no Luke 22:20 in the RSV text printed at the beginning of this lesson. After the word body in Luke 22:19, the following words have been deleted from the Revised Standard Version English text:

which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 20 And likewise the cup after supper, saying, This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

There is, however, such a preponderance of the best, most ancient, Greek texts in favor of these words as part of the original text, we choose to consider them as such and comment on them. The Greek texts called Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Codex Ephraemi and a host of others include these words. The Greek texts which do omit them are not of the same significance as those which include these words.

During the discussion of the betrayal Jesus and the apostles continued to eat the Passover meal. As they were eating, according to Matthew and Mark, He took bread and blessed it, and broke it and gave to them.. Luke uses the Greek word eucharistesas which is translated into English, thanks. It is the word from which we get the English word, eucharist, often used as a synonymous title for the Lord's Supper. Jesus used two elements right out of the Passover supper itself to institute the memorial supper He commanded His disciples to observe forever afterunleavened bread (Hebrew, matzzah; Greek, azumon) and wine (Hebrew, yayin; Greek, oinos). In the text the wine is referred to as the cup (Gr. poterion). At the Passover the cup contained yayin, a sweet wine from the grape with probably a low degree of fermentation (see Harold Fowler's Special Study, Should Jesus Drink Wine?, in The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. II, pg. 526-533, pub. College Press). These two elements, bread and wine, are used often in the Bible to symbolize flesh and blood or life. Their symbolic significance would not be lost on these Jewish apostles.

Jesus said, Do this in remembrance of me. The apostle Paul tells us that Jesus also said, Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me, (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:25). Jesus did not, at this Passover supper, so far as the record goes, specify how often this remembrance was to be observed. However, the divine history of the early church (Acts of Apostles, Luke 20:7), indicates the first century church observed this memorial each first day of the week. Writings of the earliest post-apostolic church leaders (Justin Martyr, cir. 150 A.D. et al.) indicate it was observed every first day of the week by the early Christians. It would certainly seem reasonable that every time a local congregation of Christians meets as a whole body for worshiping the Lord they would want to observe the Lord's Supper. It would also appear that following the precedent set by the first century church would be desirable for the church for all ages. The very fact, however, that Jesus did not specify in detail how often it must be observed, should make any Christian beware of being legalistic about the matter. Legalism in respect to frequency, whether too often or not often enough, robs it of its very essenceremembrance out of love. Jesus did not want Christians to have to be forced or coerced by human manipulation to remember Him. He wants believers to come in loving remembrance of His atonement of grace. He does not want anyone to come to His supper trusting in a ritualistic observance to attain self-justification.

The purpose of the Supper is, first, to memorialize in a new and more complete manner God's redemption of man. The Passover typified a redemption God would fulfill in the future. Christ's Supper memorializes redemption as an accomplished fact of history. It signifies that our redemption is accomplished by the Person, Christ, not by any works of our own. The Supper is not a means of grace. Christians observe it as an expression of their faith in what Christ accomplished for them. It is a divinely instituted ceremony through which Christians express their love for Jesus. Deliberate refusal to observe it would result in being lost because that would be rebellion and faithlessness. The Supper is also for the purpose of communion. Jesus said it was the new covenant in my blood. After His death, resurrection and ascension He promised He would participate with believers through this Supper. So, all Christians commune with Christ as they observe His supper. The Greek word koinonia (1 Corinthians 10:16-17) is translated communion, but means participation. Christians participate by faith expressed through this Supper, in the death and resurrection of Christ. But the Lord's Supper is not the only expression of faith or participation in the atonement of Christ. Peter tells us Christians are made partakers (Gr. koinonoi, same word as used in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17) of the divine nature through a long list of things, headed by His very great and precious promises (cf. 2 Peter 1:3-11)! Christians also declare their participation with one another as one body through this Supper (1 Corinthians 10:17; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34). The Supper is a weekly celebration of the believer's union with Jesus and with His body, the church.

According to the apostle Paul, the Lord's Supper is also to be used as a vehicle for self-examination, for proclamation of the gospel and a testimony to His Second Coming (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:23-32). It certainly should be a time for thanksgiving (eucharist). It is one way a believer may offer a beautiful prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ. Man is so prone to forget! The Lord's supper is an act of gracious mercy by Jesus-not a tyrannical enslavement. If He had not instituted it, we would surely be spiritually poor. What a blessing it isimpressive in its simplicity, grand in its depth. Let us love it and honor it from the heart.

Some religious people want to make the Lord's Supper a sacramenta literal means of obtaining the grace of God. One form of such literalism is called transubstantiation. In this particular view, the Supper is called Mass and at a specific time in the Mass, when the host is elevated, a bell rings, and the bread and wine are, allegedly, changed by a miracle into the actual body and actual blood of Jesus. This literalism, and many differing shades of it, are all based on an unnatural emphasis on the word is in the statement of Jesus, This is my body. this is my blood.. Consider the following:

a.

When Jesus instituted the Supper His physical flesh and blood were still intact in His physical body. None of the apostles were actually chewing His flesh or drinking His blood. No miracle is said to have taken place in the upper room to make the bread and wine into His actual substance.

b.

Even if one could literally eat His flesh and drink His blood, it would not be profitable (cf. John 6:63). When Jesus gave His sermon on the Bread of Life (John 6:51 ff.), many Jews did think He was talking like a cannibal, but Jesus corrected them precisely and concisely.

c.

Which bread and wine are actually His flesh and blood? If we should put the emphasis on This is my body.. then the very bread and wine which the apostles consumed would be the only body and blood Jesus gave.

d.

Jesus used other things in a representative way and never intended them to be taken literally: I am the Vine, you are the branches. I am the door of the sheep, my sheep hear my voice..

It is faith in the heart of the believer expressing itself in obedient love that makes the bread and wine efficaciousnot the ceremony, not the elements and not even the statement, alone, of Christ. If efficaciousness be in the ceremony, or the elements or even in the statement, alone, of Christ, without the faith of the believer, then the Supper provides efficacy for anyone who merely partakes. Paul makes it clear that there is a possibility of participants, with the wrong motives and attitudes, drinking condemnation unto themselves (1 Corinthians 11:27).