The Lord's Supper

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 22:1) Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover.

In the preceding chapters, Jesus had made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and was teaching daily at the temple.  The time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover was drawing near.  The Passover meal was held first, on the 14th day of the Jewish month Nisan, which corresponds to a date in March or April on our current calendar.  It was a memorial in remembrance of the time that God passed over the homes of the Jews who had put the blood of the Passover lamb on their door frames, when the Lord passed through Egypt killing all of Egypt's firstborn.  Then followed on the 15th day of Nisan a weeklong period called the Feast of Unleavened Bread which commemorated the Jews hurriedly exiting Egypt the day after the original Passover with no time to leaven any loaves.  

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

It was at this time that the chief priests and scribes were contemplating how they should kill Jesus.  It took planning on their part because they feared the uprise of the people should they do it.  Isn't it interesting that these men thought it was by their will that Jesus should be taken at the Passover, when it was really the intention of God that Jesus be the ultimate Passover Lamb of which the first lamb in Egypt was only a symbol?

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

It was at that same time that Satan entered into the heart of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles.  It is not that Judas was predestined to be the one who delivered up Jesus to be killed.  Satan tempts us all.  We have scriptural proof that he had tempted Peter in Matthew 16:23 and Mark 8:33, when Jesus rebuked Satan himself for what Peter had said.  It's what we do when we are tempted that counts, and it is here at this point that Judas accepted Satan into his heart.

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

Judas went and communicated with the chief priests and captains of the temple about how he might be able to deliver Jesus to them.

(5) And they were glad and covenanted to give him money.

Of course, the chief priests and temple captains were delighted that Judas would help them do what they were afraid to do on their own and they promised to give him money for it.

(6) And he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Judas also agreed to do his part in delivering Jesus to them, and he looked for an opportunity when he might do it away from a multitude of people.

(7) Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread when the Passover must be killed.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread did not begin until the day after the Passover, but as the Jews tended to begin eating unleavened bread at the Passover, they often referred to the Passover as also the Day of Unleavened Bread.  So that day had come and they needed to kill their Passover lamb.

(8) And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare us the Passover that we may eat."

Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal for Him and all the disciples.  

(9) And they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"

Peter and John asked Jesus where it was that He wanted them to prepare the Passover.

(10) And He said to them, "Behold, when you enter into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he enters in."

Jesus told them they were to go into the city where they would meet a man bearing a pitcher of water.  They were to follow him into the house that he went to.

(11) "And you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Master says to you, "Where is the guest chamber where I shall eat the Passover with My disciples?"'"

Jesus instructed Peter and John to tell the master of the house that their Master asked for the guest chamber in order to eat the Passover meal with His disciples.  It sounds as if Jesus may have prearranged this beforehand, but it's certainly not necessarily so, for by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the man could have consented regardless of whether or not he had known Jesus or His plans.

(12) "And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready."

Jesus told them that the man would then show them a furnished upper room that they could use, and He instructed them to prepare the meal there."

(13) And they went and found as He had said to them, and they made ready the Passover.

Peter and John went as Jesus instructed them and they found everything just as He had said they would, and they did indeed prepare the Passover meal.

(14) And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.

When the hour had come to eat the Passover meal, that is evening, as was the law, He and His twelve apostles sat down to the meal.

(15) And He said to them, "With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."

Jesus said to His twelve apostles that He had desired with a deep longing to eat that Passover with them before He suffered.  The double use of the word desire indicated a fervent deep longing desire.  There were many reasons why the Lord may have longed for that time with His disciples.  He knew what was to happen after this meal and He fervently sought to do the Father's will.  He knew it would be the last meal He would have with His chosen twelve, and I'm sure He wanted to prepare them for what was about to happen and what would be their future.  In addition, He wanted to institute the Lord's Supper, this expression of His great love and sacrifice for His people, which would be commemorated always.

(16) "For I say to you, I will not any more eat of it until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God."

Indeed, Jesus told them this would be the last Passover supper He would eat until all was fulfilled in the kingdom of God.  Jesus was to be the ultimate Passover sacrificial Lamb, of which the Passover custom was only a symbol.  There would be no more need for the Passover sacrifice and meal, but Jesus would soon be instituting a new commemoration.

(17) And He took the cup and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide among yourselves. (18) For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come."

Jesus took a large cup of wine and gave thanks and told the disciples to divide it among themselves, that He would not be drinking any more from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God came, which would come after He had died and was resurrected.  This cup was not the sacramental cup that was used after the meal, but this was a cup that was drunk before and during the meal.

(19) And He took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

Some time after, perhaps at the end of the meal, Jesus took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to His disciples, telling them that that bread was symbolic of His body that was given for them, or soon would be, and He told them to do that in remembrance of Him.  I found it interesting that some of the earlier commentators whom I study found it important to state at this point, that the bread was only symbolic, and was not to be understood as Jesus's actual body, which of course, was a slam against the Catholic belief that it was actually His body.  As John Wesley put it, "...as if this bread was his real body, any more than the paschal lamb was really the passover."  I think that is pretty evident by the way Jesus presented the bread as His body which was given for them, even though He was still there and His body had not yet been given for them.  Then He said to do it in remembrance of Him, and there was no mention that He would actually be there with them each time they performed it.  I guess that is why Catholics call it Holy Communion as they believe they are communing with the Holy Jesus.  However, most call it the Lord's Supper, and it is done in remembrance of Jesus and His sacrifice as He instructed at His last supper.

(20) Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new testament in My blood which is shed for you."

Likewise after supper Jesus took the cup of wine that was reserved for after the meal.  Since He likewise took the cup after dinner, it does imply that He also took the bread in verse 19 at the same time just before the cup.  Jesus said the cup represented a new covenant in His blood that would be shed for them.  Once again the earlier commentators I study showed how this proved that the Catholic notion that at their Holy Communion they literally drank the blood of Jesus was not true.  The cup was the new testament, not His actual blood.  It represented the fact that His ultimate blood sacrifice as the perfect lamb sacrifice for sins was the new covenant fulfilling the old one, where they constantly had to keep sacrificing animals to atone for sin.  In Jesus there was no more need for the old sacrifices, for His perfect blood covered all sin.  Jesus wasn't doing away with blood sacrifice for sin; He fulfilled it perfectly so it was no longer necessary to repeat it.

(21) "But behold, the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me on the table."

Jesus then made a shocking statement that the one who would betray Him was there at that Passover meal.

(22) "And truly the Son of man goes as it was determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"

Jesus then said that even knowing what was to happen, He willingly went forth to do what had been before determined, but He declared woe to the one who would betray Him, knowing of course, just who it was.

(23) And they began to enquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing.

The disciples knew that Jesus spoke with authority and truth, so they accepted the fact that one of them would betray Him, and they discussed among themselves who it could be.

(24) And there was also a strife among them which of them should be counted the greatest.

I suppose in their discussion about who would be the least to do such a horrible thing to betray Jesus, the disciples began discussing who was the greatest and would therefore never betray Jesus.

(25) And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they who exercise authority on them are called benefactors."

Jesus explained that it was the kings of the Gentile nations who exercised lordship over the people and they were called the people's benefactors, even though many of them were far from it.

(26) "But you not so, but he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who is chief as he who does serve."

However, Jesus told His disciples that they were not to be as the Gentiles.  He who would be considered greatest and chief among them would be the one who was meek and humble like a younger child would be in the presence of men and would be one who served others.  In service to others, they would be benefactors to the people, not by ruling over them.

(27) "For which is greater, He who sits at the meal or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the meal? But I am among you as He who serves."

Jesus then asked the question which man would be considered greater, the one who sat at a meal or the one who served him.  Conventional thought was the one who sat at the meal, of course.  However, Jesus said that He was among those who served.  He did not lord His position over them and demand they serve Him; quite the contrary, they sat as equals with Him, and He surely served them with knowledge and salvation and served countless others by His miracles.

(28) "You are those who have continued with Me in My temptations."

Jesus seemed to commend His disciples for continuing with Him through all His trials, which is more the sense of the word, although Jesus was tempted, as well, but He never gave in to temptation.

(29) "And I appoint to you a kingdom as My Father has appointed to Me, (30) That you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

Jesus was telling His disciples that they indeed would have a kingdom, but it was a spiritual one, not an earthly kingdom.  They would spiritually eat and drink with Jesus Christ in His kingdom and they would even sit on spiritual thrones, judging the twelve tribes of the Jews doctrinally and ministerially. 

(31) And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired you that he may sift you as wheat."

Jesus then called out Peter, telling him that Satan had desired to have all of them, as the word translated as "you" was plural as said by the early commentators I study.  They would be sifted as wheat, put through the wringer of trials and temptations, and they would fail miserably the first temptation when they all scattered when Jesus was seized.  Here Jesus called Peter by his former name, perhaps because he would be as his former self.

(32) "But I have prayed for you that your faith not fail, and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren."

As Jesus had called out Simon Peter specifically, He continued with His message to Peter.  He told him He had prayed for him that his faith would not fail, and when he was converted or reverted, he should strengthen his brothers.  When Simon reverted, indicating he would indeed fall away for a while.

(33) And he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."

Peter answered the Lord by saying he was ready to go with Him wherever it took him, even to prison and death.

(34) And He said, "I tell you, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before you will three times deny that you know Me."

However, Jesus told Peter that he would in fact deny that he even knew Jesus three times that night before the rooster crowed.  I see now why commentators saw what Jesus said in verse 26 so differently than I did.  I felt they read too much into it, but I see it now.  Jesus said they were not to act as the Gentile kings did and exercise lordship over the people.  Commentators concluded that Jesus was talking about Peter and John when He spoke of the greatest as being like the younger.  John was the youngest of the disciples and said to be modest and humble.  Jesus may have been telling Peter to be more like John.  He did indeed call out Peter by name.  The fact that Peter told Jesus he would go with Him even to death certainly suggests he was not one of the ones who asked if he was the one to betray Jesus, but rather more likely one of the ones who thought he was greatest among the disciples.  Jesus now told him that he would indeed deny Him and fall away, thus being not so great for a time.

(35) And He said to them, "When I sent you without purse and pouch and shoes, did you lack anything?" And they said, "Nothing."

Jesus then reminded His disciples about when He sent them out on their own without money, shoes, or any bags, and asked if they ever lacked anything during that time, and they answered that they lacked nothing.

(36) Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his pouch, and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."

Jesus told them that it would now be different for them.  He told them to take what they needed with them when they preached throughout the world.  He implied great danger for them as He suggested they procure swords any way they could.  This part about swords is rather difficult to understand as Jesus seemed against using them as will soon be confirmed by His actions when He was seized.  However, the disciples were not going to have Jesus physically with them, and I believe He was preparing them for dangerous times ahead and possibly a need to defend themselves.

(37) "For I say to 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."

The reason things would from then on be different was because Jesus would no longer be with them as He was about to fulfill prophecy that had been written about Him, and He quoted Isaiah 53:12, "...and He was numbered with the transgressors."  He added that all prophecies about Him would certainly come to pass and have an end.

(38) And they said, "Lord, behold, here two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough."

Once again there is difficulty in understanding the context of the swords.  If Jesus had truly meant that they should sell anything in order to buy a sword, then certainly two swords were not enough for twelve (actually eleven) men.  The order of the words in the original text of verse 36 are odd, more to the order of, "And he who has none, let him sell his garment and buy, a sword."  Jesus was telling them to go out and buy anything they lacked for their travels.  The original word translated as "sword" is "machaira" similar to our word "machete."  The meaning of the original word actually meant any type of blade.  Therefore, Jesus may have been mentioning something else they would need for their journeys, a knife, for certainly there would be plenty need for a knife among their necessities.  However, they, Peter probably being chief among them, pointed out they were already equipped with two swords.  To that Jesus replied, "It is enough."  Two full-sized weapon swords would certainly be enough, and maybe even too much, as Jesus may have been saying, "That's enough said!"  Perhaps what Jesus was actually talking about when he added "sword," was the sword of the Spirit.  They would certainly need to be well furnished with their spiritual weapons in order to fight what would be ahead for them:

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take to you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:11-17).

As this chapter is very long, I will stop this post here with the end of the Lord's supper, and will continue chapter 22 in the next post.