Luke 22

1 But the festival of Matzah, known as Pesach, was approaching;

2 and the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers began trying to find some way to get rid of Yeshua, because they were afraid of the people.

3 At this point the Adversary went into Y'hudah from K'riot, who was one of the Twelve.

4 He approached the head cohanim and the Temple guard and discussed with them how he might turn Yeshua over to them.

5 They were pleased and offered to pay him money.

6 He agreed and began looking for a good opportunity to betray Yeshua without the people's knowledge.

7 Then came the day of matzah, on which the Passover lamb had to be killed.

8 Yeshua sent Kefa and Yochanan, instructing them, "Go and prepare our Seder, so we can eat."

9 They asked him, "Where do you want us to prepare it?"

10 He told them, "As you're going into the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters,

11 and say to its owner, `The Rabbi says to you, "Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the Pesach meal with my talmidim?" '

12 He will show you a large room upstairs already furnished; make the preparations there."

13 They went and found things just as Yeshua had told them they would be, and they prepared for the Seder.

14 When the time came, Yeshua and the emissaries reclined at the table, and he

15 said to them, "I have really wanted so much to celebrate this Seder with you before I die!

16 For I tell you, it is certain that I will not celebrate it again until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God."

17 Then, taking a cup of wine, he made the b'rakhah and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves.

18 For I tell you that from now on, I will not drink the `fruit of the vine' until the Kingdom of God comes."

19 Also, taking a piece of matzah, he made the b'rakhah, broke it, gave it to them and said, "This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in memory of me."

20 He did the same with the cup after the meal, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant, ratified by my blood, which is being poured out for you.

21 "But look! The person who is betraying me is here at the table with me!

22 The Son of Man is going to his death according to God's plan, but woe to that man by whom he is being betrayed!"

23 They began asking each other which of them could be about to do such a thing.

24 An argument arose among them as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

25 But Yeshua said to them, "The kings of the Goyim lord it over them; and those in authority over them are given the title, `Benefactor.'

26 But not so with you! On the contrary, let the greater among you become like the younger, and one who rules like one who serves.

27 For who is greater? The one reclining at the table? or the one who serves? It's the one reclining at the table, isn't it? But I myself am among you like one who serves.

28 "You are the ones who have stayed with me throughout my trials.

29 Just as my Father gave me the right to rule, so I give you an appointment,

30 namely, to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom and to sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Isra'el.

31 "Shim`on, Shim`on, listen! The Adversary demanded to have you people for himself, to sift you like wheat!

32 But I prayed for you, Shim`on, that your trust might not fail. And you, once you have turned back in repentance, strengthen your brothers!"

33 Shim`on said to him, "Lord, I am prepared to go with you both to prison and to death!"

34 Yeshua replied, "I tell you, Kefa, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me."

35 He said to them, "When I sent you out without wallet, pack or shoes, were you ever short of anything?" "Not a thing," they answered.

36 "But now," he said, if you have a wallet or a pack, take it; and if you don't have a sword, sell your robe to buy one.

37 For I tell you this: the passage from the Tanakh that says, `He was counted with transgressors,'i has to be fulfilled in me; since what is happening to me has a purpose."

38 They said, "Look, Lord, there are two swords right here!" "Enough!" he replied.

39 On leaving, Yeshua went as usual to the Mount of Olives; and the talmidim followed him.

40 When he arrived, he said to them, "Pray that you won't be put to the test."

41 He went about a stone's throw away from them, kneeled down and prayed,

42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, let not my will but yours be done."

43 There appeared to him an angel from heaven giving him strength,

44 and in great anguish he prayed more intensely, so that his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

45 On rising from prayer and coming to the talmidim, he found them sleeping because of their grief.

46 He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you won't be put to the test!"

47 While he was still speaking, a crowd of people arrived, with the man called Y'hudah (one of the Twelve!) leading them. He came up to Yeshua to kiss him,

48 but Yeshua said to him, "Y'hudah, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

49 When his followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we use our swords?"

50 One of them struck at the slave of the cohen hagadol and cut off his right ear.

51 But Yeshua answered, "Just let me do this," and, touching the man's ear, he healed him.

52 Then Yeshua said to the head cohanim, the officers of the Temple guard and the elders who had come to seize him, "So you came out just as you would to the leader of a rebellion, with swords and clubs?

53 Every day I was there with you in the Temple court, yet you didn't arrest me. But this is your hour -- the hour when darkness rules."

54 Having seized him, they led him away and brought him into the house of the cohen hagadol. Kefa followed at a distance;

55 but when they had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Kefa joined them.

56 One of the servant girls saw him sitting in the light of the fire, stared at him and said, "This man also was with him."

57 But he denied it: "Lady, I don't even know him."

58 A little later, someone else saw him and said, "You're one of them too"; but Kefa said, "Man, I am not!"

59 About an hour later, another man asserted emphatically, "There can be no doubt that this fellow was with him, because he too is from the Galil!"

60 But Kefa said, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" And instantly, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Kefa; and Kefa remembered what the Lord had said, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times."

62 And he went outside and cried bitterly.

63 Meanwhile, the men who were holding Yeshua made fun of him. They beat him,

64 blindfolded him, and kept asking him, "Now, `prophesy'! Who hit you that time?"

65 And they said many other insulting things to him.

66 At daybreak, the people's council of elders, including both head cohanim and Torah-teachers, met and led him off to their Sanhedrin,

67 where they said, "If you are the Mashiach, tell us." He answered, "If I tell you, you won't believe me;

68 and if I ask you, you won't answer.

69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be sitting at the right hand of HaG'vurah,"

70 They all said, "Does this mean, then, that you are the Son of God?" And he answered them, "You say I am."

71 They said, "Why do we need additional testimony? We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth!"

Luke 22 Commentary

Chapter 22

The treachery of Judas. (1-6) The passover. (7-18) The Lord's supper instituted. (19,20) Christ admonishes the disciples. (21-38) Christ's agony in the garden. (39-46) Christ betrayed. (47-53) The fall of Peter. (54-62) Christ confesses himself to be the Son of God. (63-71)

Verses 1-6 Christ knew all men, and had wise and holy ends in taking Judas to be a disciple. How he who knew Christ so well, came to betray him, we are here told; Satan entered into Judas. It is hard to say whether more mischief is done to Christ's kingdom, by the power of its open enemies, or by the treachery of its pretended friends; but without the latter, its enemies could not do so much evil as they do.

Verses 7-18 Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover. Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his Father's glory and man's redemption. He takes his leave of all passovers, signifying thereby his doing away all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which the passover was one of the earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come.

Verses 19-20 The Lord's supper is a sign or memorial of Christ already come, who by dying delivered us; his death is in special manner set before us in that ordinance, by which we are reminded of it. The breaking of Christ's body as a sacrifice for us, is therein brought to our remembrance by the breaking of bread. Nothing can be more nourishing and satisfying to the soul, than the doctrine of Christ's making atonement for sin, and the assurance of an interest in that atonement. Therefore we do this in rememberance of what He did for us, when he died for us; and for a memorial of what we do, in joining ourselves to him in an everlasting covenant. The shedding of Christ's blood, by which the atonement was made, is represented by the wine in the cup.

Verses 21-38 How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than self-confidence, with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless we watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day into those sins which we were in the morning most resolved against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall; but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ. Our Lord gave notice of a very great change of circumstances now approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a purse, let him take it, for he may need it. They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, but he spake only of the weapons of the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.

Verses 39-46 Every description which the evangelists give of the state of mind in which our Lord entered upon this conflict, proves the tremendous nature of the assault, and the perfect foreknowledge of its terrors possessed by the meek and lowly Jesus. Here are three things not in the other evangelists. 1. When Christ was in his agony, there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. It was a part of his humiliation that he was thus strengthened by a ministering spirit. 2. Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Prayer, though never out of season, is in a special manner seasonable when we are in an agony. 3. In this agony his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down. This showed the travail of his soul. We should pray also to be enabled to resist unto the shedding of our blood, striving against sin, if ever called to it. When next you dwell in imagination upon the delights of some favourite sin, think of its effects as you behold them here! See its fearful effects in the garden of Gethsemane, and desire, by the help of God, deeply to hate and to forsake that enemy, to ransom sinners from whom the Redeemer prayed, agonized, and bled.

Verses 47-53 Nothing can be a greater affront or grief to the Lord Jesus, than to be betrayed by those who profess to be his followers, and say that they love him. Many instances there are, of Christ's being betrayed by those who, under the form of godliness, fight against the power of it. Jesus here gave an illustrious example of his own rule of doing good to those that hate us, as afterwards he did of praying for those that despitefully use us. Corrupt nature warps our conduct to extremes; we should seek for the Lord's direction before we act in difficult circumstances. Christ was willing to wait for his triumphs till his warfare was accomplished, and we must be so too. But the hour and the power of darkness were short, and such the triumphs of the wicked always will be.

Verses 54-62 Peter's fall was his denying that he knew Christ, and was his disciple; disowning him because of distress and danger. He that has once told a lie, is strongly tempted to persist: the beginning of that sin, like strife, is as the letting forth of water. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter. 1. It was a convincing look. Jesus turned and looked upon him, as if he should say, Dost thou not know me, Peter? 2. It was a chiding look. Let us think with what a rebuking countenance Christ may justly look upon us when we have sinned. 3. It was an expostulating look. Thou who wast the most forward to confess me to be the Son of God, and didst solemnly promise thou wouldest never disown me! 4. It was a compassionate look. Peter, how art thou fallen and undone if I do not help thee! 5. It was a directing look, to go and bethink himself. 6. It was a significant look; it signified the conveying of grace to Peter's heart, to enable him to repent. The grace of God works in and by the word of God, brings that to mind, and sets that home upon the conscience, and so gives the soul the happy turn. Christ looked upon the chief priests, and made no impression upon them as he did on Peter. It was not the mere look from Christ, but the Divine grace with it, that restored Peter.

Verses 63-71 Those that condemned Jesus for a blasphemer, were the vilest blasphemers. He referred them to his second coming, for the full proof of his being the Christ, to their confusion, since they would not admit the proof of it to their conviction. He owns himself to be the Son of God, though he knew he should suffer for it. Upon this they ground his condemnation. Their eyes being blinded, they rush on. Let us meditate on this amazing transaction, and consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.