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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 22:17 mean?

Explanation

Luke 22:17 describes an action undertaken by Jesus during the Last Supper with His disciples.

In this verse, Jesus is depicted as taking a cup, giving thanks to God, and then instructing His disciples to share it among themselves.

This is typically understood as Jesus offering the cup in the context of a communal meal, likely as part of the Jewish Passover celebration.

The act of giving thanks is indicative of Jesus' gratitude and recognition of God's providence.

Furthermore, Jesus' instruction to "divide it among yourselves" signifies the communal nature of the meal and the sharing of divine blessings among the participants.

The deeper meaning indicates that Jesus is preparing His disciples for the New Covenant through His blood, often interpreted by Christians as the blood of Christ being symbolized by the wine in the cup.

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Historical Context

Luke 22:17 takes place during the Last Supper, an event traditionally associated with the Jewish Passover meal.

During this time, Jesus is with His twelve apostles in Jerusalem.

The Passover meal was an important part of Jewish tradition, commemorating the Israelites' liberation from Egypt as told in the Book of Exodus.

It involved sharing unleavened bread and wine; the bread symbolizing the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt and the wine being part of the celebratory feast.

As the narrative unfolds, Jesus reinterprets the Passover meal, expecting it to be understood as the inauguration of the New Covenant.

Theological Insights

Different theological standpoints provide various insights:

Traditional Christian theology sees this as Jesus instituting the Eucharist or Holy Communion, where the bread and wine become, in some sense, the Body and Blood of Christ.
Protestant theologians might emphasize the symbolic nature of the bread and wine, viewing the act of communion as a remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Catholic and Orthodox traditions hold to the doctrine of Transubstantiation (Catholic) and Real Presence (Orthodox) wherein the bread and wine are believed to become the actual body and blood of Christ in substance, though not in physical appearance.
Liberation theology may interpret this shared cup as a symbol of the distributive justice that Jesus came to promote.

Practical Applications

In daily life, this verse encapsulates principles of sharing, gratitude, and community.

It encourages individuals to give thanks for what they have, to share resources with others, and to build a sense of unity within the wider community.

For Christians, participating in Communion is a way to remember Jesus’ sacrifice, feel connected to the global church, and be inspired to live out the values of the faith.

Cross-References

Matthew 26:27-28: "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Mark 14:23-24: "And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."

1 Corinthians 11:24-25: "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."

Language Study

"Took": From the Greek verb λαμβάνω (lambanō), meaning to take or receive.
"Cup": In Greek, ποτήριον (potērion), which could refer to a literal cup or metaphorically to one's lot in life.
"Gave thanks": The Greek εὐχαριστέω (eucharisteō), from which 'Eucharist' is derived, means to be grateful or express gratitude.
"Divide it among yourselves": This phrase involves the Greek διαμερίζω (diamerizō), which means to distribute or share evenly.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The Last Supper draws parallels with other religious and cultural rites that involve shared meals.

In many ancient cultures, sharing food and drink is a sign of unity and fellowship.

The use of wine as a symbol is not unique to Christianity.

For instance, in Greco-Roman culture, wine was often associated with deities, like Dionysus, and used in various rites.

However, the specific significance of the wine as representing blood in a new covenant is distinct to Christianity.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, the sharing of the cup may not have direct relevance.

However, the modern understanding of hygiene might caution against the literal sharing of drinking vessels, leading many contemporary churches to adapt their communion practices.

Additionally, research in psychology suggests that ritualistic practices, such as communion, can foster a sense of community and belonging among participants.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians have offered interpretations that range from seeing this event as foundational for Christian worship to understanding it as Jesus' redefinition of the Passover meal.

For example:

William Barclay observes that Jesus sets the pattern for receiving life's joys with thankfulness to God.
John Calvin comments on the unity and fellowship of believers reflected in sharing the cup, seen as emblematic of the shared benefits of Christ's sacrifice.
The Catholic Church, through its Catechism, teaches that the Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life, rooted in the actions Jesus performed at the Last Supper.

Luke 22

Luke 22

What does Luke 22:17 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 22:17 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?