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Luke 22

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

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

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

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

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

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

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,

Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.

Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

What does Luke 22:1 mean?

Explanation

This verse is found in the Gospel of Luke and it marks the beginning of the Passion narrative, the account of the last days of Jesus Christ, leading up to his crucifixion.

The feast of unleavened bread, known as Passover, is a reference to the Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery, as described in the book of Exodus.

This verse is setting the stage for the events that are about to occur, particularly the Last Supper, where Jesus institutes the Eucharist, and his subsequent betrayal by Judas Iscariot.

The literal meaning is straightforward: it is an introduction to a section of the narrative centered around a significant Jewish holiday.

The deeper meaning may be seen in the connection between the Passover, which commemorates liberation from slavery, and the events about to unfold, which Christians believe lead to spiritual liberation through Jesus' sacrifice.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Luke is believed to have been written around AD 80-110.

The author is assumed to be Luke, a companion of Paul the Apostle, although this is not unequivocally established.

Luke writes for a predominantly Gentile audience, explaining Jewish customs and interpreting the significance of Christ in a way that would be accessible to non-Jewish readers.

The historical context of the Passover festival is rooted in the Jewish Exodus from Egypt, during which God instructed the Israelites to mark their doorposts with the blood of a slaughtered spring lamb so that the spirit of the Lord knew to "pass over" these homes, hence sparing them from the plagues sent to punish Egypt.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, the Passover mentioned in Luke 22:1 takes on additional layers of meaning.

Jesus is often referred to as the "Lamb of God," a sacrificial figure whose death serves to deliver humanity from sin, similar to how the original Passover lamb's blood delivered the Israelites from death.

For Christians, this connection signifies that Jesus is the fulfillment of the ancient Passover, transforming its meaning from a historical deliverance to an eternal spiritual salvation.

Differing theological views might focus on the prophetic fulfillment, the eschatological implications, or the significance of the Last Supper as a sacrament.

Practical Applications

The mention of the Passover in Luke 22:1 can inspire several practical applications in daily life.

Christians may see this as an encouragement to remember and celebrate their spiritual liberation through Jesus, much as Jews commemorate their physical liberation during Passover. It can also serve as a reminder of God's providence and the importance of historical continuity in faith practices.

Furthermore, this verse invites believers to reflect on the themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the cost of freedom, which may influence their interactions with others and their understanding of justice and mercy.

Cross-References

Exodus 12:14-17 - The institution of the Passover feast among the Israelites.
1 Corinthians 5:7 - Paul refers to Christ as our Passover lamb.
John 1:29 - John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the "Lamb of God."
Mark 14:1 - Another account of the Passover's temporal context concerning the betrayal and death of Jesus.
Matthew 26:17 - Matthew's account of the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread leading up to the Last Supper.

Language Study

The key terms of this verse in the original Greek language are:

"Feast of Unleavened Bread" (ἄζυμος, azymos): Originally refers to bread made without yeast, symbolizing purity and haste (as the Israelites had no time to let bread rise in their flight from Egypt).
"Drew nigh" (ἐγγίζω, eggizó): Means approached or was near, indicating the immediacy of the events to follow.
"Passover" (πάσχα, pascha): Derived from the Hebrew "Pesach", referring to the Passover festival itself.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The Passover as a Jewish festival has parallels in other ancient cultures that have springtime celebrations symbolizing liberation or renewal.

Various ancient Near Eastern cultures had feasts that involved the sacrifice of a lamb, which might be seen as a cultural parallel to the Passover lamb.

Other religious interpretations would emphasize the unique significance of these events within the context of their covenant relationship with God.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives tend to address the historical and sociological aspects of religious passages rather than their theological claims.

Scholars may analyze the consistency of the Gospel accounts with known historical data about Jewish customs and Roman governance.

Archeology can provide insights about the way festivals like Passover were celebrated during the time of Jesus, and how these socio-religious gatherings might have influenced the early Christian community.

commentaries

Biblical commentaries on this verse tend to focus on the significance of Jesus celebrating the Passover with his disciples as a critical moment that signifies the new covenant.

Renowned scholars like Albert Barnes note the importance of Passover in the Jewish faith and highlight the symbolic role Jesus' death plays in relation to liberation from sin.

William Barclay discusses the universal message of the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, explaining the cultural importance and implications of festivals like the Passover.

Adam Clarke, another noted commentator, gives insights into the scriptural traditions and the typology of Jesus as the Passover lamb.

Luke 22

Luke 22

What does Luke 22:1 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 22:1 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?