1 Now the feast of unleavened bread was near, which is called the Passover.
2 And the chief priests and the scribes were looking for a chance to put him to death, but they went in fear of the people.
3 And Satan came into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve.
4 And he went away and had a discussion with the chief priests and the rulers, about how he might give him up to them.
5 And they were glad, and undertook to give him money.
6 And he made an agreement with them to give him up to them, if he got a chance, when the people were not present.
7 And the day of unleavened bread came, when the Passover lamb is put to death.
8 And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, Go and make the Passover ready for us, so that we may take it.
9 And they said to him, Where are we to get it ready?
10 And he said to them, When you go into the town you will see a man coming to you with a vessel of water; go after him into the house into which he goes.
11 And say to the master of the house, The Master says, Where is the guest-room, where I may take the Passover with my disciples?
12 And he will take you up to a great room with a table and seats: there make ready.
13 And they went, and it was as he had said: and they made the Passover ready.
14 And when the time had come, he took his seat, and the Apostles with him.
15 And he said, I have had a great desire to keep this Passover with you before I come to my death;
16 For I say to you, I will not take it till it is made complete in the kingdom of God.
17 And he took a cup and, having given praise, he said, Make division of this among yourselves;
18 For I say to you, I will not take of the fruit of the vine till the kingdom of God has come.
19 And he took bread and, having given praise, he gave it to them when it had been broken, saying, This is my body, which is given for you: do this in memory of me.
20 And in the same way, after the meal, he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new testament, made with my blood which is given for you.
21 But the hand of him who is false to me is with me at the table.
22 For it will be done to the Son of man after the purpose of God, but unhappy is that man by whom he is given up.
23 And they were wondering among themselves which of them it was who would do this thing.
24 And there was an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.
25 And he said, The kings of the Gentiles are lords over them, and those who have authority are given names of honour.
26 But let it not be so with you; but he who is greater, let him become like the younger; and he who is chief, like a servant.
27 For which is greater, the guest who is seated at a meal or the servant who is waiting on him? is it not the guest? but I am among you as a servant.
28 But you are those who have kept with me through my troubles;
29 And I will give you a kingdom as my Father has given one to me,
30 So that you may take food and drink at my table in my kingdom, and be seated like kings, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 Simon, Simon, Satan has made a request to have you, so that he may put you to the test as grain is tested:
32 But I have made prayer for you, that your faith may not go from you: and when you are turned again, make your brothers strong.
33 And he said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.
34 And he said, I say to you, Peter, before the cock's second cry today, you will say three times that you have no knowledge of me.
35 And he said to them, When I sent you out without money or bag or shoes, were you in need of anything? And they said, Nothing.
36 And he said to them, But now, he who has a money-bag, or a bag for food, let him take it: and he who has not, let him give his coat for money and get a sword.
37 For I say to you that these words will be put into effect in me, And he was numbered among the evil-doers: for what has been said in the Writings about me has an end.
38 And they said, Lord, here are two swords. And he said, It is enough.
39 And he came out, and went, as his way was, to the Mountain of Olives, and the disciples went with him.
40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, Make a prayer that you may not be put to the test.
41 And he went a little distance away from them and, falling on his knees in prayer, he said,
42 Father, if it is your pleasure, take this cup from me: but still, let your pleasure, not mine, be done.
43 And an angel from heaven came to him, to give him strength.
44 And being in great trouble of soul, the force of his prayer became stronger, and great drops, like blood, came from him, falling to the earth.
45 And, getting up from prayer, he came to the disciples, and saw that they were sleeping for sorrow.
46 And he said, Why are you sleeping? Get up, and give yourselves to prayer, so that you may not be put to the test.
47 And while he was saying these words, there came a band of people, and Judas, one of the twelve, was in front of them, and he came near to Jesus to give him a kiss.
48 But Jesus said to him, Judas, will you be false to the Son of man with a kiss?
49 And when those who were with him saw what was coming, they said, Lord, may we not make use of our swords?
50 And one of them gave a blow to the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
51 But Jesus, answering, said, Put up with this, at least. And touching his ear, he made it well.
52 And Jesus said to the chief priests and the captains of the Temple and the rulers, who had come against him, Have you come out as against a thief, with swords and sticks?
53 When I was in the Temple with you every day, your hands were not stretched out against me: but this is your hour, and the authority of the dark power.
54 And they made him a prisoner and took him away to the house of the high priest. But Peter went after them at a distance.
55 And a fire was lighted in the middle of the open square, and they were seated together, and Peter was among them.
56 And a certain woman-servant, seeing him in the light of the fire, and looking at him with attention, said, This man was with him.
57 But he said, Woman, it is not true; I have no knowledge of him.
58 And after a little time, another saw him and said, You are one of them; and he said, Man, I am not.
59 And after about an hour, another man said, with decision, Certainly this man was with him, for he is a Galilaean.
60 And Peter said, Man, I have no knowledge of these things of which you are talking. And straight away, while he was saying these words, there came the cry of a cock.
61 And the Lord, turning, gave Peter a look. And the words of the Lord came to Peter's mind, how he had said, This night, before the hour of the cock's cry, you will be false to me three times.
62 And he went out, weeping bitterly.
63 And the men in whose hands Jesus was, made sport of him and gave him blows.
64 And, covering his eyes, they said to him, Are you prophet enough to say who gave you that blow?
65 And they said a number of other evil things against him.
66 And when it was day, the rulers of the people came together, with the chief priests and the scribes, and they took him before their Sanhedrin, saying,
67 If you are the Christ, say so. But he said, If I say so you will not have belief;
68 And if I put a question to you, you will not give an answer.
69 But in the future the Son of man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.
70 And they all said, Are you then the Son of God? and he said, You say that I am.
71 And they said, What more need have we of witness? we have the very words of his mouth.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Luke 22
Commentary on Luke 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Lu 22:1-6. Conspiracy of the Jewish Authorities to Put Jesus to Death—Compact with Judas.
1, 2. (See on Mt 26:1-5.)
3. Then entered Satan, &c.—but not yet in the full sense. The awful stages of it were these: (1) Covetousness being his master—passion, the Lord let it reveal itself and gather strength by entrusting him with "the bag" (Joh 12:6), as treasurer to Himself and the Twelve. (2) In the discharge of that most sacred trust he became "a thief," appropriating its contents from time to time to his own use. Satan, seeing this door into his heart standing wide open, determines to enter by it, but cautiously (2Co 2:11); first merely "putting it into his heart to betray Him" (Joh 13:2), suggesting the thought to him that by this means he might enrich himself. (3) This thought was probably converted into a settled purpose by what took place in Simon's house at Bethany. (See Mt 26:6, and see on Joh 12:4-8.) (4) Starting back, perhaps, or mercifully held back, for some time, the determination to carry it into immediate effect was not consummated till, sitting at the paschal supper, "Satan entered into him" (see on Joh 13:27), and conscience, effectually stifled, only rose again to be his tormentor. What lessons in all this for every one (Eph 4:27; Jas 4:7; 1Pe 5:8, 9)!
5. money—"thirty pieces of silver" (Mt 26:15); thirty shekels, the fine payable for man- or maid-servant accidentally killed (Ex 21:32), and equal to between four and five pounds of our money—"a goodly price that I was priced at of them" (Zec 11:13). (See on Joh 19:16.)
6. in the absence, &c.—(See Mt 26:5).
Lu 22:7-38. Last Passover—Institution of the Supper—Discourse at the Table.
7. the day of unleavened bread—strictly the fifteenth Nisan (part of our March and April) after the paschal lamb was killed; but here, the fourteenth (Thursday). Into the difficult questions raised on this we cannot here enter.
10-13. when ye are entered the city—He Himself probably stayed at Bethany during the day.
there shall a man, &c.—(See on Lu 19:29-32).
14-18. the hour—about six P.M. Between three and this hour the lamb was killed (Ex 12:6, Margin)
15. With desire … desired—"earnestly have I longed" (as Ge 31:30, "sore longedst"). Why? It was to be His last "before He suffered"—and so became "Christ our Passover sacrificed for us" (1Co 5:7), when it was "fulfilled in the Kingdom of God," the typical ordinance thenceforth disappearing.
17. took the cup—the first of several partaken of in this service.
divide it among, &c.—that is, It is to be your last as well as Mine, "until the Kingdom of God come," or as it is beautifully given in Mt 26:29, "until that day when I shall drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." It was the point of transition between two economies and their two great festivals, the one about to close for ever, the other immediately to open and run its majestic career until from earth it be transferred to heaven.
21, 22. (See on Joh 13:21, &c.).
24-30. there was—or "had been," referring probably to some symptoms of the former strife which had reappeared, perhaps on seeing the whole paschal arrangements committed to two of the Twelve. (See on Mr 10:42-45.)
25. benefactors—a title which the vanity of princes eagerly coveted.
26. But ye … not—Of how little avail has this condemnation of "lordship" and vain titles been against the vanity of Christian ecclesiastics?
28. continued, &c.—affecting evidence of Christ's tender susceptibility to human sympathy and support! (See on Joh 6:66, 67; see Joh 16:32.)
29. I appoint, &c.—Who is this that dispenses kingdoms, nay, the Kingdom of kingdoms, within an hour or two of His apprehension, and less than a day of His shameful death? These sublime contrasts, however, perpetually meet and entrance us in this matchless history.
30. eat and drink, &c.—(See Lu 22:16 and see on Lu 18:28, &c.).
31-34. Simon, Simon—(See on Lu 10:41).
desired to have—rather, "hath obtained you," properly "asked and obtained"; alluding to Job (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6), whom he solicited and obtained that he might sift him as wheat, insinuating as "the accuser of the brethren" (Re 12:10), that he would find chaff enough in his religion, if indeed there was any wheat at all.
you—not Peter only, but them all.
32. But I have prayed—have been doing it already.
for thee—as most in danger. (See on Lu 22:61, 62.)
fail not—that is, entirely; for partially it did fail.
converted—brought back afresh as a penitent disciple.
strengthen, &c.—that is, make use of thy bitter experience for the fortifying of thy tempted brethren.
33. I am ready, &c.—honest-hearted, warmly-attached disciple, thinking thy present feelings immovable as a rock, thou shalt find them in the hour of temptation unstable as water: "I have been praying for thee," therefore thy faith shall not perish; but thinking this superfluous, thou shalt find that "he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool" (Pr 28:26).
34. cock … crow—"twice" (Mr 14:30).
35-38. But now—that you are going forth not as before on a temporary mission, provided for without purse or scrip, but into scenes of continued and severe trial, your methods must be different; for purse and scrip will now be needed for support, and the usual means of defense.
37. the things concerning me—decreed and written.
have an end—are rapidly drawing to a close.
38. two swords … enough—they thinking He referred to present defense, while His answer showed He meant something else.
Lu 22:39-46. Agony in the Garden.
39. as … wont—(See Joh 18:2).
40. the place—the Garden of Gethsemane, on the west or city side of the mount. Comparing all the accounts of this mysterious scene, the facts appear to be these: (1) He bade nine of the Twelve remain "here" while He went and prayed "yonder." (2) He "took the other three, Peter, James, and John, and began to be sore amazed [appalled], sorrowful, and very heavy [oppressed], and said, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death"—"I feel as if nature would sink under this load, as if life were ebbing out, and death coming before its time"—"tarry ye here, and watch with Me"; not, "Witness for Me," but, "Bear Me company." It did Him good, it seems, to have them beside Him. (3) But soon even they were too much for Him: He must be alone. "He was withdrawn from them about a stone's-cast"—though near enough for them to be competent witnesses and kneeled down, uttering that most affecting prayer (Mr 14:36), that if possible "the cup," of His approaching death, "might pass from Him, but if not, His Father's will be done": implying that in itself it was so purely revolting that only its being the Father's will would induce Him to taste it, but that in that view of it He was perfectly prepared to drink it. It is no struggle between a reluctant and a compliant will, but between two views of one event—an abstract and a relative view of it, in the one of which it was revolting, in the other welcome. By signifying how it felt in the one view, He shows His beautiful oneness with ourselves in nature and feeling; by expressing how He regarded it in the other light, He reveals His absolute obediential subjection to His Father. (4) On this, having a momentary relief, for it came upon Him, we imagine, by surges, He returns to the three, and finding them sleeping, He addresses them affectingly, particularly Peter, as in Mr 14:37, 38. He then (5) goes back, not now to kneel, but fell on His face on the ground, saying the same words, but with this turn, "If this cup may not pass," &c. (Mt 26:42)—that is, 'Yes, I understand this mysterious silence (Ps 22:1-6); it may not pass; I am to drink it, and I will'—"Thy will be done!" (6) Again, for a moment relieved, He returns and finds them "sleeping for sorrow," warns them as before, but puts a loving construction upon it, separating between the "willing spirit" and the "weak flesh." (7) Once more, returning to His solitary spot, the surges rise higher, beat more tempestuously, and seem ready to overwhelm Him. To fortify Him for this, "there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven strengthening Him"—not to minister light or comfort (He was to have none of that, and they were not needed nor fitted to convey it), but purely to sustain and brace up sinking nature for a yet hotter and fiercer struggle. And now, He is "in an agony, and prays more earnestly"—even Christ's prayer, it seems, admitted of and now demanded such increase—"and His sweat was as it were great drops [literally, 'clots'] of blood falling down to the ground." What was this? Not His proper sacrificial offering, though essential to it. It was just the internal struggle, apparently hushing itself before, but now swelling up again, convulsing His whole inner man, and this so affecting His animal nature that the sweat oozed out from every pore in thick drops of blood, falling to the ground. It was just shuddering nature and indomitable will struggling together. But again the cry, If it must be, Thy will be done, issues from His lips, and all is over. "The bitterness of death is past." He has anticipated and rehearsed His final conflict, and won the victory—now on the theater of an invincible will, as then on the arena of the Cross. "I will suffer," is the grand result of Gethsemane: "It is finished" is the shout that bursts from the Cross. The Will without the Deed had been all in vain; but His work was consummated when He carried the now manifested Will into the palpable Deed, "by the which WILL we are sanctified THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb 10:10). (8) At the close of the whole scene, finding them still sleeping (worn out with continued sorrow and racking anxiety), He bids them, with an irony of deep emotion, "sleep on now and take their rest, the hour is come, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners, rise, let us be going, the traitor is at hand." And while He spoke, Judas approached with his armed band. Thus they proved "miserable comforters," broken reeds; and thus in His whole work He was alone, and "of the people there was none with Him."
Lu 22:47-54. Betrayal and Apprehension of Jesus—Flight of His Disciples.
Lu 22:55-62. Jesus before Caiaphas—Fall of Peter.
The particulars of these two sections require a combination of all the narratives, for which see on Joh 18:1-27.
61. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter—(Also see on Mr 14:72.)
62. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly—(Also see on Mr 14:72.)
Lu 22:63-71. Jesus Condemned to Die and Shamefully Entreated.
(See on Mr 14:53-63; Joh 18:19, &c.; and Lu 22:55-62.)