Luke 22

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, ^[a] called the Passover, was approaching, ¹

2 and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they feared the people.

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

3 Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. ²

4 And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them.

5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money.

6 Judas consented, and began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them in the absence of a crowd.

Preparing the Passover

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. ³

8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

9 “Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked.

10 He answered, “When you enter the city, a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters,

11 and say to the owner of that house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’

12 And he will show you a large upper room, already furnished. Make preparations there.”

13 So they went and found it just as Jesus had told them. And they prepared the Passover.

The Last Supper

14 When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles. ⁴

15 And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.

16 For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

17 After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves.

18 For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

20 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you. ^[b]

21 Look! The hand of My betrayer is with Mine on the table.

22 Indeed, the Son of Man will go as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him.”

23 Then they began to question among themselves which of them was going to do this.

Who Is the Greatest?

24 A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

25 So Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors.

26 But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.

27 For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.

28 You are the ones who have stood by Me in My trials.

29 And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me,

30 so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

31 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat. ⁵

32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

33 “Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”

34 But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered.

36 “Now, however,” He told them, “the one with a purse should take it, and likewise a bag; and the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one.

37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ ^[c] For what is written about Me is reaching its fulfillment.”

38 So they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” “That is enough,” He answered.

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. ⁶

40 When He came to the place, He told them, “Pray that you will not enter into temptation.”

41 And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed,

42 “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.

44 And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. ^[d]

45 When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.

46 “Why are you sleeping?” He asked. “Get up and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.”

The Betrayal of Jesus

47 While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁷

48 But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

49 Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”

50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw?

53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, ^[e] and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”

Peter Denies Jesus

54 Then they seized Jesus, led Him away, and took Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance. ⁸

55 When those present had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.

56 A servant girl saw him seated in the firelight and looked intently at him. “This man also was with Him,” she said.

57 But Peter denied it. “Woman, I do not know Him,” he said.

58 A short time later, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.”

59 About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with Him, for he too is a Galilean.”

60 “Man, I do not know what you are talking about,” Peter replied. And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word that the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”

62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

63 The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him. ⁹

64 They blindfolded Him ^[f] and kept demanding, “Prophesy! Who hit You?”

65 And they said many other blasphemous things against Him.

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, met together. They led Jesus into their Sanhedrin ^[g] and said, ¹⁰

67 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe.

68 And if I ask you a question, you will not answer.

69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” ^[h]

70 So they all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.”

71 “Why do we need any more testimony?” they declared. “We have heard it for ourselves from His own lips.”

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.

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 26:1–5; Mark 14:1–2; John 11:45–57)
• 2. (Matthew 26:14–16; Mark 14:10–11)
• 3. (Matthew 26:17–19; Mark 14:12–16)
• 4. (Matthew 26:20–30; Mark 14:17–26; 1 Corinthians 11:17–34)
• 5. (Matthew 26:31–35; Mark 14:27–31; John 13:36–38)
• 6. (Matthew 26:36–46; Mark 14:32–42)
• 7. (Matthew 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–52; John 18:1–14)
• 8. (Matthew 26:69–75; Mark 14:66–72; John 18:15–18)
• 9. (Isaiah 50:4–11; Matthew 27:27–31; Mark 15:16–20; John 19:1–15)
• 10. (Matthew 26:57–68; Mark 14:53–65; John 18:19–24)

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally the feast of the Unleavened; see Exodus 12:14–20.
• [b]. Some manuscripts end verse 19 after This is My body and do not include verse 20.
• [c]. Isaiah 53:12
• [d]. Some manuscripts do not include verses 43 and 44.
• [e]. Literally the temple
• [f]. BYZ and TR include and were striking Him on the face.
• [g]. Or their Council
• [h]. See Psalms 110:1.