Luke 22:1

The year of the redeemed is now come, which had been from eternity fixed in the divine counsels, and long looked for by them that waited for the consolation of Israel. After the revolutions of many ages, it is at length come, Isa 63:4. And, it is observable, it is in the very first month of that year that the redemption is wrought out, so much in haste was the Redeemer to perform his undertaking, so was he straitened till it was accomplished. It was in the same month, and at the same time of the month (in the beginning of months, Exo 12:2), that God by Moses brought Israel out of Egypt, that the Antitype might answer the type. Christ is here delivered up, when the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, Luk 22:1. About as long before that feast as they began to make preparation for it, here was preparation making for our Passover's being offered for us. Here we have,

I. His sworn enemies contriving it (Luk 22:2), the chief priests, men of sanctity, and the scribes, men of learning, seeking how they might kill him, either by force of fraud. Could they have had their will, it had been soon done, but they feared the people, and the more for what they now saw of their diligent attendance upon his preaching.

II. A treacherous disciple joining in with them, and coming to their assistance, Judas surnamed Iscariot. He is here said to be of the number of the twelve, that dignified distinguished number. One would wonder that Christ, who knew all men, should take a traitor into that number, and that one of that number, who could not but know Christ, should be so base as to betray him; but Christ had wise and holy ends in taking Judas to be a disciple, and how he who knew Christ so well yet came to betray him we are here told: Satan entered into Judas, Luk 22:3. It was the devil's work, who thought hereby to ruin Christ's undertaking, to have broken his head; but it proved only the bruising of his heel. Whoever betrays Christ, or his truths or ways, it is Satan that puts them upon it. Judas knew how desirous the chief priests were to get Christ into their hands, and that they could not do it safely without the assistance of some that knew his retirements, as he did. He therefore went himself, and made the motion to them, Luk 22:4. Note, It is hard to say whether more mischief is done to Christ's kingdom by the power and policy of its open enemies, or by the treachery and self-seeking of its pretended friends: nay, without the latter its enemies could not gain their point as they do. When you see Judas communing with the chief priests, be sure some mischief is hatching; it is for no good that they are laying their heads together.

III. The issue of the treaty between them. 1. Judas must betray Christ to them, must bring them to a place where they might seize him without danger of tumult, and this they would be glad of. 2. They must give him a sum of money for doing it, and this he would be glad of (Luk 22:5): They covenanted to give him money. When the bargain was made, Judas sought opportunity to betray him. Probably, he slyly enquired of Peter and John, who were more intimate with their Master than he was, where he would be at such a time, and whither he would retire after the passover, and they were not sharp enough to suspect him. Somehow or other, in a little time he gained the advantage he sought, and fixed the time and place where it might be done, in the absence of the multitude, and without tumult.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk_22:1-2

Sought how they might kill Him

The conspiracy against Christ

This chapter gives us a sad and sorrowful relation of the chief priests conspiracy against the life of our blessed Saviour; in which we have three particulars observable:

1.

The persons making this conspiracy, the chief priests, scribes, and elders; that is, the whole Jewish sanhedrim, or general council; they all lay their malicious heads together, to contrive the destruction of the holy and innocent Jesus. Thence learn, that general councils have erred, and may err fundamentally, both in matters of doctrine and practice; they did not believe Jesus to be the Messias, after all the miracles wrought before their eyes, but ignominiously put Him to death.

2. The manner of this conspiracy against the life of our blessed Saviour; it was clandestine, secret, and subtle. They consulted how they might take Him by craft, and put Him to death. Learn thence, that Satan makes use of the subtlety of crafty men, and abuseth their parts as well as their power for his own purposes and designs: the devil never sends a fool on his errand.

3. The circumstance of time when this conspiracy was managed, at the feast of the passover. (W. Burkitt)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 22:1-6. Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh — Being to be celebrated within two days after our Lord had delivered the prophecies and admonitions recorded above. Concerning this feast, see on Mat 26:2. The chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him — See on Mat 26:3-5. But they feared the people — Lest, if they seized him openly, a tumult should be raised among them, either to rescue him out of their hands, or to avenge his death. Then entered Satan — For he is never wanting to assist those whose hearts are bent upon mischief; into Judas — Being one of the twelve. This was a circumstance of such high aggravation, that it is observable each of the evangelists has marked it out in this view. See on Mat 26:14-16, and Mar 14:10. He went — He went from Christ and his company, who were at Bethany, in the house of Simon, to the house of Caiaphas, the high-priest, whom he knew to be a most inveterate enemy to his Master, and having found means of introducing himself, and communicating his general design, communed, or conversed, with the chief priests and captains — Called captains of the temple, Luk 22:52. They were Jewish officers, who presided over the guards which kept watch every night in the temple. The result of their communing is not mentioned, only by the sequel it appears, that he informed the priests of the place where his Master used to spend the nights, and undertook to conduct a band of armed men thither, who, in the absence of the multitude, might easily take him. And, because none of them were so well acquainted with Jesus as to be able to distinguish him from his disciples, in the darkness of the night, he agreed to point him out to them by kissing him. And they were glad — When they heard his proposal, they thought it very practicable, and rejoiced at so unexpected an offer from one of his disciples, to facilitate their measures. And covenanted to give him money — As a reward for that service. See on Mat 26:4-16. And he promised — To attend particularly to the affair; and sought opportunity to betray him — To put him into their hands in as private a manner as possible; in the absence of the multitude — That, knowing nothing of what was done, they might not raise a tumult, and rescue him out of the hands of those that seized him.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

§ 120. TRANSACTIONS OF THE TUESDAY PRECEDING THE CRUCIFIXION, Luk_22:1-6.

Compare notes on Mat_26:1-16; Mar_14:1-11; Joh_12:2-7.

3. Then entered Satan into Judas—After the supper at Bethany, as narrated by the other evangelists, at which the provocation produced a diabolical excitement in Judas’s mind. This entering of Satan into him is not to be interpreted as an actual possession, but as a filling his whole soul, by Satan, with his devilish spirit and purpose.

Surnamed Iscariot—See note on Mat_10:4. The town of Kerioth, from which Judas seems to be named, is mentioned in Jos_15:25. Dr. Hackett identifies it with Khureitun, “a few miles south of Bethlehem.” “A dark spirit would find its own element in the gloomy scenery of Khureitun.”

Of the twelve—A fact which both rendered the crime possible and aggravated its guilt. At the present time none but an apostle could have surrendered Jesus; for so great was his present influence with the people that the authorities needed to have it done in the absence of the multitude.

Compare notes on Mat_26:17-19; Mar_14:12-16.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL NOTES

Luk_22:1 Feast of unleavened bread.—Which lasted for a week. Called the Passover.—An explanation for Gentile readers. Strictly speaking, it was the 15th Nisan, and not the whole week, that was the Passover, “the great day of the feast.”

Luk_22:2. Chief priests, etc.—The Pharisees now drop out of the foreground. Those now most active against Christ were the Sadducean party. Sought.—This corresponds to the calling of the council and the deliberation spoken of in Joh_11:47. For they feared.—Before this clause such words as “but not on the feast day” are to be understood.

Luk_22:3. Then entered Satan.—I.e., put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ. The phrase is used in Joh_13:27, with greater emphasis than here, to describe the final abandonment of Judas to his wicked purpose.

Luk_22:4. Captains.—I.e., of the Temple (see Luk_22:52). These were commanders of the body of Levites who kept guard in the Temple. They were, strictly speaking, civil and not military officers. One of them had the special title “captain of the Temple” (cf. Act_5:26; Act_4:1). Betray Him.—Rather “deliver Him” (R.V.).

Luk_22:5. Covenanted.—I.e., agreed to pay. The actual payment was evidently made at a later meeting, when the definite plan of betrayal was fixed upon. Money.—St. Luke does not state the amount, perhaps because the thirty pieces of silver foretold in prophecy would not have significance for a Gentile reader.

Luk_22:6. In the absence of the multitude.—Or perhaps “without tumult” (R.V. margin).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Luk_22:1-6

The Unholy Covenant.—So great was the enmity of the chief priests and scribes against Jesus that they had definitely resolved to put Him to death. The only question was how they could best accomplish their design (Luk_22:2). The feast of the Passover was at hand, when the city would be crowded by pilgrims from all parts of the land, and from foreign countries; and the Jewish authorities were afraid that a serious riot might be caused if they took any open and precipitate step in carrying out their project. The inhabitants of Jerusalem were largely under their influence; but Christ still enjoyed a considerable measure of popularity among His Galilæan countrymen, many of whom would be present in the Holy City on the occasion of the feast. Their present intention evidently was to take no action during the feast, but to wait until the bands of pilgrims had returned to their homes. The unexpected offer, on the part of Judas, to deliver Him into their hands, however, determined them to act at once and to arrest Jesus before the feast. The sight of the chief priests and scribes entering into an unholy compact with the traitor apostle for the destruction of our blessed Lord suggests some solemn lessons.

I. It brings to light the fact that there is no alternative between obedience to Christ and enmity against Him.—It is impossible to ignore Him. The chief priests felt that power was slipping away from them, and that the movement with which Jesus was associated was out of their control. They must either yield to Him or take instant action against Him. In like manner Judas, who had cast off his allegiance as a disciple, went straightway to the enemies of his Lord and planned with them how he might betray Him unto them. This fact that there is no alternative between being a disciple and an enemy was clearly stated by Christ Himself in the word “He that is not with Me is against Me.” And what was the case when the Saviour was upon earth, still holds good: all who are brought into connection with Christ are forced, by an inexorable law, to take up either the one attitude towards Him or the other. He claims our worship as God incarnate, and He lays down rules of conduct for the guidance of all men, and if we refuse to accept His claims, or to obey His precepts, we instantly become hostile to Him.

II. It also shows that it is out of our power to fix the limit to which we will go, when once we have entered on a sinful course.—Both the chief priests and scribes and the disloyal disciple were led, by their alienation from Christ, to the perpetration of the most shameful deeds: actions from which they would once have recoiled with horror now seem necessary, and do not shock them. They are deliberately planning the murder of an innocent person under the guise of zeal for religion. All checks of conscience are powerless to control them. The priests forget their sacred office, the claims of justice, and the covenant between God and Israel of which the feast now at hand was so solemn a memorial, and think of nothing but the gratification of their personal hatred of Jesus. Judas forgets all his Master’s love and compassion, His wonderful deeds and teaching, His holy and innocent life; he forgets all that was due from him as a disciple, a friend, and an apostle, to that Master with whom He had lived so long in intimate communion, and in whose character and conduct even the closest scrutiny could discover no flaw or stain. Without a shudder he sees the unhallowed joy upon the faces of the enemies of Christ as he discloses to them the hatred against Him that fills His breast also, and he arranges with them the price at which his treachery is to be rewarded. Probably neither of the parties would have believed it possible for them to descend to such a depth of infamy, when first they began to be conscious of alienation from Jesus. A sinful course is a course downhill; it may be in our choice to enter upon it or not, but when we have wilfully entered upon it, it is not in our power to check ourselves and to fix the point at which we shall stop.

III. The historian lays stress upon the special guilt of apostasy from Christ.—While both chief priests and scribes were guilty of grave sin in planning the death of Jesus, the traitor apostle was guilty of a worse offence than theirs. They had never been Christ’s disciples; their enmity had been open and intense from a very early period in His career. The peculiar infamy of Judas is indicated by St. Luke in the reminder (Luk_22:3) that Judas had been of the number of the twelve, and in the statement that Satan entered into Him, as an explanation of his shameful conduct. He does not speak of Satan as entering into the chief priests and scribes. Some palliation of the guilt of the latter might be found in their ignorance of the Saviour, and in the false conceptions they had formed of Him. The knowledge Judas had of Christ only intensified the heinousness of his sin in betraying Him. A very solemn lesson is here contained for all who are professed disciples of Christ. Our responsibilities are increased by our relations with Him. The sin of those who wilfully depart from Him is necessarily greater than that of those who never acknowledged Him as their Lord and Master.

IV. The history before us is an illustration of there being an over-ruling Providence.—God makes even the wrath of men to serve Him. The priests had decided to take no present action, but to wait till the feast was past. But it was part of the Divine purpose that the death of Christ should occur at the time of the feast—that then He, who is our Passover, should be sacrificed. And hence the very treachery of Judas was made to serve a higher end. Without any violation of human free-will the purposes of God were carried into effect, and those who were simply bent upon gratifying their own selfish and evil feelings were unconsciously made to assist in accomplishing a plan predetermined by God. God’s power cannot be resisted; if we are not fellow-workers with Him consciously and deliberately, He will yet be glorified by controlling and directing all our actions in accordance with His own will.

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON Luk_22:1-6

Luk_22:1. “Feast of unleavened bread.”—The rulers of the people were unwilling to put Christ to death at this season, as they dreaded an uproar being caused among the people. Yet in the providence of God their counsels were overruled. Had Christ been put to death at any other time, there would not have been that coincidence between the offering of the typical lamb, sacrificed year after year for nearly fifteen centuries, and the sacrifice of the true Passover, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Luk_22:2. “Sought how they might kill Him.”—On more than one occasion before they had endeavoured to take Him, but He had escaped from them, for He would not then be taken (Joh_10:39). But at the very time when they were unwilling to take Him, He willed to be taken: so, against their will, they fulfilled the types and prophecies in killing Him who is the true Paschal Lamb.

Luk_22:3. “Then entered Satan.”—At first Satan came to make the heart of Judas his own; now he enters, because it is his own.—Hall.

Luk_22:4. “Went his way.”—Unconscious of being under the control of the evil passion by which He had given Satan access to his heart.

Luk_22:5. “Were glad.”—The thing wished for, but scarcely expected, being now within reach.

Luk_22:6. “Sought opportunity.”—Doubtless he was baffled at first by the entire and unexpected seclusion which Jesus observed on the Wednesday and Thursday of that week.—Farrar.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

The History of the Passion

The more particular and intimate Leavetaking of the Saviour with His Disciples at the Approach of the Final Conflict

1. The Last Conspiracy of His Enemies, assisted by Judas (Luk_22:1-6)

(Parallel to Mat_26:3-5; Matthew 14-16; Mar_14:1-2; Mar_14:10-11.)

1Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the passover [πάσχα].2And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. 3Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being [or, who was] of the number of the twelve. 4And he went his way, and communed [consulted1] with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him [deliver him up, παραδῷ 2] unto 5,them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. 6And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him [deliver him up] unto them in the absence of the multitude [or, without attracting a multitude together].

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

For the history of the Passion in general, and respecting the literature belonging to it, see Lange on Matthew 26.

As respects the form of the relation of the history of the Passion in Luke, he has on the one hand much in common with the other Evangelists, but on the other hand, also, not a little peculiar to himself. Like Matthew and Mark and John, he also, in this part of the history of the life of Jesus, is unquestionably most detailed, and while he, in the beginning of his gospel, upon the events of many years gives only a few lines, he enables us at the end of it to accompany our Lord almost step by step upon His way of sorrow. Like his predecessors, he also brings into a strong light, on the one hand, the innocence and greatness of our Lord over against His enemies, on the other hand, the adorable providence of God over against the free acts of men. In the choice of that which he relates or passes over, he agrees much more with Matthew and Mark than with John, who, in the history of the Passion also, has taken a way peculiarly his own. And yet we find in Luke by no means a spiritless repetition and supplementing of that which the first two Synoptics have already communicated, much as in many respects his narrative is undeniably inferior to the narratives of these. The sequence of the events is with him less chronologically exact, as Bynæus, De morte Jesu Christi, ii. pp. 12, 13, has remarked, comp. e.g., his account of the celebration in the passover-chamber with that of Matthew and Mark. How much less complete and well arranged is his narrative of the agony in Gethsemane than that of the others, and again how brief and general are his notices of that which took place in the judgment-house of Pilate! But, on the other hand, it is to no other than Luke that we owe a number of notices and intimations by which our historical knowledge of the last hours of our Lord is partly cleared up, partly enlarged. He alone gives the names of the disciples who prepared the Passover—Peter and John, Luk_22:8, and communicates to us, Luk_22:15, the affecting words with which our Lord opens the meal. Besides him, no one of the Synoptics mentions the disciples’ dispute as to rank, Luk_22:24 seq., which in all probability was the occasion for the foot-washing, as well as also the remarkable utterance, Luk_22:28-30. At the agony in Gethsemane he alone mentions the strengthening angel, as well as the sweat of blood, Luk_22:43-44; he has also, at the same time, in this preserved for us some remarkable words of our Lord. All the Evangelists relate the denial of Peter: Luke alone speaks, Luk_22:61, of the look of the Lord. All relate the night-session: Luke alone gives account of the official session of the Sanhedrim, in the morning, Luk_22:66-71, which is not to be confounded with the former. Without him we should have remained in ignorance of the first special accusation which the Jews had preferred to Pilate against Jesus, Luk_23:2, and also of what our Lord suffered before Herod, Luk_23:5-16; of His address to the weeping women, Luk_22:27-31; of His first word on the cross, Luk_22:34; of the absolution of the Penitent Thief, Luk_22:39-43; of the last exclamation of the Dying One, Luk_22:46; of the part taken by Joseph of Arimathæa in the Jewish senate, Luk_22:51, and many other minor traits besides. The special mention of the women who came into relation to the suffering Saviour is peculiar to Luke, Luk_23:27-31, and also Luk_22:55-56, as indeed even previously, Luk_8:2-3, he had given a special statement of the service rendered by the Galilean female friends. Taking all together, we see that Luke, in the history of the Passion also, does not at all belie his character as physician, as Hellenist, as Paulinist; and for the very freshness and originality of his delineation he deserves that we, even after that which has been related respecting the history of the Passion by Matthew and Mark, should devote to his narrative a particular investigation. As respects general topics which he has in common with the two before named, in particular all that is of a chronological, archæological, and topographical character, as, for instance, Passover and Gethsemane, Golgotha, &c., we must, as a rule, in order to avoid too great a prolixity, refer the reader to the admirable expositions of Lange in the Gospel of Matthew, at the passages in question.

Luk_22:1. Now … drew nigh.—In the beginning of the history of the Passion, Luke agrees most with Mark, although he is chronologically less exact. The decisive transition, in Mat_26:1, from the accomplished prophetical to the now beginning high-priestly work of the Lord, does not appear so conspicuously in Luke, although it is plain enough that he also now begins to give account of a new period.—The feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover.—An exact periphrastic designation of the approaching feast in its whole extent (not of the first evening alone), as was requisite for readers who were not acquainted from their own observation and experience with the Israelitish Passover.

Luk_22:2. Sought how they might kill Him.—Here, especially, Luke must be complemented from Mat_26:3-5. It appears, then, that we have not to understand an indefinite and planless ζητεῖν, but a definite assembling of a part of the Sanhedrim, apparently the first one, ad hoc, after that which is mentioned Joh_11:47-53. This gathering, held in the palace of the high-priest, had probably a more confidential character, and was, we may suppose, in chief part composed of those of like mind. The theme of their deliberation was in general πῶς ἀνέλωσιν αὐτόν. That their will is, at any cost, to remove Him out of the way, is already tacitly understood: but now they must yet further become agreed upon the manner in which to carry out their purpose, and that this costs deliberation as well as effort, Luke brings to view by: for they feared the people.—Comp. Mar_14:2; Mat_26:5. It is by no means their intention to remove our Lord out of the way, even before the feast (Neander), but they mean to let the time of the feast go by, in order immediately afterwards to seize the favorable opportunity. Yet unexpectedly the carrying out of the murderous plan is hastened, and the fulfilment of the prophecy of our Lord, Mat_26:1-2, prepared by the base offer of Judas.

Luk_22:3. Then entered Satan.—Not an expression for the completed, fully confirmed resolution of the traitor (De Wette), but for a preparatory influence of Satan upon him, whereby a later decisive possession (Joh_13:27) is by no means excluded. Not all at once does Satan possess himself of the soul of the unhappy traitor. Not till after several assaults does he fully succeed in this. His plan itself was devilish, but not less the carrying out. For more particular details upon this transaction, see Mat_26:14-16. The anointing at Bethany, which Matthew and Mark narrate previously, Luke passes over, because he had already, Luk_7:36-50, related something similar. Apparently the offer of Judas was made on Wednesday, after the Jewish council had separated on Tuesday evening with the preliminary conclusion, “Not on the feast.”

Of the number of the Twelve.—It is worthy of note that this particular circumstance is mentioned by all the Evangelists with so much emphasis. So much the more natural is the question how precisely one of the Twelve could have come to commit such a crime. That Judas was a man of peculiar talents, who, however, more than even the other disciples, had been filled with earthly-minded expectations, cannot be seriously doubted. Only he can become a devil, who has possessed the possibility of becoming an angel. In his expectations he now saw himself more and more deceived, when he became aware that our Lord did not at all make the desired use of the enthusiasm of the people; nay, that He suffered the Hosannas of the people to decline into a jubilee of children. This disappointed hope must have made him doubly receptive for the feeling of injured self-love, when he at Bethany was humbled before the eyes of all, and his covetousness unmasked. From a Nazarene, who would be no Messiah, who would be only a Rabbi, a Judas could naturally endure no hard words. Perhaps also the prediction of the σταυρωθῆναι, Mat_26:2, had given to his revengeful thoughts more form and fixedness, while his avarice had at the same time impelled him to indemnify himself by treachery for the damage which he believed himself to have suffered by Mary’s anointing. On the consequences of his act he appears in truth scarcely to have thought, but, like a drunken man, to have stumbled along on the dark way of destruction, until afterwards his eyes were opened in the most terrible manner upon his guilt. By no means is the opinion well grounded that he wished to constrain the Lord to free Himself by force or by a miracle from the hands of His enemies, and so to reveal His majesty. “What a common comedian nature he must needs have been to let his holy Master pass unharmed, as profitable capital, through a danger as through a speculation. According to this opinion Judas does not become better, but instead of a devilishly revengeful man, we gain only a rascally soul, of which it is inconceivable how Jesus could have chosen it among His disciples.” Ebrard. On the contrary, two of the Evangelists give us a very pregnant intimation that the treason towards Jesus, psychologically considered, cannot be fully comprehended unless we assume a direct Satanic influence, of course not without the guilt of the traitor, who had voluntarily and stubbornly opened his heart to this influence.

Luk_22:4. The captains.—These had a very important part in the matter, since they constituted the clerical police of the temple, who, in any case, would have to appoint and despatch the necessary force for the arrest of the Saviour. They were the subordinate executive board for discharging the commands of the high-priest, a Levitical corps of officers that stood under the command of a στρατηγός, while by the name στρατηγοί commanders of the individual watches are denoted.

Luk_22:5. And they were glad.—Not only because there now opens to them the prospect of the fulfilment of their intended wishes, but also (Euthymius) because among Jesus’ disciples themselves a spirit of unfaithfulness and hatred begins to reveal itself. In this joy they assume the obligation (συνέθεντο) of giving him money, and Judas, who concludes the bargain with them (ἐξωμολόγησεν), seeks now, on his side, without delay, a good opportunity therefor. Like Mark, Luke also speaks only of money in general, without a more precise statement of the sum, which is mentioned by Matthew alone. It is entirely without ground (De Wette, Strauss, Scholten) to consider the number of the thirty pieces of silver as the fruit of a construction of the history according to the prophecy of Zechariah, least of all if we assume that this sum was only intended for a preliminary payment, which subsequently, perhaps, if the plan should have been carried out successfully, was to be followed by a more considerable one.

Luk_22:6. Without attracting a multitude, ά̓τερό̓χλου, without having a popular tumult arise. The opposite, see in Act_24:18. The poetical word ἄτερ used only here and in Luk_22:35. Without doubt, a quiet execution of the plan appears quite as desirable to Judas for himself, as the chief-priests consider it necessary in the general interest. Wickedness is always cowardly.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. With the last Passover the hatred of the principal Jews towards Jesus has reached its highest point. The reason of the augmentation of this hatred with every feast which the Lord celebrated at Jerusalem, becomes especially visible from the fourth gospel. His enemies destroy for themselves the joy in the Passover of the Old Covenant, and rise without knowing it to slaughter the Passover of the New Covenant. No fear before God, only fear before men, dwells in their hearts; withal their impotency is so great that they are not able to carry out their plans unless they find an accomplice from Jesus’ own circle of disciples.

2. By the mention of the treachery of Judas the veil of the spiritual world is lifted, and the folly of those becomes manifest who will not believe in a personal influence of Satan. After the Evil One has vainly sought (Mat_4:1-11) to bring our Lord in person to apostatize, he now seeks to destroy His work, and to inflict upon Him through one of His own disciples a deadly wound. The manner in which he now possesses himself of Judas, after the latter had belonged for a while to the disciples of our Lord, serves as a new proof of the deeply earnest utterance, Luk_11:24-27. “Dicitur in reprobos intrare Satan, cum, reverso Dei metu, extincta rationis luce, pudore etiam excusso, sensus omnes occupat.” Calvin.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The approaching of the last Passover of the Old Covenant.—The very different manner in which our Lord and in which His enemies prepare themselves to celebrate the feast.—Spite and despondency united in the enemies of our Lord.—Two gatherings, that of our Lord with His disciples and that of the chief-priests and scribes: 1. Here the composure of innocence, there the suspense of wickedness; 2. here certainty as to that which is to be suffered, there uncertainty as to that which is to be done; 3. here courageous awaiting of danger, there unquiet fear of the people.—The Divine and the human plan of suffering.—The first steps in the way of treason: 1. Their preparation; 2. their carrying out; 3. their aim.—The uncommonly deep significancy of a first step.—Satan in the way to cast down: 1. Judges 2. our Lord; 3. himself.—The hellish joy of the confederates of sin.—The fearful might of money.—The evil covenant of Judas with the enemies over against the unsuspiciousness of the faithful disciples, a new proof for the truth of the saying, Luk_16:8 b.—Craft and covetousness in covenant against the Redeemer of the world: 1. The terrific character of this covenant; 2. the impotency of this covenant; 3. the instructiveness of this covenant.—The greatest crime that was ever committed, the way to the greatest blessing of the world.—The might and the impotency of sin: 1. The might, a. it has mighty servants, b. strong weapons, c. ready confederates; 2. the impotency, it is not capable, a. of covering its own shame, b. of shaking the composure of Jesus, c. of frustrating the counsel of God.—Judas a warning example of the insufficiency of a merely outward fellowship with Christ.—Nothing is casualty, nothing without purpose.—Even the mode of death, like the time of death, predetermined.

Starke:—Nova Bibl. Tub.:—One may from fear of men omit or postpone the sin, and yet have a plan of murder against Jesus in the heart.—Like and like join together.—Sin has its degrees.—Woe to covetous priests !—Cramer:—Unfaithfulness is widely extended upon earth, and a man’s foes are often they of his own house.—Quesnel:—He that has once made room for Satan in his heart is capable of the greatest sins.—He that loves sin easily finds opportunity to commit it.—Whoever sins presumptuously seeks opportunity thereto, but who out of weakness, is overcome by the opportunity.—To promise evil is a great sin, but to keep the evil promise is even greater.—Heubner:—Christ addresses Himself to bring Himself as a sacrifice, and His enemies to sacrifice Him to their hate.—Judas a type of those who value all religion, Christianity, and the virtue of men according to their profitableness.—Jesus, for Judas, had His price.—Interrogate thyself whether thou wouldst not have been ready, had enough been offered thee for it, to give up Jesus, therefore whether thy faith, thy virtue have a price for which it may be bought.—F. R. Arndt:—The sudden appearing of Judas in the great council: 1. His coming: 2. his going.—Tholuck:—The Passion-Week makes plain in Judas to what degree even the human heart is capable of being hardened that has already known the way of righteousness, 2Pe_2:2; 2Pe_2:21.

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

VI. His Rejection, Suffering and Death -- Chapter 22-23

CHAPTER 22

1. The Betrayer. (Luk 22:1-6.)

2. Preparation for the Passover. (Luk 22:7-13.)

3. The Last Passover. (Luk 22:14-18.)

4. The Lord’s Supper Instituted. (Luk 22:19-20)

5. The Betrayal Announced. (Luk 22:21-23)

6. Strife for Honor; True Greatness. (Luk 22:24-27)

7. Rewards Promised. (Luk 22:28-30)

8. Peter and the Disciples Warned. (Luk 22:31-38)

9. The Agony in the Garden. (Luk 22:39-46)

10. The Betrayal and the Arrest. (Luk 22:47-53)

11. Peter’s Denial. (Luk 22:54-62)

12. The Son of Man Buffeted and Before the Council. (Luk 22:63-71.)

And now we reach the story of His Rejection, Suffering and Death. What pen is able to describe it all! What mind can fathom it! We shall again confine ourselves to those things which are peculiar to Luke and not repeat annotations as given in Matthew and Mark. Notice the difference in the words of the institution of the Lord’s supper. Matthew and Mark have “My blood shed for many.” In Luke we find the words “My body which is given for you”; “My blood which is shed for you.” His love shines out fully in these words. In Luke alone we have His loving request “this do in remembrance of Me.” Oh! that His people for whom He shed His blood may never forget this beautiful word and remember Him in this simple way.

And Luke shows us the contrast between Himself and His disciples. He was about descending into the deepest depths of humiliation; sorrow and shame were before the willing victim, yea the greatest agony and death. Among them was strife, who of them should be accounted the greatest. This was the second instance of contention for preeminence recorded by Luke. (Luk 9:46.) Then He announced the denial of Peter. Luk 22:31-32 are peculiar to Luke. Satan was to sift him as wheat, but the Lord knew all about it and had prayed for him and therefore Peter could not succumb and be lost. And the Lord is the same today. He knows His own and prays for them before Satan can ever come near with his temptations. The word “when thou art converted” does not mean that Peter was unconverted. It has the meaning “when thou hast returned back.”

There is also a marked difference in the account Luke gives of Gethsemane from the accounts in Matthew and Mark. Luke tells us of an angel who strengthened Him. How could an angel strengthen Him, who is the Creator of the angels? He certainly could not strengthen His holy soul. That an angel strengthened Him must belong to His deep humiliation.

“But the body suffers, and presently the strain upon it is seen in the ‘sweat, as it were great drops of blood,’ that fall down upon the ground. Laborer for God and man as He is, His labor is a warfare also: the enemy is here, as He presently says to those who come to apprehend Him: ‘This is your hour, and the power of darkness.’ The Seed of the woman is planting His heel upon the head of the old serpent, but His heel is bruised in doing this. In the weakness of perfect Manhood He suffers, and conquers by suffering” (F.W. Grant).

Then follows the Betrayal with a kiss, the arrest of the Son of Man, Peter’s Denial. Luke alone tells us that the Lord looked upon denying Peter; what look that must have been! The chapter ends with the cruel treatment of the Son of Man, the Friend of sinners, who had come to seek and to save that which is lost, received from man, His glorious self-witness and unjust condemnation by the council.

Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22:1-6 The religious leaders who had been plotting against Jesus (see 19:47) found their opportunity when Judas Iscariot approached them with an offer to betray Jesus.

22:1 The Passover meal was held on the 15th of Nisan (March~April) in the Jewish calendar and was immediately followed by the seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread (Exod 12:1-20; 23:15; 34:18; Deut 16:1-8), sometimes also called Passover.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 22:1. Ἡ λεγομένη, which is called) Therefore Luke takes it for granted, that the persons to whom he writes do not all know what the Jewish Passover was. So Joh 2:13. Add Joh 19:40; Joh 19:42.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk_22:1-2. With more detail and definiteness Mat_26:1-5 and Mar_14:1 f. (Luke follows Mark with abbreviation).

ἐφοβ. γ. τὸν λαόν] the adherents that Jesus found among the people (Luk_21:38) made them afraid; hence they endeavoured to discover ways and means to remove Him, i.e. μέθοδον, πῶς ἀνελόντες αὐτὸν οὐ κινδυνεύσουσιν, Theophyl.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 22:1-2 . Introductory (Mat 26:1-5 , Mar 14:1-2 ). ἤγγιζεν , drew near, for the more definite note of time in parallels. ἡ ἑορτὴ , etc.: the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover are treated as one. Mk. distinguishes them. Lk. writes for Gentiles; hence his “ called ” the passover ( ἡ λεγομένη ).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 22:1-2. APPROACH OF THE PASSOVER. THE PURPOSE OF THE PRIESTS

In this narrative of the Last Supper, Passion, Trial, and Crucifixion the chief points peculiar to St Luke are in Luk 22:8; Luk 22:15; Luk 22:24; Luk 22:28-30; Luk 22:43-44; Luk 22:61, Luk 23:2; Luk 23:5-16; Luk 23:27-31; Luk 23:34; Luk 23:39-43; Luk 23:46; Luk 23:51.

1. ἤγγιζεν. ‘Was drawing near.’

ἡ λεγομένη πάσχα. This little explanation shews that St Luke is writing mainly for Gentiles. Strictly speaking the Passover was not co-extensive with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as is clearly stated in Num 28:16-17, Lev 23:5-6. Passover is the translation of the Hebrew Pesach; of this πάσχα is a transliteration with a sort of alliterative allusion to the Greek πάσχω. See on the Passover Exo 12:11-20. The Jews of later ages had gradually assumed that a wide difference was intended between the “Egyptian passover” and the “permanent passover.”

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chap. 22:1,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

First Cycle: The Preparation for the Passion, Luk 22:1-46.

This cycle comprehends the three following events:

Judas preparing for the Passion by selling Jesus; Jesus preparing His disciples for it at His last supper; His preparing Himself for it by prayer in Gethsemane.

I. The Treachery of Judas: 22:1-6.

Vers. 1-6. The resolution of the Sanhedrim was taken. The only question for it henceforth was that of the how (τὸ πῶς, Luk 22:2). Its perplexity arose from the extraordinary favour which Jesus enjoyed with the people, particularly with the crowds who had come from Galilee and from abroad; the rulers feared a popular rising on the part of those numerous friends who had come from a distance with Him, and of whom they did not feel themselves the masters, as they did of the population of Jerusalem. So, according to Matthew and Mark, they said in their conclaves, “Not during the feast,” which may signify either before, ere the multitudes are fully assembled, or after, when they shall have departed, and they shall be again masters of the field. But it was in exact keeping with the divine plan that Jesus should die during the feast (ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ); and the perfidy of Judas, the means which the rulers thought they could use to attain their end, was that of which God made use to attain His.

It appears from Mat 26:2 and Mar 14:1 that it was Wednesday when the negotiation between Judas and the Sanhedrim took place. Luke and Mark omit the words of Jesus (Matthew), “In two days is the Passover...” But those two days appear in Mark in the form of the narrative.

The word Passover, τὸ πάσχα, from ֶפּסַח, H7175, in Aramaic פִּסְחָא, signifies a passing, and commemorates the manner in which the Israelites were spared in Egypt when the Almighty passed over their houses, sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, without slaying their first-born. This name, which originally denoted the lamb, was applied later to the Supper itself, then to the entire feast. The Passover was celebrated in the first month, called Nisan, from the 15th of the month, the day of full moon, to the 21st. This season corresponds to the end of March and beginning of April. The feast opened on the evening which closed the 14th and began the 15th, with the Paschal Supper. Originally every father, in virtue of the priesthood belonging to every Israelite, sacrificed his lamb himself at his own house. But since the Passover celebrated by Josiah, the lambs were sacrificed in the temple, and with the help of the priests. This act took place on the afternoon of the 14th, from three to six o’clock. Some hours after the Supper began, which was prolonged far into the night. This Supper opened the feast of unleavened bread (ἑορτὴ τῶν ἀζύμων, Luk 22:1), which, according to the law, lasted the seven following days. The first and last (15th and 21st) were sabbatic. The intermediate days were not hallowed by acts of worship and sacrifices; work was lawful. As Josephus expressly says that the feast of unleavened bread lasted eight days, agreeing with our Syn., who make it begin on the 14th (Luk 22:7; Mat 26:17; Mar 14:12), and not on the 15th, we must conclude that in practice the use of unleavened bread had been gradually extended to the 14th. To the present day, it is on the night between the 13th and 14th that all leaven is removed from Israelitish houses.

Luke, Luk 22:3, ascribes the conduct of Judas to a Satanic influence. He goes the length of saying that Satan entered into him. He means to remark here, in a general way, the intervention of that superior agent in this extraordinary crime; while John, seeking to characterize its various degrees, more exactly distinguishes the time when Satan put into the heart of Judas the first thought of it (comp. Luk 13:2), and the moment when he entered into him so as to take entire possession of his will (Luk 13:27). According to the biblical view, this intervention of Satan did not at all exclude the liberty of Judas. This disciple, in joining the service of Jesus, had not taken care to deny his own life, as Jesus so often urged His own to do. Jesus, instead of becoming the end to his heart, had remained the means. And now, when he saw things terminating in a result entirely opposed to that with which he had ambitiously flattered himself, he wished at least to try to benefit by the false position into which he had put himself with his nation, and to use his advantages as a disciple in order to regain the favour of the rulers with whom he had broken. The thirty pieces of silver certainly played only a secondary part in his treachery, although this part was real notwithstanding; for the epithet thief (Joh 12:6) is given to him with the view of putting his habitual conduct in connection with this final act.

Matthew and Mark insert here the narrative of the feast at Bethany, though it must have taken place some days before (John). The reason for this insertion is an association of ideas arising from the moral relation between these two particulars in which the avarice of Judas showed itself.

The στρατηγοί, captains (Luk 22:4), are the heads of the soldiery charged with keeping guard over the temple (Act 4:1). There was a positive contract (they covenanted, he promised). ῎Ατερ, not at a distance from the multitude, but without a multitude; that is to say, without any flocking together produced by the occasion. This wholly unexpected offer determined the Sanhedrim to act before rather than after the feast. But in order to that, it was necessary to make haste; the last moment had come.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Christ is taken upon the day of the Passover, rather by the providence of his Father, than by the will of men.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

CHAPTER XXII.

The chief priests and scribes plot our Lord's destruction, 1, 2.

Judas, at the instigation of the devil, betrays him, 3-6.

He eats his last supper with his disciples, 7-18.

Institutes the eucharist, 19, 20.

Announces one of his disciples as the traitor, 21-23:

The contention which should be greatest, 24-30.

Warns Peter against Satan's devices, 31, 32.

Peter's resolution, 33.

His denial foretold, 34.

Tells his disciples to make prudent provision for their own

support, 35-37.

The two swords, 38.

He goes to the Mount of Olives, and has his agony in the garden,

39-46.

Judas comes with a mob, 47, 48.

Peter cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant, which

Christ heals by a touch, 49-51.

He addresses the chief priests and captains of the temple,

52, 53.

They lead him to the high priest's house, and Peter follows and

denies his Master, 54-60.

Christ looks upon him, he is stung with remorse, and weeps

bitterly, 61, 62.

Jesus is mocked, and variously insulted, 63-65.

The next morning he is questioned before the council, 66, 67.

He acknowledges himself to be the Son of God, 68-70.

They condemn him, 71.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXII.

Verse 1. The feast of unleavened bread, c.] See this largely explained, Ex 23:14, Le 23:2-40, and on Mt 26:2.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

XXII.

(1, 2) Now, the feast of unleavened bread . . .—See Notes on Mat_26:1-5; Mar_14:1-2. St. Luke’s way of giving a preliminary explanation of the Jews’ Passover is characteristic of the Gentile Evangelist.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1. drew nigh] Rather, was drawing near.

which is called the Passover] This little explanation shews most clearly that St Luke is writing mainly for Gentiles. Strictly speaking the Passover was not co-extensive with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as is clearly stated in Num_28:16-17, “In the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover...and in the fifteenth is the feast” (Lev_23:5-6). Passover is the translation of the Hebrew Pesach; of this the Greek pascha is a transliteration with a sort of alliterative allusion to the Greek pascho, I suffer. See on the Passover Exo_12:11-20. The Jews of later ages had gradually assumed that a wide difference was intended between the “Egyptian passover” and the “permanent passover.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

Ver. 1. Now the feast of unleavened bread, &c.] It is good to bring Bibles to church. Socrates relates of one Sabbatius, a Novatian bishop, that, reading this text, added such things of his own as carried away many simple people from the faith.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See the notes at Mat 26:1-2.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

See Poole on "Mat 26:1" and following verses to Mat 26:5, See Poole on "Mar 14:1-2".

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Treason of Judas. The Last Supper. The Agony in the Garden. Arrest of Jesus. The Jewish Trial

1-6. Conspiracy of the chief priests. Treachery of Judas (Mat_26:1-5, Mat_26:14-16; Mar_14:1-2, Mar_14:10-11). See on Mt. St. Luke omits the anointing at Bethany, because he has already recorded a similar incident (Luk_7:37).

4. Captains] i.e. the Levitical guard or police of the Temple, not the Roman garrison of Jerusalem.

7-13. Preparations for the Last Supper (Mat_26:17; Mar_14:12). See on Mt.

12. Furnished] arrayed for the Passover.

14-23. Institution of the Lord's Supper. Denunciation of the Traitor (Mat_26:20-29; Mar_14:17-25; 1Co_11:23). See on Mt. St. Luke's account most resembles that in 1Co_11:23, which is only natural, seeing that he was a disciple of St. Paul. The most striking peculiarity of his account is that he mentions two cups, one before and one after the blessing of the bread. The latter is without doubt the cup of the Holy Communion, or Eucharist, which, as his been shown on St. Matthew, corresponded to the 'Cup of Blessing' or 'third cup' of the Passover Supper. The earlier cup of St. Luke may therefore have been the 'second cup' of the Passover, which was drunk after the lamb was placed on the table (see on Mt). The mention of two cups by St. Luke was early felt to be a difficulty, and accordingly a few ancient MSS reduce the cups to one, some by omitting the former cup, others by omitting the latter. The latter omission, which has the support of only one Greek and five Latin MSS, has met with some support from recent critics. If it be accepted, St. Luke's first cup must be that of the Eucharist, and in that case he represents the Eucharistic cup as consecrated before the bread.

17. Took the cup] RV 'received a cup.'

18. I will not drink, etc.] If these words are in their true position they seem to show that Jesus did not Himself drink of the cup of the Eucharist. Mt and Mk, however, place them after the blessing of the Eucharistic cup, instead of before it.

19. In remembrance of me] lit.' for My memorial.' This command for the continual repetition of the ordinance is mentioned only by St. Luke and St. Paul. The word translated 'remembrance 'is a rare one, and in biblical Greek means always a memorial before God, e.g. Lev_24:7 : 'Thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row (of shewbread), that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord.' So also in NT. (Heb_10:8). Accordingly the rite is intended, not so much to remind men of the death of Christ, as to remind God of it, to plead before God the merits of Christ's sacrifice, as the only ground for mercy and favour.

20. This cup is the new testament (RV 'covenant') in my blood] The meaning, according to 1Co_10:16, seems to be: 'This cup conveys to those who with true and lively faith partake of it, the benefits of the new covenant, which the shedding of my blood procures for mankind' (i.e. remission of sins, eternal life, spiritual sustenance, etc.). Mt and Mk have, 'This is my blood of the new covenant.' There is no reason why our Lord should not have used both expressions in explaining to Bus disciples the spiritual effect of the rite.

21. This v. is a strong support of the view that Judas received the sacrament, but it is not conclusive: see on Mt, and Joh_13:30.

24-30. A contention which should be the greatest (peculiar to Lk). This contention is probably to be placed at the very beginning of the supper, before the feet-washing: see on Joh_13:1-20. Our Lord had previously rebuked a very similar contention provoked by the ambition of the sons of Zebedee: see Mat_20:25-28, where almost the same words are used.

28. Temptations] i.e. trials.

29, 30. See on Mat_19:27-30.

31-34. Peter's fall foretold (common to all the evangelists). See on Mat_26:31-35. St. Luke agrees with St. John that Jesus made the prediction in the supper-room.

31, 32. These two vv. are peculiar to St. Luke. Satan hath desired] i.e. Satan hath procured that all of you should be surrendered to him to be severely tried, like Job. Sift] The violent motion of the sieve corresponds to the violent trial that the apostles were to experience when Christ was arrested.

32. For thee] Christ prayed specially for Peter, because he was the leader of the Apostles, and so much depended on him. Bis primacy was personal, not official, being derived from the special faculty of faith from which he derived his name, and which, after his fall, he conspicuously displayed.

35-38. Jesus directs His disciples to make provision for a time of persecution (peculiar to Lk). 'The meaning of our Lord in this much controverted passage appears to be to forewarn the apostles of the outward dangers which will await them henceforward in their mission—unlike the time when He sent them forth without earthly appliances, they must now make use of common resources for sustenance, yea and even of the sword itself for defence '(Alford).

35. When I sent you] see Luk_9:3, and cp. Luk_10:4.

36. He that hath a purse] Although under ordinary circumstances those who preach the gospel are to live of the gospel and not concern themselves with worldly affairs, yet under exceptional circumstances, e.g. amid hostile surroundings, or in a heathen land, or in a church extremely poor, ministers of the gospel may engage in trade, or in other ways provide for their maintenance, as St. Paul did (Act_18:3).

Scrip] i.e. provision-basket.

And he that hath no sword] The better translation is, 'And he that hath no money and no scrip, let him sell his cloak and buy a sword.' The meaning is that the danger will be so great, that self-defence will be of primary importance. The best course for a man who has no money, will be to sell his cloak to buy a sword to defend himself. Sword stands here for all lawful means of self-defence. When St. Paul pleaded before Nero, he doubtless employed counsel to defend him. This was 'buying a sword 'in the sense which Jesus intended.

37. The things concerning me] i.e. the prophecies of My death. End] i.e. fulfilment.

38. Here are two swords] The disciples thought that Jesus advised them to buy swords to protect Him from arrest. They pointed out, therefore, that they had two already, with which they were prepared to defend Him. Seeing Himself misunderstood, Jesus abruptly closed the conversation with the words, It is enough, i.e. 'Enough of this trifling!' He had intended the disciples to 'buy swords' (i.e. take measures) for their own safety, not for His. He Himself was resolved to die, but He wished their lives to be preserved.

39-46. The Agony in the Garden (Mat_26:36; Mar_14:32). See on Mt, and on Luk_4:13.

43, 44. These vv., which contain the exquisitely human features of the bloody sweat, and the appearance of the angel to strengthen Jesus, are peculiar to Lk. They exhibit our Lord as true man, subject to all the weaknesses and trials of humanity, and requiring the same comfort and support in His agony as other men. Although omitted by a few ancient authorities, these vv. obviously describe an authentic incident: cp. Mat_4:11.

44. Drops of blood] Great mental agony has been known to produce this phenomenon.

47-53. Arrest of Jesus (Mat_26:47; Mar_14:48; Joh_18:3). See on Mt and Jn.

51. Suffer ye thus far] i.e. Suffer My enemies to do even this, viz. arrest Me. Make no further resistance. Healed him] This healing is peculiar to Lk.

53. This is your hour] i.e. the hour in which God permits you to do your wicked work, and Satan apparently to triumph.

54-62. Peter denies Jesus (Mat_26:57-58, Mat_26:69-75). See Mt and references there. All the evangelists record the incident.

63-65. Jesus mocked by the high priest's servants (Mat_26:67; Mar_14:65). See on Mt.

66-71. The Jewish trial (Mat_26:59; Mar_14:55 : cp. Joh_18:19). See on Mt and Jn.

J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

THE LAST PASSOVER. Luk_23:56

Vers. 1, 2. Short explanatory introduction.

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. These words show that many of the readers for whom this Gospel was intended were foreigners, who were unacquainted with Jewish terms such as the "Passover." Passover (to pasca jsp) means, literally, "a passing." The feast so named commemorated the manner in which the chosen people were spared in Egypt when the destroying angel of the Lord passed over all Israelitish houses, which had been sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, without slaying the firstborn. Dr. Farrar suggests that the Greek word pascw is a transliteration, with a sort of alliterative allusion to the Greek pascw , "I suffer." This greatest and most important of the Jewish feasts, which ever brought a great host of pilgrims to Jerusalem, was kept in the first month of the Jewish year (Nisan), from the 15th of the month, the day of full moon, to the 21st. Roughly, this corresponded to the end of our March.

Vers. 1-30. Wednesday and Thursday of Passion Week.

Look at that picture the Son of God awaiting the hour; spending the last day before the arrest and the trial in the deep seclusion of the Bethany home. Over that day the veil of an impenetrable secrecy hangs. One thing only is certain it was a time in which the shrinking spirit, whilst feeling even unto death the shadow of the exceeding heaviness, nevertheless drank of the brook by the way, the comforting "I am not alone, for the Father is with me." Look at this picture the priests and scribes, defied and denounced in the temple and in the presence of the people, have resolved that, by fair means or by foul, they must get rid of this "Swift Witness" against them. These men, united by a common hatred, consult (ver. 2) how they may kill him. We can imagine the conferences in the dimly lighted chamber the partial light only casting deeper shadows, and bringing into fuller relief the lines of fierce resentment on the faces of the councillors. There is no debate as to the object; the only and the long debate is simply as to the means of accomplishing the object. Their deliberations are unexpectedly aided. The evangelist informs us of the satisfaction which lightens their countenances as they conclude the bargain with Judas of Karioth, and receive from him the assurance that he will find "the opportunity to betray him to them" (ver. 6) without the risk of exciting a tumult. Thus, whilst heaven is calm, hell is agitated at its depths; whilst love is directing its prayer and looking up, pride and envy are laying their plots and meditating the darkest crime which blots the page of history. "Mark the perfect, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." The early hours of Thursday swiftly pass. The next day is the great Passover day; and the disciples have begun to press the inquiry, "Where shall we keep it?" In the forenoon (ver. 8) Jesus gives Peter and John his instructions. A place is in the Lord"s view. That the one to whose house the apostles are directed was a believer may be inferred

(1) from the word which the three synoptists represent the Lord as using, "The Master saith" (ver. 11); and

(2) from the confidential character of the message. The two are commanded to go in advance of the party, and have all in readiness for a celebration of the Paschal meal, which probably anticipated by one day the usual celebration of the Lord"s Passover. Christ and the remaining ten apostles follow in the evening. Nothing is told us of that journey, whether, e.g., it was private, or whether, as usual, Jesus was accompanied by a multitude of people. It is the last time on which the feet of the Christ who had been known after the flesh shall press the grassy slope of the hill he loved. But he had spoken to his own of another day, that foretold in prophecy, when "his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east... the day when the light shall not be clear nor dark, but one day known to the Lord. And living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea; ... and the Lord shall be King over all the earth". (Zec_14:4-9) All that is reported is this: "When the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him" (ver. 14). The details of that memorable evening are full of interest; and, regarding them, the narratives of the evangelists are singularly explicit. "The four streams that go forth to water the earth in that tale meet in a common channel; the four winds of the Spirit are in it, united and one." The scene is (vers. 11, 12) "a large upper room the guest-chamber of the house. (For distinction, emphasize " the guest-chamber. ")

1. Its object. To receive and entertain the Friend, the one to be honored. Is not Christ the Guest? (Rev_3:20)

2. Its characteristics. The best room. Is he not entitled to the best? A large room. The whole breadth of the life"s aims, the whole strength of the heart"s love, is due to him. An upper room. Poor and sorry is the life that has no upper room; blessed is the life whose upper room is reserved for him. A furnished room, all in readiness for his presence a heart and will furnished for every good work.

3. Its consecration. How realized? On our side, by an unreserved surrender: "The Master saith;" and by the ready-making of faith and love, as symbolized in Peter and John. On his side, by the coming as the Lamb of God with the gospel of forgiveness, and as the Bread of life to have communion with us and we with him. When Jesus enters the room there is a strife for precedence, for the places nearest him. St. Luke places the strife (ver. 24) along with the questioning among themselves who would be false to Christ; but his language, "there was also," is inexact, and it seems consistent with the fitness of things that the contention should occur when seats were being taken. The Master, observing it, administers the rebuke recorded in vers. 26, 27; and, having so done, he proceeds to comply with the ceremonial of the feast. It was wont to begin with the passing of a cup of wine, blessed and hallowed. The word recorded in vers, 15, 16 is spoken before the dispensation of the cup; the word in vers. 17, 18 accompanies the dispensation; both words intimating the declinature to partake of the shadowy rite when the substance is so soon to be realized. "Suffer it to be so now," said Jesus to John at the baptism. The now is exhausted. "I will not any more" is the sentence of the supper-table. As they divide the cup, he rises. He is minded to give them the lesson never to be forgotten, as his sharpest rebuke of all their contentions for priority the lesson so graphically related in Joh_13:1-17. Resuming his place at the table, lo! a troubled look flits across the countenance. A little later in the evening he can no longer refrain. There is one seated near him over whom the heart yearns, though it recoils from his baseness (ver. 21). The hand of the betrayer is with him. "One of you," Startled, deeply moved, the question passes from one and another, "Lord, is it I?" Simon whispers to John, "Ask who it is;" and John, leaning forward, his head close to Jesus, puts the question. He gets the sign by which the one will be identified a morsel to be dipped in the dish that is before the Lord will be given to him. It is given to Judas, hitherto silent, something of the better self still struggling within. But, after the sop, the Satanic spirit gains in boldness. He has the effrontery to ask, "Is it I?" What is the answer? "Thou hast said... That thou doest do quickly." O Judas, there is no need to linger; thou art detected. "The Son of man goeth, as it is written: but woe unutterable to thee!" It is difficult to determine the precise stage in the keeping of the feast at which the sacrament of the Lord"s Supper was instituted. Matthew makes the departure of the traitor precede the appointment of the ordinance. Luke seems to place the institution of the Supper at an earlier period than the departure. But the fact of the institution is beyond doubt (vers. 19-21). The Christian Church, in all ages, has obeyed the command of her beloved Lord, spoken in the guest-chamber when keeping the Passover with his disciples: "This do in remembrance of me." The central point of the interest attaching to the Thursday evening is this consecration of the bread and the cup as the abiding pledges of redeeming love. It is sad to think that over the gracious words of Christ in the consecration so many controversies should have been waged. Why cannot men recognize the language of figure and symbol? Those who insist that in the sentence, "Take, eat; this is my body" there is implied the transubstantiation of the cake of bread held in the hand, claim for that sentence a narrow literalism which they themselves do not observe when they read, "I am the true Vine," or "I am the Door." Let us receive, with all possible oblation of praise, the earthly creatures as, in sacramental use, the hallowed representations to the eye and pledges to the soul of the never-failing nourishment of the body that was broken and the blood that was shed for us. Let all who would feed on Jesus in their heart with thanksgiving reflect on the words of the Thursday evening which mirror his consciousness, and let them examine themselves in the light of this consciousness. "With desire I have desired" (ver. 15). O my Lord, if thy desire was thus vehement; if, because of it, thou didst overlook all that lay in the immediate future; if thou didst so long to share thy feast with men, why the want of desire in me? why the backwardness and slowness of my soul to receive thee in the mysteries of thy love? Lord, lead me in thy truth, and teach me. "Until the kingdom of God shall come" (ver. 18). O my Lord, how vivid to thee was the future consummation of thy sacrifice! As, in perspective, the distant is often near, the intervening spaces being lost to sight, so was it with thee. Thou didst behold thy kingdom in glory as at hand. and thy soul stretched forward whither thy prayer afterwards pointed, that which thou hast given me, I will that where I am they also may be with me." Why beats my pulse so slow and feeble in response to the hope of thy kingdom? Why is my Lord"s Supper so much of a mere commemoration, so little of a prophetic joy, of a prayer, as already in the vision of the kingdom? "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." "Thou strong and loving Son of man, Redeemer from the bonds of sin, "Tis thou the living spark dost fan That sets my heart on fire within. Thou openest heaven once more to men The soul"s true home, thy kingdom, Lord; And I can trust and hope again, And feel myself akin to God.

HOMILIES BY R.M. EDGAR Vers. 1-23. The last Passover of our Lord.

After the significant survey of Jerusalem"s fate which is given in the previous chapter, Jesus seems to have remained quietly at Bethany, or in the Mount of Olives, until the time for the Passover. The season of solitude was brief, but all the more important in consequence. Every moment was utilized by our Lord that he might be ready for his great ordeal. But if he was making preparations, so were his enemies. Accordingly, we have an account here of the treason which led up to his sacrifice. We have, consequently, to consider

I THE TREASON OF JUDAS. (Vers. 1-6) The Sanhedrin was in session, anxious to seize on Jesus and get him removed; for they feared that an attached populace would declare for him rather than for the old leaders. It was a vain fear. The people were fickle, and as ready to cry out for his crucifixion as they had been to cry "Hosanna!" Yet the fear of losing popularity goaded the Church leaders to desperation. Being beaten in debate by the Master-Mind who tabernacled among them, they can only expect by treachery to secure their purpose. They find their ready instrument in Judas. And here consider:

1. The worldliness of Judas. He had evidently joined the cause of Jesus in hope of a place in a world-kingdom. But our Lord"s prophecies of his speedy suffering and death have blighted all these hopes. How can he best make his peace with the world, which is getting the upper hand, and before which Jesus is going down? Judas believes that he can best do this by betraying Jesus to his enemies, and, to make the transition the easier for himself, he consents to do the shameful work for thirty pieces of silver the mean price of the life of a slave! It was not covetousness pure and simple which led Judas to such a bargain, but astute worldliness. He was making his peace with the world on the most liberal terms.

2. Notice the Satanic inspiration under which Judas acted. It is evident that Scripture represents the sphere of evil as under the domination of a great personality called Satan. He can enter into men and take possession of them. But we are not to suppose that he has the same intimate access to the human spirit which God the Holy Ghost enjoys We have reason to believe that Satan moves men by presenting in all their attractiveness the worldly motives such as we have noticed. Further, the Satanic impulse is such as in no way to relieve the subject of it from responsibility. No one will be able to plead "not guilty" on the ground of Satanic temptation.

3. Notice the mean prudence under which the traitor acted. Had the band come in open day, when the entranced populace hung upon the lips of Jesus, there would have been a dangerous emeute, and life been lost. Accordingly, Judas seeks to betray Jesus "in the absence of the multitude." There is a meanness and cowardice about most of the diabolic wickedness which goes on in the world; a cowardice, moreover, which is generally overtaken by just and terrible retribution.

II PREPARATIONS FOR THE LAST PASSOVER. (Vers. 7-13) Jesus meanwhile directs the two disciples, Peter and John, to make ready the Passover. He so times the celebration as to have it over on the Thursday night of the Passover week, and without haste, to secure the further preparation which his spirit required. And here we have the facts set before us

(1) that he owed accommodation to the consideration of a stranger; and

(2) that his supernatural knowledge guided the disciples in their quest of a guest-chamber. There, then, in the guest-chamber of a stranger, without taking the lamb to the temple, but in the primitive fashion, the two faithful men made ready for their Master. It was a recurrence to the primitive ritual.

III THE PASSOVER FEAST. (Vers. 14-18) With the twelve accordingly he comes at the appointed hour, and sits down to the significant feast. He tells them with what desire he had contemplated this last Passover before he should suffer. He will not again eat of it till it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. The order of celebration was first the passing round of the wine-cup; next, the bitter herbs, dipped, as salad would be, in a red sauce made of almonds, nuts, figs, and other fruits; next, another wine-cup, after which the father of the family explained the nature of the rite; then came the morsel of unleavened bread and the piece of the roast lamb, made palatable by the aforesaid sauce; the last act was the passing round of a third wine-cup (cf. Godet, in loc.). It must have been a touching and tender type in the eyes of him who was so soon to be offered. We should have listened to his explanations on that occasion with peculiar interest. His references must have been somewhat veiled in presence of the betrayer, yet sufficiently explicit to have broken ordinary hearts. It was a marvellous feast the Paschal Lamb himself partaking of the Passover; the Antitype experiencing a special benefit through the study of the type! What a solemnity, moreover, is thrown over the whole scene through his indication that it is all shortly to be fulfilled!

IV THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD"S SUPPER. (Vers. 19, 20) Upon the more formidable feast, which is to pass away on fulfilment, Jesus founds a simpler feast, to be celebrated till he comes again. It is to consist of bread and wine, two of the elements there at the table. The bread is to represent his body, which is to be broken for his people; and the wine his blood, which is for them to be shed. In this way a memorial more lasting than brass or marble is to be reared, and his gracious presence is to be experienced in the Christian Church. The new institution was a promise of the most gracious kind, regarding the season when he would be absent from them.

V THE INTIMATION OF THE BETRAYAL. (Vers. 21-23) Along with the solemn joy there is dashed profoundest sorrow at the intimation of betrayal by one of the apostolic band. A traitor is there, and they should know it. Good sign in that each man suspects himself! They all, except Judas, ask Christ if it is he. Last of all, it would seem, came the inquiry of the real traitor. But this unearthing of the false one does not shake him from his foul purpose. Christ could not do more for him than he here does, even though it does not saw him. How salutary is self-suspicion! How dangerous self-confidence! R.M.E.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matt. xxvi, 1; Mark xiv, 1.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The Preparation for, and the Celebration of, the Passover.

The Jewish leaders and Judas:

v. 1. Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

v. 2. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill Him; for they feared the people.

v. 3. Then entered Satan into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the Twelve.

v. 4. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains how he might betray Him unto them.

v. 5. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

v. 6. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray Him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

Originally, the day of the Passover proper had been distinguished from the Days of Unleavened Bread, but in the course of time the names were used without discrimination, the entire 14th

of Nisan being reckoned with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Passover merged into the festival following, and the two were regarded as one. This festival was now at hand; for its celebration the pilgrims had been thronging to Jerusalem for some time past. With every day the hatred of the chief priests and scribes against Jesus had increased. On Tuesday they would gladly have laid murderous hands upon Him, being detained only by their fear of the people. And by Wednesday morning they had determined that He must be put out of the way, that He must die. Yet their fear of the people, who were hanging upon every word that Jesus uttered, restrained them from open acts of violence. They concluded that it would be best not to take the last decisive step before the feast, but to seize the first favorable opportunity afterwards, after the majority or all of the pilgrims would have returned to their homes. See Mar 14:2; Mat 26:5. In the mean time they received the promise of assistance from an unexpected quarter. For Satan had entered into Judas, who was called Iscariot. Although this man was one of the Twelve, he had opened his heart to the love of money, he had given way to covetousness, he had become a thief, he had rejected all the earnest admonitions which the Lord had addressed to him during the last days. So fully had the devil of avarice taken possession of his heart that he deliberately went away from the rest and had a conference with the chief priests and the leaders, the heads of the Temple watches. He entered into negotiations with them, haggling with them after the fashion of the avaricious. About the manner of the betrayal he was fairly certain, needing only the time and the place. But to Judas the chief incentive and reward was the most important point. Even in their joy over the probable early success of their schemes the chief priests did not overlook the weakness of covetousness. They held out before him, as the price of the betrayal, the silver, the usual price of a slave. And so Judas bound himself to these enemies of his Lord with his promise, and from that hour watched every opportunity for a good chance to deliver Christ to them without the people, at a time and under circumstances when there would be no danger of interference on the part of the pilgrim crowds. Note: Judas is a type of many a Christian that permits the devil to take hold of his heart to fill it with covetousness. It is a sad and miserable price for which many confessors of Jesus have betrayed their Lord, a better-paying position, greater honor before men, -the evanescent and ephemeral favor of the world. Woe unto those that follow Judas!

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 22:15

The Passover greatly desired.

I. We cannot enter into the Divine intensity of this desire, but it would seem that the longing Christ had to eat this Passover with His disciples before He suffered arose, (1) from the consciousness that, in that hour and in that act He would for ever put an end to shadows, and bring in the substance of our redemption; (2) because that hour was the winding up of the long years in which He had waited for His bitter passion; (3) that last mournful Passover was a solace to the Son of Man. It was sad, but sweet.

II. What a light these words cast on the Blessed Sacrament which He then bequeathed to us, and on the law which binds us to it. For (1) it shows us that the Holy Sacrament is this last Passover continuing still. What was then begun is a perpetual celebration. In heaven and in earth, it is but one act still, one priesthood and one sacrifice. The Church is the upper chamber spread abroad; a sphere above this visible world, hanging over all the earth. It is in all lands, under all skies, upon the floods and in the mountains, in the wilderness and on trackless shores—wherever two or three are gathered together, there is the upper chamber, and the paschal table, the disciples and the Lord of the true Passover, the Sacrifice and the Priest. (2) This may show us still further that with desire He desires still to eat this sacrament of His love with us, The first moving cause of this Divine desire is, that He may pour forth His blessings of power and grace upon us. (a) He desires to apply to us the benefits of His passion. (b) He desires to give Himself to be our spiritual food. (c) He desires to make us, even now in this life, behold His love. Love pent up withers away; but Divine love cannot be straitened; it is like the light of heaven which pours down in floods upon the earth. Our Redeemer is not only very God but very Man in all the truth of our humanity, and His human affections follow the laws of our perfect manhood. With desire He invites us to Himself, that He may show to our intimate consciousness the personal love which moved Him to give Himself, with full intention, for each several soul.

H. E. Manning, Sermons, vol. iv., p. 248.

Consider some of the reasons why the Saviour desired so earnestly to join in this last Passover before He suffered.

I. One reason was, that the Passover had now reached its end and found its full meaning.

II. Another reason was for the support of His own soul in the approaching struggle.

III. Christ desired to be present at the last Passover, because His friends needed special comfort.

IV. He desired it because it looked forward to all the future of His Church and people.

J. Ker, Sermons, p. 37.

References: Luk 22:15.—R. Tuck, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xii., p. 195; J. Keble, Sermons on Various Occasions, p. 495. Luk 22:17-20.—A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 359. Luk 22:19.—A. P. Peabody, Ibid., p. 111; Ibid., vol. xix., p. 260; C. Stanford, Evening of Our Lord’s Ministry, p. 52; H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, Waterside Mission Sermons, 2nd series, No. i.; Sermons for Boys and Girls, p. 347; R. Tuck, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xiii., p. 142. Luk 22:19, Luk 22:20.—Spurgeon, My Sermon Notes: Gospels and Acts, p. 106. Luk 22:20.—H. P. Liddon, Thoughts on Present Church Troubles, p. 1. Luk 22:21-23.—A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 380. Luk 22:24-30.—Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iv., p. 333; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. viii., p. 102; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. iii., p. 24.

Luk 22:27

We find in these words a double reference: (1) To the character, and (2) to the office, of the Son of Man; to His character as the Lowly One, to His office as a servant. For the purpose of bringing both these things before His disciples He makes use of those marvellous words: "I am among you as the serving one." Consider three things in reference to this service: (1) Its history; (2) its nature; (3) the ends and objects which it is intended to meet.

I. Its history. It is not with His birth in Bethlehem that Christ’s service begins. His visit to our first father in Paradise was its true commencement. After that we find Him, age after age, visiting the children of men, and always in the character of one ministering to their wants. At His birth His life of service visibly began.

II. Its nature. (1) It is willing service. (2) It is a loving service. (3) It is self-denying service. (4) It is patient, unwearied service. (5) It is free service.

III. Its ends and objects. It is to sinners that this service is rendered; and there is much in this to exhibit the ends which it has in view. We need forgiveness, cleansing, healing, strength, wisdom, faith, protection. He ministers these to us, according to our need. In every scene and place and duty and struggle and trial He will be at our side, as the servant, to minister to us in everything, so that in nothing we may be found lacking.

H. Bonar, Short Sermons, p. 70.

References: Luk 22:27.—J. Oswald Dykes, Sermons, p. 291; H. P. Liddon, Advent Sermons, vol. ii., p. 330; J. Keble, Sermons for Saints’ Days, p. 319; R. Tuck, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xii., p. 195; S. A. Brooke, Ibid., vol. xviii., p. 65; Spurgeon, My Sermon Notes: Gospels and Acts, p. 109. Luk 22:29, Luk 22:30.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. v., p. 32.

Luk 22:31-32

These words contain a warning, a comforting assurance and a solemn charge. Note:—

I. The warning. We must remember that the word "you" is not used here in the sense of our common language—that is, to express a single person. Our Lord does not say that Satan had desired to have Peter only, but all the Apostles. The hour was coming, when their faith was to be severely tried, when they were to be sifted as wheat, to see what in them was good corn, and what chaff. In our lives also the words can never be otherwise than true.

II. The comforting assurance. "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not." This is spoken of Peter particularly; it is "I have prayed for thee" not, I have prayed for you, but though these words speak of Peter only, yet we have the assurance elsewhere that it is true of us also. Nay, on that very evening when He thus declared that He had prayed for Peter, we know that He prayed for the other Apostles too, and not for them only, but for us also.

III. All are warned of the coming danger; but one is especially prayed for, that being converted himself he might also strengthen his brethren. These words were addressed to Peter, and if we read the first twelve chapters of the Acts, we shall find their fulfilment. There we find him, indeed, strengthening his brethren, passing through all quarters, and by signs and wonders, by the word of wisdom, by fervent boldness and love unfeigned convincing the unbelievers, opening the eyes of the ignorant, baffling the threats of the enemy—enlightening, cheering, and comforting his fellow-Christians. But this also was said, not to Peter only, but to us. In every society, there are those like him to whom it may be said, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." There are, and always must be, some who have more influence than their neighbours. Every advantage which we have over others makes us subject to this charge. If we are older, we should strengthen those that are younger; if we have the ascendency given by strength and activity, by decision of character, or by general ability, or by consideration of whatever sort, then we, being converted, should strengthen our brethren; we are answerable not for our souls only, but also in a certain measure, for those of others.

T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. iii., p. 114.

References: Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. viii., p. 126; vol. x., p. 133; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 352. Luk 22:31-34.—J. Oswald Dykes, Sermons, p. 263.

Luk 22:32

I. In this world of sin and sorrow, we have our work to do, and the question is—What work, and how do we do it? Let us take the world of sin, and plainly and practically, with earnest consideration, ask what we can and what we ought to do. On all sides of us we see life blighted and ruined by human passions, which sweep over the earth like flame over a dry heath, and leave it black and scarred behind them. The sorrows of the world are in the sad heritage of its sins—and these bitter fruits of sin have their bitter roots in selfishness. Things are as they are, and this is the world of sin. We. may not leave it. We are where God has placed us, and there we must stay until He gives us the signal to fall out of the ranks. How can we make better this ruined world of sin? The answer is a very simple one, but stringent, rigid, and inexorable; that is, we can only begin to do it by personal innocence and by personal holiness. Ah, how many will stumble over this entrance! No man who is not sincere in self-amelioration can ever be a prophet of God. Men who have begun wickedly have indeed, sometimes, like St. Augustine, like Bunyan, like Whitefield, turned over a new leaf and begun a new life; but we do not believe that even these have done as much as they might otherwise have done; even as he builds better who builds upon a foundation than he who builds upon ruins. But this, at any rate, is certain—that no hypocrite—no bad, no insincere, man—can heal, in any appreciable degree, the sinfulness of the world. Not till he is converted can he strengthen his brethren. Alas! even when he is converted he may find that he is maimed, that he has ruined his own transcendent powers of usefulness.

II. About the mere presence and person of good men there hang a charm and a spell of good which make them do good even when they are not consciously thinking of doing good at all. Their very presence does good, as if there were an angel there; and from their mere silence there spreads an influence, a flowing in of higher motives and purer thoughts into the souls of men. So, too, the mere presence of bad men makes us bad when they are not thinking of doing harm. Marguerite asks Faust with surprise how it is she finds herself unable to pray when his friend is by. How many a crime has been consummated solely because of vicious wickedness unconsciously made plastic by stronger wickedness! Among the pure and good the base and impure inspire a shuddering repulsion such as the presence of Judas Iscariot seems to have inspired in the heart of St. John; but among the many who are but the weakly bad the contagion of the stronger bad has an assimilating force. Are we noble enough to enter into the meaning of the sigh of Jesus, and to share His pure and Divine Passion for the world? If so, we must enter also into the spirit of His life, and the very first condition of doing that is, sincerity—a sincerity which can only be shown in the whole-hearted effort after personal innocence and personal holiness. If we would do as Jesus did we must be His servants. If we would help to heal the acknowledged evils of the world, we must ourselves be free from them. If we would tend the plague-stricken, there must not be the plague-spot in our own hearts. He who would help others must not only show others, but lead the way.

F. W. Farrar, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xvi., p. 385.

References: Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32.—A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 476. Luk 22:32.—A. Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, p. 198; Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times," vol. vi., p. 135; H. Crosby, Christian World Pulpit, vol. x., p. 308; Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 11; J. Keble, Sermons for Saints’ Days, p. 296. Luk 22:33.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. ii., p. 306. Luk 22:34.—W. G. Horder, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xviii., p. 278. Luk 22:35, Luk 22:36.—Expositor, 1st series, vol. vi., p. 312. Luk 22:35-38.—A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 471.

Luk 22:36

St. Luke alone records this saying. No other like it is to be found in any Gospel. Once, indeed, in commissioning the Twelve, Christ used the startling expression, "I came not to send peace, but a sword;" but there the whole context shows that He speaks not of the purpose, but of the result of His coming; so that even that saying hardly helps or illustrates this, where He Himself gives the command, and is understood by them literally, "He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." This parable of the sword says this to us: "In the world you will have conflict. You will want your sword. Better lack a garment than lack a sword."

Marvel not at the vehemence of the words: there are two reasons for it—

I. They contradict flesh and blood. It is painful to be always armed. It makes life a painful effort. What should we think of living in a beleaguered house—of having an enemy, secret or open, within the household? What food would nourish, what rest would refresh, on these conditions? How, then, if life itself, how if this fair world, how if this pleasant, converse, this delightful friendship, this seemingly innocent joy, is, to the eye that reads it truly, one insidious snare, or one perilous battlefield? What is existence worth on such terms? Nature speaks thus in her indolence and self-sparing. Scarce two or three in a generation really rise at Christ’s call to sell the garment for a sword. If He spoke one whit less vehemently, not one—not one—in a generation would listen.

II. There is a second reason for this vehemence. Because in this field deception and self-deception are ever busily working, and he who might gird himself for mere difficulty is in danger of relaxing effort under illusion. It is the master art of the devil to persuade us that there is no battle, that all are agreed. It is a mighty responsibility, if Christ be true, for a Christian to be about in this world. In proportion to his intermixture with it, in proportion to his place and his talent and his influence, is his want of the sword. Better, for him at all events, no garment than no sword. For he must fight either against the world or for it. He cannot be neutral. Weaker men may pass through it and escape notice. But he is one of its constituents, for his day one of its makers. Might he but desire to buy of Christ the indispensable sword.

C. J. Vaughan, Good Words, 1870, p. 612; see also Half Hours in the Temple Church.

References: Luk 22:37.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. ii., p. 159. Luk 22:39-46.—Homiletic Quarterly, vol. v., p. 70; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 277. Luk 22:41, Luk 22:42.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. xvi., p. 228; Christian World Pulpit, vol. xv., p. 250. Luk 22:42.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. ix., p. 200. Luk 22:43.—J. E. Vaux, Sermon Notes, 4th series, p. 30.

Luk 22:44

I. The text expresses a deep mystery, of which we should try to give some account. It is a mystery; for what reason can be assigned for this intensity of suffering? Was the anticipation of that which awaited Him—desertion, ignominy, a death of torture—enough to cause all the agony which He felt? Do we not degrade our conception of the Lord Jesus Christ by admitting even the sufficiency, to say nothing of the truth, of such an explanation? Many an ancient stoic, many a Christian martyr would have met—has met—such a fate with a smile on his face. Shall we place Christ below them in the moral scale? It is, I believe, for the purpose of avoiding this difficulty that theories have been invented, in which some new and mysterious element in the suffering of Christ has been introduced. Thus, for example, we are told that the bitterness of Christ’s suffering in the garden of Gethsemane consisted in this: That "in some mysterious way" he had to endure the wrath of God. Of this theory I have no hesitation in saying that it is distinctly immoral, for it represents God, the Judge of all the earth, as so far from doing right, that He is angry with an innocent being.

II. While we may not presume to dogmatise on the feelings which passed through His mind then, it is a fair subject for inquiry. Is there any unsurmountable difficulty in ascribing the agony in the garden to a feeling that must have passed through His mind. Anticipation of that which, as we know now, and He knew then, awaited Him. Insensibility does, to some extent, the work of fortitude. But fortitude cannot do the work of insensibility. Insensibility may make action easier. Fortitude cannot make suffering less. Pain or sorrow cannot turn a brave man from his course; but unless he is insensible as well as brave, feel them he must. It is to the sensitive, imaginative nature that suffering, felt or anticipated, is most bitter. Such a man needs more fortitude than one less finely organised. But to say that because he is more finely organised he is less brave, is to assume that for which neither reason nor fact give the slightest warrant. That it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to understand fully the connection between the suffering of Christ and the fulfilment of sin is undeniable; but if this connection be once admitted, I cannot see that there is any difficulty in understanding why anticipated suffering should have caused a sharper pang to Him than it would have done to many an ordinary man. It is a mistake to confound this sensitiveness with a deficiency in fortitude, but the conclusion arrived at is quite independent of the relative esteem in which you may choose to hold the stoical and the sensitive nature. You may call the former the higher nature, if you like, but it would not have been suited to the mission of Christ.

J. H. Jellett, The Elder Son and Other Sermons, p. 153.

References: Luk 22:44.—H. Wace, Expositor, 2nd series, vol. ii., p. 203; Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. ix., No. 493; Ibid, vol. xx., No. 1199; Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 83; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines of Sermons, p. 82. Luk 22:45, Luk 22:46.—J. Keble, Sermons for Holy Week, p 46. Luk 22:46.—Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 299. Luk 22:46-48.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. iv., p. 224. Luk 22:47, Luk 22:48.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. ix., No. 494. Luk 22:48.—Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 85; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines of Sermons, p. 304; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. ii., p. 81. Luk 22:50, Luk 22:51.—G. Macdonald, Miracles of Our Lord, p. 70.

Luk 22:51

I. By one act, in a moment, Christ made Himself the repairer of the breach. The evil which His follower had done was cancelled; and through the kind interposition of a special act, the injured man was none the worse, but rather the better; and the harm, of which a Christian had been the occasion, was neutralised by his Master. Ill would it be for any of us, if there were not that refuge of thought to fall back upon, from all the foolish things and all the wrong things said and done, which we have afterwards so much regretted. It would be tremendous to think of all the trail of harm which we were dragging after us, if there were not a Christ—a Canceller and a Rectifier.

II. There is a great difference between those troubles which come straight from God, and those which pass to us from the hand of man. There are a dignity and sacredness about the one and an almost defilement about the other. But it would, be a mistake to infer that any one kind of trial comes more under the remedial power of the Lord Jesus Christ than another. It does not matter where the root and spring of the trouble lie, as soon as they are brought to Him they are all alike. Take it, in all its breadth, whatever the wound be, and whoever was the wounder—equally Christ is the Healer.

III. Malchus, as we have seen, had been one of the foremost against Christ. In his opposition to Christ he got his hurt. Christ cures the hurt which was the consequence of opposition to Himself. The worst hurts we get in life are those which we incur by taking the side against light, against conviction, against truth, i.e. against God. We all of us have borne, and perhaps some of us are bearing now, some of those hurts. Our only remedy lies with Him, whom we were, at that moment, in the act of making our enemy, when we got that hurt. And the marvel is, how He heals us; not a word of reproach, not a shadow of retaliation; it is enough we are wounded, and we cannot do without Him—therefore He does it. There is no healer of wounds but the Lord Jesus Christ.

J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 4th series, p. 239.

References: Luk 22:51.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. viii., p. 143; T. Birkett Dover, The Ministry of Mercy, p. 209. Luk 22:54-61.—A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 469.

Luk 22:61-62

Peter’s Repentance a Type of True Sorrow.

Observe:—

I. That Peter’s sorrow did not arise from the fact that his guilt was known.

II. It was not simply the suffering of remorse.

III. The Divine power of Peter’s sorrow is shown by three facts. (1) It rose from the sense of Christ’s love; (2) it was manifested in the conquest of self-trust; (3) it became the element of spiritual strength.

E. L. Hull, Sermons, 3rd series, p. 191.

Although the failings and sins of God’s eminent servants are faithfully recorded in Holy Scripture, we can never fail to cherish an affectionate and reverential remembrance of those chosen saints of God. Let us never forget how Jesus Himself valued and loved them, and was cheered and encouraged by their affection, their sympathy and their obedience. The faults and sins of God’s people are recorded in Scripture, not that we may love and esteem them less, but that we may honour and love and esteem God more, and that we may be more thoroughly convinced of our own inability to serve and please our God.

I. Peter sinned against Light; against bright and fully revealed Light. The Father Himself had revealed unto him that Christ was the Son of God; and he not only sinned against Light, but in the actual presence of Light. Jesus was before him while he denied Him. And so do we all sin—against Light and in the presence of Light. The very eyes of Jesus are resting upon us, and the very truth of the words of Jesus is within our hearts, whilst we forget Him and deny Him.

II. Remember how Christ had forewarned Peter, even when He had before Him His own sorrow and coming agony. So wonderful was His faithfulness and His love that He never for a moment forgot the sorrows of His disciples. The Lord looked upon Peter, and that brought back to Peter his individual relationship to Jesus.

III. Peter’s weeping was a life-long weeping. Repentance which is born out of love lasts all our life. Repentance which exists chiefly out of fear may end in despondency, or may be banished altogether, as the morning cloud. Then this weeping, although it was bitter, was also sweet. Repentance is not bitter in the sense of that bitterness which the world’s sorrow is, but is full of sweetness. In God’s Word we have the blessedness of the poor in spirit, of those that mourn, of those that are weak, of those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, nay, more wonderful than all, we have the blessedness of the pure in heart. And when we repent and sorrow over our sins, it is because the voice of Jesus is heard saying, "Thy sins are forgiven thee."

A. Saphir, Penny Pulpit, new series, No. 673.

Reference: Luk 22:61, Luk 22:62.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. vi., p. 278.

Luk 22:62

Only a Fall.

It is very difficult to define a fall. It has boundaries; you go into it and you come out of it. Some conditions of sin have no boundaries. Therefore, till the issue we cannot absolutely pronounce upon any wrong state and tell it is a fall. It rests with you, so to get up at this minute from any sin that you have ever done, that you shall make it only a fall. "Only a fall?" Yes—a mere parenthesis, a mere exception, to be absorbed back into the eternal grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I. Look at the downward steps in Peter which go to make that long fearful slide which we name a fall. Peter, presuming on his position, and elated with his high distinctions, began to compare himself with other people and to prefer himself to them. I do not know whether this habit of comparison was the child of—or gendered—the pride which took possession of Peter’s heart. Certain it is that he was proud, and the reason he was proud was that he was dealing with a low level. Whenever you have proud feelings, it is a proof, not that your attainment is great, but that your standard is deficient. "We have left all and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?"

II. Peter was reproved. But he was where all caution falls impotent. Without any measurement of himself, without any thought of past monition, he hurried on and ventured into the" very midst of scenes which were full of the ordeal which he was least able at that moment, to meet; and at once he was precipitated into the depth of his humiliation. He is as weak as the slenderest reed upon the lake. He, whom we should have called characteristically and fearlessly honest, tells three base lies. His Master is despised, sacrificed to a fear and a blush.

III. How did the restoring mercy work? By the simplest of all simple processes. Peter’s eye was still on Christ. There was a fascination in the Saviour to him, even in his wickedness. There was a relationship between that man and Christ which nothing could ever dissolve; he could not help but look at Christ. And as Peter looked, the face of Jesus turned and looked upon Peter, and the Saviour’s and the sinner’s eyes met, and that meeting was salvation. It was but a glance, and it took but a moment, but it was the hinge of Peter’s destiny for ever and ever.

J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 5th series, p. 290.

References: Luke 22—F. D. Maurice, The Gospel of the Kingdom, p. 324. Luk 23:2.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. iii., p. 216. Luk 23:8, Luk 23:9.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxviii., No. 1645; Homiletic Magazine, vol. xiii., p. 65. Luk 23:8-11.—Parker, Hidden Springs, p. 269. Luk 23:9.—W. M. Taylor, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxix., p. 47. Luk 23:13-16.—W. Hanna, The Last Days of Our Lord’s Passion, p. 119. Luk 23:15.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. ii., p. 99.

Luk 23:16

Note:—

I. That the trials and sufferings of Jesus Christ were essential to the perfection of His character as our Great Example. There have been in the world examples of patience and resignation and submission to the will of God, but there have been none like that of Jesus Christ.

II. The sufferings of a Redeemer as a substitute for man have made a wondrous impression upon the human mind. Since the world began, no transaction like it has ever taken place—no expedient like it has ever been found to influence the human heart, or stay the swelling tide of human corruption. The flood swept away a guilty world, and the impression made by that dread manifestation of Divine displeasure was soon forgotten. But the event of Calvary attracted the attention, affected the hearts, and changed the character, of thousands. The. impression, moreover, which it makes is of the very character needed. An impression not more distinct of God’s readiness to forgive sin than of His displeasure against sin.

III. The Cross of Christ is a demonstration of love, a warrant for confidence, an appeal to everything noble and generous about human nature. I question not that the Redeemer’s work took its peculiar form as much to meet the feelings of the human hearts as to meet the requirements of God’s justice and truth. Our feelings towards God are naturally those of distrust and opposition, and that simply because we are sinners; and these feelings must be mastered before we can be saved; and they must be mastered by an unequivocal overwhelming demonstration of love; and we have it in the Cross, for there God is in Christ, reconciling man into Himself. The Redeemer was not compelled to suffer; but because He loved man so much the thickening darkness of the curse only bound him the faster to His work; He saw, He endured, He triumphed under the influence of love to man; and now He not only shows us that we may trust Him, but He addresses His appeal to our hearts.

E. Mason, A Pastor’s Legacy, p. 42.

Reference: Luk 23:20-25.—Christian World Pulpit, vol. xi., p. 270.

The Sermon Bible, ed. William Robertson Nicoll (1888–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This chapter gives a sad and sorrowful relation of the chief priests’ conspiracy against the life of our blessed Saviour, in which we have three particulars observable: 1. The person making this conspiracy, the chief priests, scribes, and elders, that is, the whole Jewish Sanhedrin, or general council; they all lay their malicious heads together to contrive the destruction of the holy and innocent Jesus.

Thence learn, that general councils have erred, and may err fundamentally, both in matters of doctrine and practice; so did this general council at Jerusalem, consisting of chief priests, doctors, and elders, with the high priest their president. They did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah, after all the miracles wrought before their eyes, but ignominiously put him to death.

Observe, 2. The manner of this conspiracy against the life of our blessed Saviour, it was clandestine, secret, and subtle: They consulted how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

Learn thence, that Satan makes use of the subtilty of crafty men, and abuses their parts as well as their power for his own purposes and designs: the devil never sends a fool on his errand.

Observe, 3. The circumstances of time, when this conspiracy was managed, At the feast of the passover. It was a custom among the Jews to execute malefactors at their solemn feasts, at which time all the Jews came up to Jerusalem to sacrifice, then put the malefactors to death, that all Israel might see and fear, and not do so wickedly. Accordingly the feast of the passover was waited for by the Jews as a fit opportunity to put our Saviour to death.

The only objection was, that it might occasion a tumult and uproar amongst the people, there being such a mighty concourse at that time in Jerusalem; but Judas making them a proffer, they readily comply with the motion, and resolve to take the first opportunity to put our Saviour to death.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [CXVI. Jesus Predicts His Death].

CXVI. JESUS PREDICTS, THE RULERS PLOT FOR, AND JUDAS BARGAINS FOR HIS DEATH. (Mount of Olives, Bethany, and Jerusalem. Tuesday after sunset, which Jews regarded as the beginning of Wednesday.) aMATT. XXVI. 1-5, 14-16; bMARK XIV. 1, 2, 10, 11; cLUKE XXII. 1-6.

c1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. b1 Now after two days was the feast of the passover and the unleavened bread: a1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days the passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified. [We may regard Jesus as having entered the temple Tuesday morning, and as having taught there until the evening. * He then retired to the slopes of Olivet and delivered the discourse which occupies Sections CXIII.-CXV., The discourse finished, it is likely that he arose about or a little after sunset (which the Jews reckoned as Wednesday) and proceeded on his way to Bethany, where he remained until late Thursday afternoon. On his way to Bethany he spoke the words of this section. The two days mentioned are Wednesday and Thursday. The passover was eaten Thursday night after sunset, which the Jews reckoned as Friday. For a full discussion of the time when the Passover was eaten, see Andrews' "Life of Christ," pp. 423-460.] 3 Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the elders of the people, unto the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas; 4 and they took counsel together c2 And [641] sought bhow athat they might take Jesus by subtlety, and chow they might put him to death; akill him. [This council may have begun on the evening of Tuesday and continued until the beginning of Wednesday, Jewish time. It seems to have been a formal rather than an informal conference. The court where they met was the open space enclosed by the palace of the high priest. Caiaphas had been appointed high priest in A. D. 26 by the Procurator Valerius Gratus and was deposed A. D. 38. Ishmael, Eleazar, and Simon held the office between the deposition of Annas and the appointment of Caiaphas (Jos. Ant. xviii. 2. 2). See also p. 64.] 5 But { b2 for they said, Not during the feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult aarise among bof people. cfor they feared the people. [They knew that there were many at the feast from Galilee, and other sections of the country where Jesus ministered; and, judging by the demonstration made at the triumphal entry, they felt that there were plenty to take arms in Jesus' behalf. The sense of their council, therefore, seemed to be that if Jesus could be taken by subtlety--i. e., arrested privately--he might be taken during the feast. But if he had to be arrested publicly, then it was better to postpone his apprehension until after the feast. The treachery of Judas caused them to adopt the former course. At this place Matthew and Mark insert the account of the supper given to Jesus in the house of Simon the leper. They do this because the treacherous determination of Judas was formed at it and dates from it. The rebuke of the Lord then administered, or the desire to reimburse himself for the price of the ointment, which Mary expended, and which he felt that he ought to have had, or some other reasons, evidently induced him at that time to decide upon our Lord's betrayal. Since then he had been seeking opportunity to betray the Master.] 3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. { bhe that was one of the twelve, [See pp. 226, 391, 392.] a14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, bwent away unto the chief priests, that [642] he might deliver him unto them. cand communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver him unto them. a15 and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? [It is probable that the proposal to sell his Master was made by Judas to individual members of the Sanhedrin, and that this proposal was one of the moving causes leading to the assembling of the council. The language implies that Judas appeared before the council and bargained openly with it.] b11 And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised cand covenanted to give him money. aAnd they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. [There had been coined shekels since the time of Simeon, or 143 B. C., before that the money was weighed. It is likely that the term "weighed" survived the practice and became a synonym or equivalent for "paid." The amount paid him was about fifteen dollars of our money. It was indeed a low price for so base a deed, but from the language used it may be fairly implied that it was but the earnest money of a larger sum. But Judas evidently hardened himself, and shut out all thought as to anything save the actual labor involved. Viewed thus, his task was neither difficult nor dangerous.] c6 And he consented, a16 And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him bhow he might conveniently deliver him unto them. cin the absence of the multitude. [He soon found his opportunity. He bargained on Tuesday night and fulfilled his contract on Thursday night. Or, as the Jews reckoned time, he agreed in the beginning of Wednesday and fulfilled his covenant on the beginning of Friday.] [643]

* NOTE.--If this had been Tuesday, he would have said "after three days," as is the case of the resurrection. In all such expressions the remaining part of the present day was counted as one.--J. W. McG.

[FFG 641-643]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Luke Chapter 22

In chapter 22 commence the details of the end of our Lord’s life. The chief priests, fearing the people, seek how they may kill Him. Judas, under the influence of Satan, offers himself as an instrument, that they might take Him in the absence of the multitude. The day of Passover comes, and the Lord pursues that which belonged to His work of love in these immediate circumstances. I will notice the points that appertain to the character of this Gospel, the change that took place in immediate and direct connection with the Lord’s death. Thus He desired to eat this last Passover with His disciples, because He would eat thereof no more until it was fulfilled in the kingdom of God, that is, by His death. He drinks wine no more until the kingdom of God shall come. He does not say, until He shall drink it new in the kingdom of His Father, but only that He will not drink it tillthe kingdom shall come: just as the times of the Gentiles are in view as a present thing, so here Christianity, the kingdom as it is now, not the millennium. Observe also what a touching expression of love we have here: His heart needed this last testimony of affection before leaving them.

The new covenant is founded on the blood here drunk in figure. The old was done away. Blood was required to establish the new. At the same time the covenant itself was not established; but everything was done on God’s part. The blood was not shed to give force to a covenant of judgment like the first; it was shed for those who received Jesus, while waiting for the time when the covenant itself should be established with Israel in grace.

The disciples, believing the words of Christ, do not themselves know, and they ask one another, which of them it could be that should betray Him, a striking expression of faith in all he uttered-for none, save Judas, had a bad conscience-and marked their innocence. And at the same time, thinking of the kingdom in a carnal way, they dispute for the first place in it; and this, in the presence of the cross, at the table where the Lord was giving them the last pledges of His love. Truth of heart there was, but what a heart to have truth in! As for Himself, He had taken the lowest place, and that-as the most excellent for love-was His alone. They had to follow Him as closely as they could. His grace recognises their having done so, as if He were their debtor for their care during His time of sorrow on earth. He remembered it. In the day of His kingdom they should have twelve thrones, as heads of Israel, among whom they had followed Him.

But now it was a question of passing through death; and, having followed Him thus far, what an opportunity for the enemy to sift them since they could no longer follow Him as men living on the earth! All that belonged to a living Messiah was completely overthrown, and death was there. Who could pass through it? Satan would profit by this, and desired to have them that he might sift them. Jesus does not seek to spare His disciples this sifting. It was not possible, for He must pass through death, and their hope was in Him. They cannot escape it: the flesh must be put to the test of death. But He prays for them, that the faith of the one, whom He especially names, may not fail. Simon, ardent in the flesh, was exposed more than all to the danger into which a false confidence in the flesh might lead him, but in which it could not sustain him. Being however the object of this grace on the Lord’s part, his fall would be the means of his strength Knowing what the flesh was, and also the perfection of grace; he would be able to strengthen his brethren. Peter asserts that he could do anything-the very things he should entirely fail in. The Lord briefly warns him of what he would really do.

Jesus then takes occasion to forewarn them that all was about to change. During His presence here below, the true Messiah, Emmanuel, He had sheltered them from all difficulties; when He sent them throughout Israel, they had lacked nothing. But now (for the kingdom was not yet coming in power) they would be, like Himself, exposed to contempt and violence. Humanly speaking, they would have to take care of themselves. Peter, ever forward, taking the words of Christ literally, was permitted to lay bare his thoughts by exhibiting two swords. The Lord stops him by a word that shewed him it was of no use to go farther. They were not capable of it at that time. As to Himself, He pursues with perfect tranquillity His daily habits.

Pressed in spirit by that which was coming, He exhorts His disciples to pray, that they enter not into temptation; that is to say, that when the time came that they should be put to the test, walking with God, it should be for them obedience to God, and not a means of departure from Him. There are such moments, if God permits them to come, in which everything is put to the proof by the enemy’s power.

The Lord’s dependence as man is then displayed in the most striking manner. The whole scene of Gethsemane and the cross, in Luke, is the perfect dependent man. He prays: He submits to His Father’s will. An angel strengthens Him: this was their service to the Son of man. [41]

Afterwards, in deep conflict, He prays more earnestly: dependent man, He is perfect in His dependence. The deepness of the conflict deepens His intercourse with His Father. The disciples were overwhelmed by the shadow only of that which caused Jesus to pray. They take refuge in the forgetfulness of sleep. The Lord, with the patience of grace, repeats His warning, and the multitude arrive. Peter, confident when warned, sleeping at the approach of temptation when the Lord was praying, strikes when Jesus allows Himself to be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and then alas! denies when Jesus confesses the truth. But, submissive as the Lord was to His Father’s will, He plainly shews that His power had not departed from Him. He heals the wound that Peter inflicted on the high priest’s servant, and then permits Himself to be led away, with the remark that it was their hour and the power of darkness. Sad and terrible association!

In all this scene we behold the complete dependence of the man, the power of death felt as a trial in all its force; but, apart from that which was going on in His soul and before His Father, in which we see the reality of these two things, there was the most perfect tranquillity, the most gentle calmness towards men [42] -grace that never belies itself. Thus, when Peter denied Him as He had foretold, He looks upon him at the fitting moment. All the parade of His iniquitous trial does not distract His thoughts, and Peter is broken down by that look. When questioned, He has little to say. His hour was come Subject to His Father’s will, He accepted the cup from His hand. His judges did but accomplish that will, and bring Him the cup. He makes no answer to the question whether He is the Christ. It was no longer the time to do so. They would not believe it-would not answer Him if He had put questions to them that would have brought out the truth; neither would they have let Him go. But He bears the plainest testimony to the place which, from that hour, the Son of man took. This we have repeatedly seen in reading this Gospel. He would sit on the right hand of the power of God. We see also it is the place He takes at present. [43] They immediately draw the right conclusion-”Thou art, then, the Son of God?” He bears testimony to this truth, and all is ended; that is to say, He waives the question, whether He was the Messiah-that was gone by for Israel-He was going to suffer; He is the Son of man, but thenceforth only as entering into glory; and He is the Son of God. It was all over with Israel as to their responsibility; the heavenly glory of the Son of man, the personal glory of the Son of God was about to shine forth; and Jesus (chap. 23) is led away to the Gentiles, that all may be accomplished.

Footnotes for Luke Chapter 22

41: There are elements of the profoundest interest which appear in comparing this Gospel with others in this place; and elements which bring out the character of this Gospel in the most striking way. In Gethsemane we have the Lord’s conflict brought out more fully in Luke than anywhere; but on the cross we have His superiority to the sufferings He was in. There is no expression of them: He is above them. It is not, as in John, the divine side of the picture. There in Gethsemane we have no agony, but when He names Himself, they go backward and fall to the ground. On the cross, no “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” but He delivers up His own spirit to God. This is not so in Luke. In Gethsemane we have the Man of sorrows, a man feeling in all its depths what was before Him, and looking to His Father. “Being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly.” On the cross we have One who as man has bowed to His Father’s will, and is in the calmness of One who, in whatever sorrow and suffering, is above it all. He tells the weeping women to weep for themselves, not for Him, the green tree, for judgment was coming. He prays for those who were crucifying Him; He speaks peace and heavenly joy to the poor thief who was converted; He was going into Paradise before the kingdom came. The same is seen specially in the fact of His death. It is not, as in John, He gave up His spirit; but, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” He trusts His spirit in death, as a man who knows and believes in God His Father, to Him whom He thus knew. In Matthew we have the forsaking of God and His sense of it. This character of the Gospel, revealing Christ distinctively as perfect Man, and the perfect Man, is full of the deepest interest. He passed through His sorrows with God, and then in perfect peacefulness was above them all; His trust in His Father perfect, even in death-a path not trodden by man hitherto, and never to be trodden by the saints. If Jordan overflowed all its banks at the time of harvest, the ark in the depths of it made it a passage dryshod into the inheritance of God’s people.

42: It is most striking to see how Christ met, according to divine perfectness, every circumstance He was in. They only drew out the perfectness. He felt them all, was governed by none, but met them always Himself. This which was always true was wonderfully shewn here. He prays with the fullest sense of what was coming upon Him-the cup He had to drink-turns and warns them, and gently rebukes and excuses Peter, as if walking in Galilee, the flesh was weak; and then returns into yet deeper agony with His Father. Grace suited Him with Peter, agony in the presence of God; and He was grace with Peter-in agony at the thought of the cup.

43: The word “hereafter,” in the Authorised Version, should be “henceforth.” That is, from this hour they would see Him no longer in humiliation, but as Son of man in power.

John Nelson Darby — Synopsis of the Books of the Bible: the New Testament (c. 1857–1862) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1, 2. The feast of unleavened bread. The Passover, so called because no leavened bread was eaten during the passover week.

The chief priests … sought how they might put him to death. Tried to devise means to accomplish this without exciting the multitude. See Matt. 26:1–5 .

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

General Information:

Judas agrees to betray Jesus. These verses give background information about this event. (See: Background Information)

Now

This word is used here to introduce a new event. (See: Introduction of a New Event)

Festival of Unleavened Bread

The festival was called by this name because during the festival, the Jews did not eat bread that was made with yeast. AT: "festival when they would eat unleavened bread" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

was approaching

"was almost ready to begin"

how they could put Jesus to death

The priests and scribes did not have the authority to kill Jesus themselves, but they hoped to get others to kill him. AT: "how they might cause Jesus to be put to death" or "how they could cause someone to kill Jesus"

afraid of the people

Possible meanings are 1) "scared of what the people might do" or 2) "scared that the people would make Jesus king."

translationWords

festival

unleavened bread

Passover

chief priests

scribe

Jesus

die

fear

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

1. Ἤγγιζεν. “Was drawing nigh.” Mt. and Mk. say more definitely μετὰ δύο ἡμέρας. Keim calls attention to the fidelity of this introductory section. vv. 1-13 (v. p. 305. n.).

ἡ ἑορτὴ τῶν ἀζύμων. The phrase is freq. in LXX (23:15, 34:18; Deu 16:16; 2Ch 8:13, etc.), but occurs nowhere else in N.T. Comp. 2:41 Lk. is fond of these Hebraistic circumlocutions: ἡ ἡμέρα τ. ἀζ. (ver. 7), ἡ ἡμέρα τῶν σαββάτων (4:16; Act 13:14, Act 16:13), ἡμεραι τ. ἀζ. (Act 12:3, Act 20:6); Βίβλος ψαλμῶν (20:42; Act 1:20), Βίβλος τῶν προφητῶν (Act 7:42), etc. See small print on 4:16.

ἡ λεγομένη Πάσχα. Strictly speaking the Passover on Nisan 14th was distinct from the F. of Unleavened Bread, which last from the 15th to the 21st (Lev 23:5, Lev 23:6; Num 28:16, Num 28:17; 2Ch 30:15, 2Ch 30:21; Ezr 6:19, Ezr 6:22; Ezr_1 Esdr. 1:10-19; comp Mar 14:1). But they were so closely connected, that it was common to treat them as one festival. Not only Lk. as “writing mainly for Gentiles” does so, but Mt. (26:17); and Josephus goes beyond either in saying ἑορτὴν ἄγομεν ἐφʼ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ, τὴν τῶν Ἀζύμων λεγομένην (Ant. ii. 15, 1). Comp. κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς τῶν Ἀζύμων ἑορτῆς ἣν φάσκα λέγομεν (xiv. 2, 1). Elsewhere he distinguishes them (Ant. iii. 10, 5, ix. 13, 3).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Feast [εορτη] . Properly festival. See on Mr 14:1.

Drew nigh. Imperfect : "was drawing nigh."

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.