Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet and Commands Them to Likewise Love One Another

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 13:1) Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had had His final discourse with the people.  Now, knowing His time was very short, He would spend the rest of His time with His disciples whom He loved and would demonstrate that love to the very end of His life, and actually beyond.

(2) And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him;

Now had come the time for the Passover Feast, the Lord's Last Supper.  "Being ended" was not the correct translation of the original "ginomai."  It meant more properly "having been made" or "having come into existence."  So the feast had been prepared, and by that time, the devil had put it into Judas Iscariot's heart to betray Jesus.  John keeps going out of his way to tell us Judas was Simon's son.  I'm not sure why, other than the fact Simon Iscariot must have been well known by the readers at the time John wrote his gospel account, as I can find no other information about him.

(3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He had come from God and was going to God, (4) He rose from supper and laid aside His garments and took a towel and girded Himself.

Jesus, even knowing that God had given Him all Godly power and that He was sent by God and would return to God, humbled Himself and rose from the table, laid aside His garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist as an apron.

(5) After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

Jesus then poured water into a basin and began washing His disciples' feet and He then wiped them dry with the towel He had wrapped around His waist.  This was the ultimate act of humility and love He would show to His disciples while He was still living.

(6) Then He came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You wash My feet?"

When Jesus came to Peter, Peter stopped Him, asking if He intended to wash his feet, apparently feeling unworthy of having His Lord wash his feet.

(7) Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do, you do not know now, but you will know afterward."

Jesus told Peter that He did not understand what Jesus was doing for him at present, but He would later know, as Jesus would explain it to them all when He was finished washing all their feet.

(8) Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."

Peter told Jesus he could never allow His Lord to demean Himself to such a lowly task as washing his feet.  However, Jesus told him that if He didn't wash him, Peter could have no part in Him.

(9) Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also hands and head!"

At that, Peter then asked the Lord to not only wash his feet, but his hands and head, too.  He wanted to be as much a part of His Lord as possible, and even more so.

(10) Jesus said to him, "He who is washed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean, and you are clean, but not all."

Jesus responded that if one was washed and clean, he only needed his feet washed; there was no need to clean his whole body again.  He told His disciples that they were clean, but then added that not all were clean.  With that, He surely meant Judas Iscariot, who would betray Him.

(11) For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."

Indeed, John then told us what Jesus had meant when He said they were not all clean.  He referred to the unclean heart of Judas who would betray Him.

(12) So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and had sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?"

After Jesus had washed all His disciples' feet, He put back on His outer garments and sat down again.  He asked the disciples if they understood the meaning of what He had just done for them.

(13) "You call Me Master and Lord, and you say well, for I am. (14) If I then, Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."

Jesus acknowledged that His disciples called Him Master and Lord, and He admitted that He was.  If their Lord and Master lowered Himself to serve them by washing their feet, then they should do likewise.  Jesus had given them an example of how they should treat one another, never considering it beneath them to do any such menial task but do as He had done.

(16) "Verily, verily, I say to you, the servant is not greater than his lord, neither he who is sent greater than he who sent him." 

Jesus's point was that if He, Lord and Master, humbled Himself to serve in the most menial way, then they should not think themselves too good to do such tasks, as that would be setting themselves up as greater than their Lord and Master.  Neither is the one sent out, as a disciple or a messenger, to think of himself as greater than the one who sent him.  If the one who sent him, in this case, Jesus sending out His disciples, was so humble as to perform menial service for His disciples, then they should do the same, as they certainly weren't greater than Jesus.  

(17) "If you know these things, happy are you if you do them."

Jesus added that if His disciples knew these things, which now they did, they would be happy and blessed if they did them.  It gives one great joy to do for others, and especially as they are doing it for their Lord.

(18) "I do not speak of all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but that the scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.'"

Jesus said that He did not speak these things to all of them.  He knew all the disciples He had chosen, and He knew that Judas would betray Him, but it was necessary for him to be chosen to fulfill God's purpose.  It also fulfilled the prophecy in Psalm 41:9, which said, "Yes, My own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who did eat of My bread, has lifted up his heel against Me."  As an unruly horse might kick up its heels and throw its rider, so Judas would trip up and remove Jesus.

(19) "Now I tell you before it comes that when it has come to pass, you may believe that I AM."

Jesus told His disciples that He was telling them what would happen before it happened, that when it did happen, they would know that He was the Messiah and the Great I AM, Lord God of the universe.

(20) "Verily, verily, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."

Jesus told them most assuredly that as He sent them out, whoever received them and their word as taught them by Jesus, received Him even though He would no longer be with them.  And whoever thus received Him in that way was also receiving God Himself.  They should be comforted and strengthened by the knowledge that they would be doing the work of Jesus and people would be saved by their preaching and teaching just as if it had been Jesus doing it, because the people who received and believed their word were receiving Jesus and therefore also receiving God.

(21) When Jesus had thus said, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Verily, verily, I say to you that one of you will betray Me."

After Jesus had spoken these things, He became troubled in His spirit, knowing that one of His beloved disciples was going to betray Him.  He told His disciples plainly and directly that one of them would betray Him.  Not merely because of what was about to happen to Him, but probably grieved for Judas's soul that he would betray Him, Jesus may have been giving Judas warning that He knew what he was going to do, perhaps so he could repent from it.

(22) Then the disciples looked at one another, in doubt about whom He spoke.

The disciples began looking at each other, wondering which one of them it could be who would betray Jesus.

(23) Now there was leaning on Jesus's bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. (24) Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom He spoke.

Leaning on Jesus's chest was a disciple whom He loved.  We know from all such scripture references that that disciple was John himself, the author of this gospel account.  He confirmed it in John 21:24.  Peter gestured to John to ask Jesus who the disciple was who would betray Him.

(25) He then lying on Jesus's breast, said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" (26) Jesus answered, "He it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it." And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, of Simon.

John, still reclining against Jesus, asked Him who it was of whom He spoke.  Because they were so close, it must be that Jesus only quietly told John, as the disciples do not seem to know as the evening progresses.  He told John that it was the one to whom He would give a bite of food to after He dipped it.  Then He dipped a bite and gave it to Judas.

(27) And after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."

Immediately after Jesus passed the bite to Judas, it is written that Satan entered Judas.  From verse 2 we learned that Satan had already put the plan to betray Jesus in Judas's heart, but he now must have possessed him to press onward with his plan.  Jesus told Judas to go ahead and do what he planned quickly.  He once again let Judas know that He knew what he was planning.  

(28) Now no man at the table knew for what intent He spoke this to him. (29) For some thought because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy what we have need of for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

No man at the table knew what Jesus had meant when he spoke to Judas.  Some of them thought that because he held the money bag, Jesus may have told him to go buy things they would need for the feast, as it lasted seven days, or perhaps He had told him to go give something to the poor.  You would think that John knew.  He surely knew that Jesus had meant that it was Judas who would betray Him, but I suppose John didn't know why Jesus was sending him out, and may have decided to just trust Jesus's plan, and keep the secret.

(30) He then having received the sop, went immediately out, and it was night.

After he had received the bite from Jesus and Jesus had directed him to do what he planned to do quickly, he immediately went out.  It was night by this time.

(31) Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him."

After Judas had left, Jesus said to His other disciples that the time had come for Him to be glorified.  Things had been put into motion and His death was sure and imminent.  He would be glorified in that horrific death when He fulfilled His purpose to provide salvation for the world.  God was glorified in what Jesus did as it was His plan for salvation that Jesus fulfilled.

(32) "If God is glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall immediately glorify Him."

If God was glorified in Jesus, which He was, then God would also glorify Jesus in Jesus Himself.  Jesus was the Messiah and deserving of all honor and glory.  Jesus was God and deserving of glory, as He would later pray to His Father in John 17:5, "And now, O Father, glorify Me with Your own self with the glory which I had with You before the world was."  Jesus would be glorified as God, the Word of God, as He was in the very beginning before God created the world.  God would immediately glorify Jesus after He finished His work with His death on the cross.

(33) "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek Me, and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I go, you cannot come,' so now I say to you."

Jesus told His disciples that He would be with them only a short time now, and referenced the time He told the Jews there would be a time when they would seek Jesus and would not find Him, because where He was going, they could not go.  Therefore, He wanted to tell them the following:

(34) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (35) By this shall all know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

As Jesus would not be with His disciples, He told them He was leaving them with a new commandment, that they should love one another as Jesus had loved them.  By demonstrating such love for one another, as Jesus had loved them, they would be showing the world how much like their Savior they were.  Albert Barnes wrote in his Notes on the Bible that it was well known and often remarked by the pagans, "See how they love one another! They are ready to lay down their lives for each other!"  Imagine such a powerful demonstration of love that would distinguish Christians from the rest of the people!  Barnes continued, lamenting the fact that the spirit of the Christian world had changed so much since then.  And it was almost 180 years ago that he wrote that!  Imagine what he would think now.  Genuine love for one another, and Jesus meant Christians loving other Christians, means denying ourselves, doing nothing through selfish ambition or conceit, "but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves" (Philippians 2:3).

(36) Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterwards."

Peter then asked Jesus where it was that He was going.  Jesus answered only that Peter could not follow Him at that present time, but that he would be able to follow Him later.

(37) Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can't I follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."

Peter asked Jesus why he couldn't follow Him.  I'm sure it was in all sincerity that he said he would lay down his life for Jesus.

(38) Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Verily, verily, I say to you, the cock will not crow till you have denied Me three times."

Although he may have been sincere in what he said, Jesus told him he, in fact, would not lay down his life for Him.  He would actually deny Him three times before the rooster crowed in the morning.  Peter did not know his own strength of will.  He may have thought he was willing to die for Jesus, but when the time came, he could not do it.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, pointed out something I had not considered before now.  "Christ must first die for Peter, before Peter can die for Him."  Christ had to die first to save Peter from his sins and the just punishment he rightly deserved.  So actually, Peter could not have given his life at that time.  He didn't understand God's plan.  In this is a lesson for all of us, though we may be self-confident, we can do nothing of ourselves!  It is only through God that we are able to accomplish any of the hard things in life.  We must always be dependent on Him to get us through the hard times.

Jesus's Triumphal Entry and Final Discourse with the People

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 12:1) Then six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead whom He raised from the dead, (2) There they made Him a supper and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had left Bethany and went out into the country to steer clear of the Jews who wanted to kill Him.  As the Passover was near, Jesus went back to Bethany to have supper with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.  Lazarus sat with Jesus at the table with others who had been invited, and Martha served.

(3) Then Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.

Mary took a pound of an ointment of spikenard, which was a very costly and fragrant oil, and anointed Jesus's feet with it and then wiped His feet with her hair.  The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

(4) Then said one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, (5) "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor?"

One of Jesus's disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, saw what Mary did and considered it wasteful.  He asked why the ointment hadn't been instead sold with the proceeds going to the poor.

(6) This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and lifted what was put in it.

It's not that Judas really cared for the poor, but he was actually a thief.  He held the money bag for Jesus and the disciples and often stole from it for himself.  He desired for himself that three hundred pence the ointment could have brought.

(7) Then Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burying."

Jesus told Judas to leave Mary alone.  She had saved that ointment for the purpose of anointing Jesus before His death and burial.  Of course, Mary did not know that Jesus was soon to die, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit she had chosen this time to anoint Jesus with it.

(8) "For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."

Jesus went on to say that there would always be poor to be helped, but He Himself would not always be there.  Therefore the time to anoint Him was right then, as there would be soon no more chance to do so.  It's not that Jesus did not believe in giving to the poor; He taught that we should (Matthew 25:35-36, Mark 10:21, Luke 14:13-14).  However, I believe Jesus was teaching a proper order of things.  If two good duties are in competition with each other, then it makes sense to do the one that needs to be done immediately as there may be no chance to do it later.  Additionally, God and Jesus come first in our lives.  It's always right to do the things of God over other things we may perceive as good.  I can't help but think of some of the extreme environmental things like ones that are done to save a toad that harm God's people.  God gave His people dominion over the animals (Genesis 1:26-28).  That does not mean that we should torture and kill animals for no good reason.  However, when it comes to the needs of animals versus the needs of humans, humans come first.

(9) Many people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there, and they came, not for Jesus's sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead.

Many of the Jews knew that Jesus was there and came, not just to see Jesus, but also to see Lazarus as he had been raised from the dead.

(10) But the chief priests deliberated that they might put Lazarus to death also, (11) Because on account of him, many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

However, the chief priests discussed how they should also put Lazarus to death; because of what had been done for him, many of the Jews were deserting them and turning to Jesus.

(12) On the next day many people who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, (13) Took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet Him, and cried, "Hosanna! Blessed the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!"

The next day, many people who had arrived early for the Passover Feast, when they heard Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took palm tree branches and went out to meet Jesus, crying, "Hosanna!" which was an exclamation of adoration that meant "Oh save!"  Then they quoted Psalm 118:26, "Blessed He who comes in the name of the Lord..."  The palm tree branches signified victory and triumph.

(14) And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat on it; as it is written, (15) "Fear not, daughter of Zion, behold your King comes sitting on an ass's colt."

The other gospel writers told us that Jesus directed two of His disciples to go into the village and there they would find the colt of a donkey and they were to bring it back to Jesus.  Jesus sat upon the young donkey, and that fulfilled prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 which said, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."

(16) These things His disciples did not understand at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and they had done these things to Him.

At that time, Jesus's disciples did not understand what Jesus was doing and saying, but after His ascension, they remembered the things said about Him in the Old Testament prophecies and they fully comprehended the fulfillment of that prophecy at that time.  They remembered the things the people had done to and for Him, the taking of palm tree branches and crying "Hosanna," putting Jesus on the donkey's colt, and then as the other gospels told us, laying their clothes and branches under Him and before Him, paving His way into Jerusalem.

(17) The people therefore who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from the dead, bore record.

The Jews who had gone from Jerusalem to Bethany to comfort Lazarus's sisters, had been there to witness Jesus calling Lazarus out of the grave and raising him from the dead.  Therefore, they were able to bear witness of Jesus to the others in Jerusalem.

(18) For this reason the people also met Him, for they had heard that He had done this miracle.

That is why the people in Jerusalem met Jesus as He was coming into the city, because they had heard about what He had done for Lazarus.

(19) The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "Do you perceive how you prevail nothing? Behold, the world has gone after Him."

However, the Pharisees were greatly dismayed at what they saw, and discussed among themselves how they had so far accomplished nothing to stop the people from believing in Jesus.  In fact, it looked to them like the whole world had gone after Him.

(20) And there were certain Greeks among them who came up to worship at the feast.

There were some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast.  They may have been Jews who had been living in Greece, or perhaps converts to the Jewish religion, or it's even possible they were Gentiles who came to worship in the outer court of the temple that was called the court of the Gentiles.

(21) The same came therefore to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired of Him, saying, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."

Those Greeks went to Philip and asked if they could see Jesus.  The reason they may have gone to Philip is probably answered in the fact that John told us Philip was of Bethsaida in Galilee.  They could have been from the Greeks who dwelt on the borders of Tyre and Sidon, which was not far from Bethsaida.  Perhaps they had had occasion to see or know Philip.  Additionally, as Philip is a Greek given name, some have thought it plausible that Philip's parents may have been from the Jews living in Greece.  They had apparently heard the fame of Jesus and wished to see Him and thought Philip could help.

(22) Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Philip and Andrew told Jesus.

Philip went and told Andrew of the Greeks' request, probably because Andrew was from the same place and may have known of the Greeks, also.  Then they both went and told Jesus.

(23) And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified."

The scripture does not say whether or not the Greeks were with them when they asked Jesus, nor whether or not He directly acknowledged and agreed to their request, but the fact that John mentioned it, must mean Jesus spoke in the presence of them.  He told all within His hearing that the hour had come for Him to be glorified, which of course, we understand to mean His ascension into heaven after His death and resurrection.

(24) "Verily, verily, I say to you, except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit."

Jesus likened His life on earth to a kernel or grain of wheat.  It's just a lonely grain of wheat unless it falls to the ground and dies and then shoots forward with much fruit.  So although Jesus was just one Man, when He died, He would bring forth a huge harvest of Christians.

(25) "He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."

Jesus's point was that whoever loved his temporal life so much that they did everything in their power to preserve it, would ultimately lose it.  The one who hated his temporal life in the world, realizing he was only passing through to true life in Christ, who did nothing to preserve his life, but lived it for God and for heaven, he would have eternal life.

(26) "If any man serves Me, let him follow Me, and where I am, there shall also My servant be. If any man serves Me, him My Father will honor."

Perhaps Jesus was saying this for the benefit of the Greeks.  Even though they may not have been Jews who could fully partake of the Passover, if they followed Him, imitating Him, following His Word, then they would also be with Him where He went, to heaven.  His Father God in heaven would honor them, as well.

(27) "Now is My soul troubled and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this cause, I came to this hour."

Jesus admitted He was troubled in His human soul about what was about to happen to Him.  However, could He really ask His Father to save Him from it?  After all, that was His purpose in coming into the world, to suffer and die for our sins, and be resurrected again for the salvation of the world.

(28) "Father, glorify your name." Then came a voice from heaven, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."

Jesus asked His Father to glorify His own name.  A voice came from heaven saying that He had already glorified it, obviously in the life and work of Jesus up to that point, and that He would glorify it again in Jesus's resurrection and ascension.

(29) The people therefore who stood by and heard, said that it thundered; others said, "An angel spoke to Him."

Some of the people who stood by and heard the voice misunderstood it as thunder, as it probably did come forth in thunder.  Others heard the voice and assumed that an angel had spoken to Jesus.  They may have understood it as the word of God, but they may have assumed He spoke through angels.

(30) Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sakes."

Jesus answered the people's confusion and confirmed it was a voice and it had not come in answer to His prayer, at least not chiefly, as it was not necessary, for Jesus knew the mind of His Father and vice versa.  The voice had come for their sakes, that they might know that He was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God.  I can't help but think about what an honor and a privilege it was to the Greeks, Gentiles, to hear all this.  They not only saw Jesus but heard from God confirming just who He was.  What a beautiful picture of how Jesus is for all of us, no matter what our background or religion.

(31) "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out."

Jesus went on to say that that particular time was the judgment of the world, and that the prince of the world would be cast out.  He said, "Now," because He knew His death was very near.  The original word translated as "judgment" is "krisis."  How similar it is to our "crisis."  And this would certainly be a crisis point in the lives of the people.  It would be a turning point.  On one hand, Jesus will have defeated death and Satan, the prince of the world.  No longer would people have to die in their sins.  However, Satan would still be around for those who would not receive Jesus's gift of salvation.  One of the definitions of "krisis" is "justice."  There would be justice for the world when Jesus saved it from death and Satan was cast out.

(32) "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Me."

Jesus's meaning was more likely just His death lifting Him out of the earth.  However, He would of course, be lifted up into the heavens in His resurrection and ascension.  If He was killed, which He knew He would be, He would draw all people to Him.  He would have power over death and would save those who came to Him through His drawing.

(33) This He said, signifying what death He would die.

John explained that Jesus was describing what type of death He would die by what He said.  Being lifted up on a cross, He would draw all people to Himself.  We do look up to the cross to be saved, just "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness" (John 3:14), and all who looked up to it were saved from the deadly bites of the fiery serpents, "even so must the Son of man be lifted up" (John 3:14 cont.) and those who look to Him will be saved.

(34) The people answered Him, "We have heard out of the law that Christ abides forever, and how do You say, 'The Son of man must be lifted up.'? Who is this Son of man?"

The people answered Jesus saying that they knew from the law that Christ abides forever, so how was it that Jesus said the Son of man must be lifted up from the earth, meaning He must die?  They asked Him who was the Son of man.

(35) Then Jesus said to them, "Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have light lest darkness come upon you, for he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going."

Jesus did not answer their question directly, but called Himself the light, the Light of the world, and urged the people to walk with that Light and learn from Him while they had the Light because it would only be with them a little while longer.  Once the Light was extinguished, darkness would come upon them, and they would not see the pits and snares that awaited them and would eventually destroy them.

(36) "While you have Light, believe in the Light, that you may be the children of Light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and hid Himself from them.

Jesus finally urged the people to believe in that Light while they had it, that they might become the children of Light and knowledge.  He then left and hid Himself away from them.

(37) But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they did not believe in Him.

John tells us that even though Jesus had done so many miracles in the presence of these people, they still did not believe in Him.

(38) That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

John went on to say that this fulfilled a prophecy of Isaiah in Isaiah 53:1, "Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"  Who believed Jesus's words and the miracles and works He did by the arm of the Lord?

(39) Therefore they could not believe because Isaiah said again, (40) "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with eyes nor understand with heart, and be converted and I should heal them."

Because they refused to see the truth no matter how many things they had heard and seen, God left them in their blindness and hardness of hearts, and they could not believe Jesus.  Again John quoted prophecy in Isaiah 6:9-10, "And He said, Go, and tell this people, hear you indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed."  Because they would not listen to the Lord and see His great works, God would leave them with their hard and stupid hearts, ears, and eyes, and they would not be able to be converted and saved as they could have been if they had only listened and opened their hearts to what they saw.

(41) These things Isaiah said when He saw His glory and spoke of Him.

John explained that Isaiah had spoken those things when he had seen a vision of the Messiah in the temple (Isaiah 6:1-13).

(42) Nevertheless, among the chief rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, (43) For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

However, there were those (it says many, in fact) among the chief rulers who did believe in Jesus, but they would not publicly admit it for fear the Pharisees would put them out of the synagogue.  At first I wondered if that was always a bad thing.  You certainly never reject Jesus if confronted, but do you always broadcast your belief, if by not doing so, you could do more good in the synagogue to open people's eyes to the truth?  However, that objection was put to rest by the next verse that stated those men loved the praise of men more than they loved God's praises.  God knows the truth of one's heart and His Holy Spirit will guide Christ's follower in what he should do.

(44) Jesus cried and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me!"

Verse 36 said that Jesus had left and hid Himself from the people, so either this was said at another time, or as He was, by what follows, still talking about the Light, perhaps He cried out as He left the unbelievers, or perhaps He had even said the words before He actually left.  Jesus cried out that anyone who believed in Him as Jesus the man, was actually believing in the One who sent Him, God Himself, who came down to earth in the human form of Jesus to save the world.

(45) "And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me."

Jesus said more directly that anyone who saw Him was seeing the One who sent Him, God Himself in heaven.  It was perhaps a difficult concept to grasp, but at the very least, they should have faith that He was one with God.

(46) "I am come a light into the world that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness."

Jesus explained that He was the Light that came into the world that whoever believed in Him would not stay in their darkness of sin and unbelief.

(47) "And if any man hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world."

Jesus said that if anyone heard Him and did not believe in Him, He was not there to judge them.  They had actually already been judged and condemned; He had come to save them and the entire world from that condemnation.

(48) "He who rejects Me and does not receive My words has one that judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."

However, those who do not believe in Jesus and reject Him and will not receive His word, that Word of God spoken by Jesus will be the judgment against him in the great Judgment Day.  That is the truth that the one who rejected Christ will come to know was true all along.  In the end, every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess, everyone will know the truth (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10-11), and those who rejected Christ will be judged by that truth that they will know themselves.

(49) "For I have not spoken of Myself, but the Father who sent Me gave Me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak."

Jesus did not speak on His own human accord, but God who sent Him told Him what He was to say.  Actually, as Jesus was God come down to the world, He spoke the words of God.  It was God and His very Word that people who rejected Christ were rejecting.

(50) "And I know that His commandment is life everlasting; whatever I speak therefore, just as the Father said to Me, so I speak."

That commandment or commission that God gave Jesus was the path to everlasting life, and everything God had purposed in sending Jesus was for that end, that all be saved.  As Jesus was God, He spoke God's words and was there to fulfill God's purpose in saving all people from their sin and from Satan and his workers of iniquity.

The Biblical commentators that I study tell me that this was the end of Jesus's public ministry.  From this point on, He would spend His time teaching His disciples.  What a beautiful summation Jesus gave to the people.  Jesus cried it out to them!  Believe in Him because He said and did the very works of God; He was the very mind of God.  He was God!  In the end, all would know it, and those who had rejected Him rejected God's gift of salvation and would be judged by what they would know was true. 

Spiritual Food, The Bread of Life

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels: 

(John 6:26) Jesus answered them and said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, you seek Me not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled."

At the end of the last post, the people whom Jesus had miraculously fed the evening before, sailed across the sea to search for Jesus.  They asked when He had arrived because they had not seen Him leave in the only boat they had seen.  Jesus did not answer their question directly but pointed out their motive in searching for Him.  He told them they did not seek Him because of the miraculous things He had done proving He came from God.  It would have been proper and acceptable to Jesus if they followed Him because they believed He was the Messiah as they had suggested in verse 14.  However, He knew they followed Him only because of what they received from the miracles.

(27) "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for that food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give to you, for God the Father has sealed Him."

Jesus told them not to put all their effort into seeking food that would perish, but rather put more effort into the food that would last and lead to everlasting life.  That's not to say that one shouldn't work for food, but that shouldn't be all for which they labor.  More effort should be given to seeking Christ's bread of life and then God would supply their needs (Philippians 4:19).  Jesus was the one to give them that bread of life because God the Father had put His authentic seal of approval on Him.

(28) Then they said to Him, "What shall we do that we might work the works of God?"

The people asked how they should labor or work for the food that did not perish but led to everlasting life.  They still believed in works to achieve the blessings of God.

(29) Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

Jesus answered them by saying that the work of God, what He required of them, was to believe in the One He had sent, Jesus Christ.

(30) They said therefore to Him, "What sign do You show then that we may see and believe you? What do You work? (31) Our fathers ate manna in the desert as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

The people wanted to see a sign that He would provide them that bread He spoke of.  They still imagined literal bread as what their forefathers had eaten in the wilderness when God provided manna from heaven for them to eat.

(32) Then Jesus said to them, "Verily, verily, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. (33) For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

Jesus told them that the manna which they presumed Moses had given their forefathers in the wilderness was not the true bread from heaven that He spoke about.  That bread of life from God was He Himself who came down from heaven to give them everlasting life.

(34) Then they said to Him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread."

The people seemed to earnestly desire that Jesus give them that bread of life always, but they probably still imagined it to be literal bread.  The Jews expected that when their King Messiah came, He would give them all manner of delicacies.

(35) And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall never hunger and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

Jesus told them that He was that bread of life.  The one who came to Him, not in a physical way as they had come to Him now, but in a spiritual sense, receiving His doctrine into their hearts, and believing in Him, would never hunger or thirst, but would be perfectly satisfied.

(36) "But I said to you that you also have seen Me and do not believe."

Jesus alluded to what He had said before to them (verse 26), that they did not come seeking Him for who He truly was, but only for what He could give them.  They had seen that Bread of Life they had been discussing and yet they did not really believe in Him as such.

(37) "All who the Father gives Me will come to Me, and he who comes to Me I will in no way cast out."

Jesus said that everyone God the Father calls and everyone who may seek God, the Father gives to Jesus because it is only through Jesus that they may be saved.  All who seek God are sinners and all have fallen short, no matter how "good" they purport to be (Romans 3:23 and Romans 3:12).  God draws them to Jesus, whom by His great sacrifice, covers and atones for their sins that they may be in God's presence.  Jesus added He would never turn away anyone who came to Him.

(38) "For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me. (39) And this is the Father's will who has sent Me, that of all whom He has given Me I should lose no one, but should raise them up again at the last day."

Jesus's purpose for being born into the world was to do Father God's will.  God's will was to make it possible for his failed sinful creation to be cleansed and renewed and able to spend eternity with Him.  All who were called by God or would come seeking God would be directed through Christ Jesus and it was God's will that none of them should be lost.  They would be saved through Jesus and raised up again in the last day.

(40) "And this is the will of Him who sent Me that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

Not only was it God's will that Jesus lose no one who God directed to Him, but equally He desired that all who came to Christ and believed in Him would have everlasting life.  God and Jesus are one.  Jesus is God.  People seeking God must go through Jesus to get to Him.  People seeking Jesus will find their way to God.

(41) The Jews then murmured at Him because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." (42) And they said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

Jews among the people grumbled about Jesus because He had called Himself the bread of life from heaven.  They discussed the fact that they had known He was the son of Joseph, and they had known His parents, so how could it be that He said He came down from heaven?  That actually could be a sincere question as they thought they knew how He was born into the world and did not see or hear of Him coming down from heaven.

(43) Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. (44) No man can come to Me except the Father who has sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Jesus, hearing them or knowing their thoughts, told them not to murmur among themselves, and He continued speaking.  He told them no one could come to Him unless the Father first drew Him.  Yes, they all came to Him physically to hear Him speak, but they had to be drawn by the Spirit of God to understand the spiritual nature of what it meant to really come to Jesus.  Only by the drawing of the Spirit of God could they begin to understand what seemed otherwise humanly impossible.

(45) "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Everyone therefore who has heard and has learned of the Father comes to Me."

Jesus quoted Isaiah 54:13 that said that all Jerusalem's children should be taught of or by the Lord.  The Lord God draws the hearts of men to want to know and seek Him and He uses His word, the Bible, and ministers and religious teachers to teach them.  Everyone who has been drawn by God and has learned from Him will always come to Jesus.

(46) "Not that any man has seen the Father, except He who is of God; He has seen the Father."

Jesus did not mean that they should be taught by God personally as no man has seen God the Father except He Himself who was of God.  

(47) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. (48) I am that bread of life."

Jesus told them that most assuredly anyone who believed in Him had everlasting life because He was that bread of life.

(49) "Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and are dead. (50) This is the bread which comes down from heaven that a man may eat of it and not die."

Referring to what the Jews had said in verse 31 when they spoke of manna as being bread from heaven, Jesus told them that all who ate that bread were now dead.  Although it did sustain them for a while, it did not save them from eternal death.  The bread that came down from heaven, referring to Himself, men may partake of and they would not die, but have eternal life.

(51) "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eats of this bread he shall live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world."

Jesus clarified that He was the living bread that had come down from heaven.  If any man would partake of Him, that is believe in Him, he would live forever.  The bread that He would give was His flesh, or His body, that He would sacrifice for the life of the world.

(52) The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"

The Jews began to argue among themselves about how Jesus could possibly give them His flesh to eat, as they thought He meant it physically.  Although Jesus would indeed give His physical body up as a sacrifice, people would not physically eat of His body even then.  He spoke of spiritually partaking of His flesh and accepting Him into their hearts.

(53) Then Jesus said to them, "Verily, verily, I say to you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."

Jesus told them that assuredly they must eat of His flesh and drink of His blood in order to have life.  Of course, He meant this spiritually.  As a man must have food and drink for physical life, He must continually be fed by Jesus Christ for eternal life.  Without Jesus, there is no eternal life.

(54) "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Jesus affirmed that whoever ate of His flesh and drank of His blood, that is partaking of those things and believing in Him, would have eternal life, and He would raise him up in the last day.

(55) "For My flesh is food indeed and My blood is drink indeed. (56) He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood dwells in Me and I in him."

Jesus said that His flesh and His blood were indeed food and drink, nourishment for the soul.  Whoever ate His flesh and drank His blood dwelled in Him and He would likewise dwell in him.  One who dwelt in Christ was one who was truly intimately connected to Him, and Christ would dwell in his heart.

(57) "As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father, so he who eats Me will live by Me."

Jesus explained that the living Father God in heaven had sent Him and He lived because of His connection to God the Father.  Jesus the Son of man received His life from the Father.  In like manner, those who partook of Jesus would receive life from Him.

(58) "This is that bread which came down from heaven; not as your fathers ate manna and are dead, he who eats of this bread shall live forever."

Once again, Jesus reiterated that the bread that came down from heaven, meaning Himself, was not like the manna their forefathers ate and were now dead, but if anyone partook of His bread of life, they would live forever.

(59) These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Jesus said all these things in the synagogue in Capernaum where He was teaching when He came to that side of the sea.

(60) Many therefore of His disciples when they had heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"

Many of Jesus's disciples and followers said that what Jesus had said was rough.  Speaking of eating His flesh and blood seemed rather violent.  That is the proper meaning of the word transcribed as "hard" here.  "Skleros" means "hard, tough, fierce," even "violent, offensive," rather than hard as difficult.  They wondered who could understand such a doctrine.

(61) When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, He said to them, "Does this offend you?"

Jesus perceived that His disciples were grumbling about how rough His language had been and He asked them if it offended them.

(62) "And if you shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?"

Jesus added what more would they think and be offended by if they saw His body that they were to eat and drink of ascend into heaven where He had been before.  He was pointing out to them that He could not be speaking of them literally eating and drinking His body, as His body would ascend back into heaven.

(63) "It is the Spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I speak to you are spirit and are life."

Jesus explained that He was talking about the Spirit which gives life.  Literally eating His flesh and drinking His blood would be of no profit whatsoever.  What He had spoken to them was meant to be understood as spiritually partaking of Him and having spiritual everlasting life as their physical bodies would still die; however, He did say He would raise up those bodies in the end.

(64) "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe and who would betray Him.

Jesus told them that He knew some of His so-called disciples did not really believe in Him, for He knew from the beginning which ones did not believe and He knew Judas, one of His closest disciples, would ultimately betray Him.

(65) And He said, "Therefore I said to you, that no man can come to Me, except it has been granted to him by My Father."

I believe Jesus referred to what He had said in verse 43 to explain those who did not truly believe.  Many disciples had come to Him physically, but as God had not drawn them by His Spirit, they could not spiritually understand and believe in Jesus.  That is not to say that God only chooses a select few to draw to Himself.  It's God's will that all be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), but as God is omniscient, all-knowing of things present and future, He knows who will receive Jesus when His Spirit draws them and who will not.  One might wonder why then did Jesus call Judas when He knew that He was not a true believer and would betray Him.  Perhaps Judas had been a true believer, and then turned from Christ.  I believe that is what is meant by blaspheming the Holy Spirit, the one unforgivable sin--knowing the Holy Spirit of God and then throwing Him out.  Regardless, Judas was called because God knew his heart, that he would betray Jesus, and that was needed for His purpose.

(66) From then many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him.

Indeed, many of Jesus's disciples stopped following Him as it was obvious that God had not drawn them to know the spiritual truth about Jesus.  These may have been physically drawn to Jesus because of an expectation of some temporal benefit or maybe just because of public excitement, but when the benefit was not obtained and the excitement wore off, and when Jesus's spiritual truths became hard and offensive, they fell away.

(67) Then said Jesus to the twelve, "Will you also go away?"

Then Jesus asked His chosen twelve apostles if they would also go away.

(68) Then Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

Simon Peter answered Jesus that there was no other place to go; after all, it was Jesus who had the words of eternal life.  Although they would still have difficulty sometimes understanding spiritual things, God was obviously drawing them to Jesus and His life-giving truths.

(69) "And we believe and are sure that You are that Christ, the Son of the living God."

Peter added that they believed and were certain that He was the Christ, their anticipated Messiah, the Son of the living God.

(70) Jesus answered them, "Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil." (71) He spoke of Judas Iscariot of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

Jesus rhetorically asked if He had chosen them, the twelve, as if to say that He through the Father was drawing them to know His spiritual truths and He knew that they would accept Him.  However, He warned them that He knew one of them was a devil.  John added his explanation that Jesus spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, who would eventually betray Him, although he was one of the twelve Jesus had chosen.  Once again, it makes one wonder, was Judas never what he professed to be, but Jesus chose him anyway for His purposes?  And if so, did Judas recognize that Jesus was talking about him, and could he have heeded Jesus's warnings about him?  Or was he an honest believer in the beginning and then turned away and rejected Jesus?  Only God knows the heart of man.

Christ's Resurrection, Appearance to Disciples, and Ascension

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels: 

(Luke 24:1) Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

At the end of the last chapter, Joseph of Arimathea had laid Jesus's body in his own new and unused tomb.  Some of the women who had been following Jesus saw where He was buried, and went home to prepare spices and ointments for Him.  However, as the Sabbath had begun at 6:00 in the evening on the day Jesus had died, they were not able to bring the spices back to Him that night.  A full second day had passed, the Sabbath, and now it was the morning of the third day that they went back to the sepulchre where Jesus had been buried.  It seems some others, probably women, went with them.

(2) And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

The account in Matthew had said that Joseph had rolled a huge stone in the doorway of the sepulchre where he had buried Jesus.  The women now found the stone rolled away from the door.  

(3) And they entered in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

The women entered into the sepulchre and found that Jesus's body was not there.

(4) And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed about this, two men stood by them in shining garments.

As the women stood there perplexed about Jesus's missing body, it seems there appeared two angels in the form of men in shining garments.  In the accounts of Matthew and Mark, they spoke of only one angel.  Luke and John spoke of two angels.  I'm sure the angels must have come and gone at will, as it seems they must have surely just appeared before the women, as they certainly would have seen them as they entered into the sepulchre if they had already been there.  Matthew and Mark may have only mentioned one with whom the women had communication and didn't mention the other.  However, in John Gill's Exposition of the Bible, he pointed out that there were two angels because as they were the first witnesses of Jesus's resurrection, it was therefore established He had risen, as scripture tells us often that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses a thing will be established.

(5) And as they were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

The women were very afraid and while they bowed down their faces to the ground, the angels asked them why they were searching for the living among the dead.

(6) "He is not here but is risen; remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (7) Saying, 'The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again.'"

The angels told the women that Jesus was not there because He had risen, and then reminded them of Jesus's words telling them how He must suffer and die at the hands of sinful men, but that He would rise again on the third day.  

In studying this, I began to contemplate why it was that Jesus had to be in the tomb for three days before He rose.  Why not right away or why not seven days, the number of perfection?  I am sure He had to be dead in the tomb long enough for people to know that He was really dead.  If he had risen right away, people could have claimed He had only fainted.  If he stayed much longer, His body would have started severely decaying.  And I found this scripture from Psalm 16:10, "For You will not leave My soul in Sheol; neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption."  "Sheol" can sometimes mean hell, but it also means "grave" and that definition makes more sense here.  God would not leave Jesus's body in the grave and He would not allow it to become corrupted, or destroyed or decayed.  Although the body begins decaying right away after death, God would not allow Jesus's body to stay long enough to start noticeable decaying.  Of course, God could have prevented it from decaying at all in that span of three partial days.  Although it was counted as the third day that Jesus rose, if you count the hours, it only totaled 36 hours, more like a day and a half.  So as God does all things in perfect timing, He allowed Jesus's body to stay in the tomb long enough that no one could deny that He was really dead, but not so long that it began to decay.  Also Jesus fulfilled a prophecy that He would say of Himself, that just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, so He would be in the grave three days.

(8) And they remembered His words, (9) And returned from the sepulchre and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

The women did indeed remember Jesus's words and they left the sepulchre and went back to tell the eleven disciples and the rest of Jesus's followers what they had seen and heard.

(10) It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary mother of James, and other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna whom we were told in Luke 8:3 was the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Mary the mother of James and also of Joseph and said to be Jesus's mother Mary's sister, as well as other women were the ones who told the apostles what they had seen and heard.

(11) And their words seemed to them as idle tales and they did not believe them.

The eleven disciples, who had heard the words of Jesus just as these women had, did not believe them and thought they were just speaking nonsense.

(12) Then Peter arose and ran to the sepulchre, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering to himself at that which had come to pass.

At least Peter had enough doubt about what the women had told him to go and check it out for himself.  He ran to the sepulchre and stooped down to observe only the linens that had been used to wrap Jesus's body lying there.  He left the tomb contemplating those things he had seen and had heard from the women.

(13) And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus which was from Jerusalem sixty furlongs.

That same day two of Jesus's disciples, probably not two of the twelve apostles as they weren't named, were going to a village called Emmaus that was about seven and a half miles from Jerusalem.

(14) And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

As they were walking, they were discussing all the things that had recently happened.  They may have been talking about Jesus's betrayal by Judas and His awful crucifixion and the awesome signs from heaven, and they may have been among the disciples who heard what the women had to say that morning.  Whatever it was exactly, they had a lot to contemplate.

(15) And it came to pass that while they communed and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

While they walked and talked, Jesus Himself came up on them and walked with them.

(16) But their eyes were restrained that they should not know Him.

Although He walked with them, they did not recognize Him.  The way it is written, it seems that Jesus may have veiled their eyes that they should not recognize Him at first.  However, it may be that they were looking downward at the road ahead, probably melancholy over the events they were discussing, and didn't notice Him.

(17) And He said to them, "What manner of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"

Jesus then spoke to them asking what they were talking about as they walked along and why they were so sad.

(18) And one of them whose name was Cleopas, answering, said to Him, "Are You only a stranger in Jerusalem and have not known the things which have come to pass there in these days?"

This interaction does seem to suggest that their eyes had been supernaturally veiled so as not to recognize Jesus at first.  One of the disciples or followers of Jesus named Cleopas asked Him if He was a stranger in Jerusalem to not have known what had taken place there in the past few days.

(19) And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people."

Jesus asked them what things had come to pass the past few days.  They answered that it concerned Jesus of Nazareth and they described Him as a prophet mighty in deed as in all His miraculous healings and other miracles He performed and mighty in His preaching and teaching before God indicating He had God's blessing, and to all the people.

(20) "And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and have crucified Him."

They continued telling Jesus what had happened, that the chief priests and rulers delivered Jesus to be condemned to death, and He was indeed crucified.

(21) "But we trusted that it had been He who should have redeemed Israel, and besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done."

This is probably the reason that Jesus had veiled their eyes so as not to recognize Him.  He wanted them to speak aloud what they were thinking about Him, for it seems they still didn't have a full understanding of what He had come to do.  They said they had trusted that He was going to redeem Israel as they would expect an earthly king to do, but it had now been three days since He had been crucified.

(22) "Yes, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, who were early at the sepulchre, (23) And when they did not find His body, they came saying they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive."

It appears they had indeed been witness to what the women had said that morning and told Jesus about it.  They told Him how the women had gone to His sepulchre and did not find His body there, and then went to Jesus's disciples and followers and told them about it and how they had seen angels who told them Jesus was alive.

(24) "And certain of those who were with us went to the sepulchre and found it even as the women had said, but Him they did not see."

They told Jesus that certain of the group who had heard what the women had to say, we know Peter was one of them, went to the sepulchre and found it just as the women had said; they did not see His body.

(25) Then He said to them, "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken."

Jesus then rebuked them as foolish and slow to understand all that the prophets had spoken about their Messiah.

(26) "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"

As they had been told by the scriptures, if Christ was to redeem them and fulfill the prophecies concerning Him, wasn't He to suffer these things?  Those very things that caused them doubt were the things that proved He was the Messiah.

(27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Jesus then began to explain to them the scriptures from Moses to all the prophets who prophesied about Him just how they spoke of Him.

(28) And they drew near to the village where they went, and He made as though He would have gone further.

The disciples came to their destination at Emmaus, but Jesus appeared to be going on further.

(29) But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent." And He went in to tarry with them.

The disciples asked Jesus to stay with them, still not realizing who He was.  They said because it was late in the day and evening was coming, He should stay with them, and He did.

(30) And it came to pass, as He sat at the meal with them, He took bread and blessed and broke and gave to them. 

When Jesus sat down with the disciples for a meal, He took the role of the master of the house and took bread, broke it, and gave it to them, just as He had done so many times before when He was with His disciples.

(31) And their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He vanished out of their sight.

It was at that point that the disciples' eyes were opened and they knew it was Jesus who sat with them, but then He vanished out of sight.

(32) And they said to one another, "Didn't our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the way and while He opened to us the scriptures?"

The two disciples then talked with each other about how their hearts had indeed burned with passion at Jesus's words and His knowledge of the scriptures.  It was as if they were saying, "Of course, it was Jesus!  Who else but Him could stir our hearts so?"

(33) And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, (34) Saying, "The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared to Simon!"

The two disciples rose up immediately and returned to Jerusalem where they found the eleven apostles gathered together with other disciples with them.  The apostles told the returning disciples that the Lord had indeed risen and had appeared to Simon Peter.  It's interesting that none of the Gospels tell of this encounter, not even Mark, who was thought to be Peter's scribe.  However, the fact that it did happen is backed up by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5.

(35) And they told about the things on the road and how He was known by them in breaking of bread.

The two disciples then told the others about how they had met Jesus on their way to Emmaus, but He wasn't made known to them until His breaking of bread at their meal.

(36) And as they spoke Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, "Peace to you."

While the two disciples were telling their story, Jesus Himself appeared in the midst of them all and saluted them with, "Peace to you."

(37) But they were terrified and frightened and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

It's interesting that they were so frightened and thought they were seeing a spirit when they had just then been talking about how Jesus had appeared to some of them.  But the account in John tells us it was night and they had assembled together in a shut and presumably locked house because they were afraid of the Jews.  The fact that Jesus just appeared having not come through a door and not making a sound took them very much by surprise.

(38) And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts?"

However, Jesus spoke to them and asked why they were troubled at His appearance.  By "thoughts" I think He meant "doubts".  Why were they having doubts about whether or not they were really seeing Him?

(39) "Behold My hands and feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." (40) And when He had spoken this, He showed them His hands and feet.

Jesus told them to look at Him, specifically at His hands and feet which surely showed the wounds He had received from being nailed to the cross.  He told them to touch Him and see that He was flesh and bones and not a spirit.  Then He showed them His hands and His feet.

(41) And while they still did not believe for joy and wondered, He said to them, "Have you here any meat?"

It's not that the disciples did not believe Jesus at all, it was just so incredible and filled them with such joy that they couldn't believe their own eyes.  Then Jesus asked them if they had any food.  I doubt Jesus really needed to eat at that point, but it was another point of proof that He was indeed flesh and bones.

(42) And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb. (43) And He took it and did eat before them.

The disciples gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish and a piece of honeycomb which He did indeed eat.

(44) And He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms concerning Me."

Jesus may have been referring to His words that would follow, or perhaps more likely He was saying that the things they had witnessed were the fulfillment of the words He had previously spoken to them regarding His death and resurrection, prophecies that had been written by Moses, the prophets, and in the psalms.

(45) Then He opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures.

Jesus opened the disciples' hearts and minds and gave them a full understanding of the scriptures concerning Him.

(46) And said to them, "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day."

Jesus told His disciples, having given them full understanding, that it had been written in scripture and it was necessary for Christ to suffer and die and then be risen from the dead on the third day.

(47) "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem."

Jesus added that repentance of sin and the forgiveness of it should be preached in Christ's name to all nations, but beginning at Jerusalem to God's chosen people.

(48) "And you are witnesses of these things."

Jesus declared to His disciples that as they had been witnesses to His life, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His fulfillment of the scriptures, they could therefore witness to all nations.

(49) "And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

Jesus assured them that He would send the promise of His Father, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17 and 26).  However, He told them to stay in Jerusalem until they had received that power of the Holy Spirit descending upon them.

(50) And He led them out as far as Bethany and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

Jesus led the disciples out to the district of Bethany, not the actual town, for later in Acts it will tell us they returned from the Mount of Olives which was in the district of Bethany.  He then lifted up His arms and blessed them.

(51) And it came to pass while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

While Jesus was blessing His disciples, He was carried up into heaven.  Jesus's ascension into heaven did not occur the same day as when He appeared to all His apostles and ate fish.  Scripture later states that He spent forty days on earth after His death appearing to many others (Acts 1:3).

(52) And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

The disciples praised and adored Jesus and then with great joy returned to Jerusalem to stay as Jesus had told them to do.

(53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

The disciples spent their time in Jerusalem in the temple continually praising and blessing God until that day when they would receive His gift of the Holy Spirit.  Their days of mourning had ended, and they were filled with the assurance of redemption.  They, and every saved Christian after them, should be full of joy that their Savior had descended from heaven, died, risen, and ascended back to heaven to save them from their sin and give them eternal life.  Amen, that is, so be it, verily, firm, it is true and certain.

Jesus is Condemned to Death by the People

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 23:1) And the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate.

At the end of the last chapter, the Sanhedrin had met it seems rather secretly at the high priest's house and had found Jesus guilty of blasphemy that was punishable by death.  Their Sanhedrin was an ecclesiastical court and they had no authority to put Him to death, so they took Him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor.

(2) And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found Him perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."

The members of the Sanhedrin who had taken Jesus to Pilate put forth their accusations against Him.  First they said He was perverting the nation, which was a very broad accusation, and if meant perverting the religion of the Jews, I'm sure Pilate couldn't have cared less.  So then they lied and said that Jesus had forbidden people to pay tribute to Caesar which was of course not at all what He taught (Matthew 22:21).  The reason they gave for His forbidding tribute to Caesar was that He said He was Himself King.  They figured that the last part would certainly rile the Roman governor.

(3) And Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And He answered Him and said, "You say."

Pilate then asked Jesus point blank if He was the King of the Jews, to which Jesus answered, "You say."  Once again, I find translations and commentaries adding to what Jesus said, declaring that He had said something to the effect of, "You speak rightly," or "It is as you say."  In the original text, Jesus said only, "You say."  Pontius Pilate would declare it himself when he would later put a sign over Jesus saying, "King of the Jews."  I truly believe Jesus and the Holy God's point was to have His accusers themselves state that they were indeed killing the Son of God and the King of the Jews.  

(4) Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the people, "I find no fault in this man."

Apparently, people had gathered around the governor's palace by that time, and Pilate said to them and to the members of the Sanhedrin that he found no fault in Jesus.  He had done nothing against Caesar or the government, and he didn't consider claiming He was King of the Jews to be an offense worthy of punishment.

(5) And they were more fierce, saying, "He stirred up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry beginning from Galilee to this place."

However, the members of the Sanhedrin did not want to accept that answer and began arguing more fiercely.  The best they could come up with was that He stirred up the people with His teaching throughout all Judea.

(6) When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the Man was a Galilean.

When Pilate heard them speak of Galilee, he then asked if Jesus was a Galilean.  Even though Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, He was brought up in Nazareth in Galilee, so everyone thought of Him as a Galilean.

(7) As soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was also at Jerusalem at the time.

Obviously getting an answer in the affirmative, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod as He would be considered within Herod's jurisdiction.  Herod was also in Jerusalem at the time.

(8) And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad for he was long desirous to see Him because he had heard many things of Him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by Him.

Herod was very glad to see Jesus as he had long heard many things about Him and had desired to see Him.  When Herod first heard about Jesus, he thought He must be John the Baptist coming back to haunt him because he had had John beheaded.  Herod hoped to see Jesus and to witness a miracle performed by Him to satisfy his curiosity.

(9) Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.

Herod questioned Jesus but we aren't told exactly what he asked.  We can gather from Jesus's non-response that Herod's questions were not from a genuine interest in the truth about Jesus, but rather merely out of curiosity.  He probably thought that now that he had Jesus before him in bonds that he could demand a miracle, but just as Jesus was unwilling to play prophecy games when the soldiers were hitting Him in the head and asking who it was who hit Him, He would not say anything to Herod or perform a cheap trick for him.

(10) And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.

Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes of the Sanhedrin intensely made their accusations against Jesus.

(11) And Herod with his men of war treated Him contemptibly like He was nothing and mocked Him and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him again to Pilate.

Herod and his men, we see from this Herod's true thoughts about Jesus.  He thought of Him as nothing of any importance, only to be mocked by him and his men.  They put Him in a robe, mocking Him as King, and sent Him back to Pilate.  The word translated as "gorgeous" actually means more precisely "bright, shining, gleaming white."  The Romans had mocked Him as King in a purple robe.  Jewish kings wore brilliant white robes, so now they put a white robe on Jesus in pure mockery, not realizing the symbolism of the pure and innocent Christ King.

(12) And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were at enmity with each other.

Apparently, Pilate and Herod had been at odds with one another, but through their likely communications about Jesus, they had common ground that brought them together.  Neither saw Jesus as any threat.

(13) And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, (14) Said to them, "You have brought this man to me as one who perverted the people, and behold, I, having examined Him before you, have found no fault in this man concerning those things of which you accuse Him."

Having Jesus back before him, Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and all the people who were there to tell them that he had found no fault in Jesus.  Although they had said that He had perverted the people, Pilate had examined Him before them and didn't find Him guilty of any of the things of which they had accused Him.

(15) "No, not even Herod, for I sent you back to him, and lo, nothing worthy of death has been done by Him."

Pilate told the chief priests and rulers that even Herod had found no fault in Jesus, certainly nothing worthy of death.

(16) "I will therefore chastise Him and release Him."

Therefore, Pilate said he would release Jesus after he chastised Him.  Isn't it interesting that he would chastise someone in whom he had found no fault?  Chastise Him for what?

(17) (For of necessity he must release one to them at the feast.)

This was a parenthetical statement that may have been added by someone who transcribed scripture as it is said that it was excluded from some old manuscripts.  It had become a custom to release one prisoner at Passover, and the people expected it, so Pilate felt obliged to do it.

(18) And they cried out all at once, saying, "Away with Him and release to us Barabbas!"

It seems beyond belief that all the people could clamor for Jesus to be punished when they had so recently exalted Him in His entrance into the city.  The account in Matthew stated that the chief priests and elders had stirred up the people against Him.  People have never changed; to this day they can be so easily manipulated by people in power.  The people asked for a prisoner named Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus.

(19) (Who for a certain sedition made in the city and for murder, was cast into prison.)

Luke made a parenthetical statement explaining who Barabbas was.  He had been found guilty of sedition and murder and had been thrown into prison.

(20) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spoke again to them.

However, Pilate preferred to release Jesus and spoke again to the people.

(21) But they cried, saying, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

Again, because he found no fault in Jesus and preferring to release Him rather than Barabbas, Pilate appealed to the people for Jesus's release.  It is so unbelievable and heartbreaking that people could be so cruel to not only imprison someone with whom no fault had been found, but also to see Him crucified!  That would be sad if it were any innocent person, but it being the most innocent and pure and also so loving a person to ever live on earth makes it unbearable.  I think it illustrates just how deplorable we people are, but because He loved us filthy unlovable lot so much, He willingly gave His life to save us.  No greater love has there ever been!  This crucifixion of Jesus was a true historical event; how could anyone deny Jesus and His loving gift to them?

(22) And he said to them a third time, "Why? What evil has He done? I have found no cause for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."

A third time Pilate pleaded for Jesus, saying he had found no fault in Him that warranted death.  He even asked the people to tell Him what evil He had done.  He declared again that he would chastise Jesus and then let Him go free.

(23) And they were insistent with loud voices requiring that He be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

However, the people and the chief priests were insistent and shouted loudly that Jesus should be crucified.  And it seems they prevailed:

(24) And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

Pilate gave the death sentence to Jesus as the people required.  I find Pilate to be a most weak man.  Perhaps it was necessary for him to release the prisoner of the people's choosing at Passover, but I don't believe there was anything in the law that said the people had the right to choose who should be crucified.  Pilate could have released Barabbas and imprisoned Jesus for a while without sentencing Him to death, but he was a weak ruler who feared the wrath of the people.

(25) And he released to them him who for sedition and murder had been cast into prison, whom they had desired, but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Pilate released Barabbas, a murderer, but delivered up an innocent man to be crucified according to the will of the people.  I'm sure that the will of the people was not the normal law of the Roman government, but so weak a ruler that Pilate was, he gave in to the people.  The account in Matthew stated that Pilate washed his hands before the crowd and said he was innocent of Jesus's blood and that the people bore the responsibility, but I'm sorry, I can't see it that way.  Pilate could have easily in his position as governor saved an innocent life, but chose not to for fear of the people.  However, we know that it had to be done for the salvation of the world, and only God truly knew the heart of Pilate and He is the righteous judge.

(26) And as they led Him away, they laid hold of one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it behind Jesus.

As they led Jesus out of Pilate's court, they took hold of Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming into the city from the country and laid Jesus's cross upon him to carry behind Jesus.  In reading commentaries on this verse, I am very offended by Albert Barnes's commentary.  He said it was because Jesus was feeble that they compelled Simon to help Him.  The Catholic church of my youth always taught me that Jesus fell down and that is when they compelled Simon to carry His cross.  Neither is found in scripture!  I'm sure that Albert Barnes probably just meant that Jesus was weak from all the beating He had received before this point, but still scripture said nothing about that being the reason they forced Simon to carry His cross.  And who knows why the Catholic church said that Jesus fell down when scripture does not say that He did, but I find they way too often diminish the deity of Jesus in some way or another.  Even in my own study, I added to scripture myself when I studied the account in Matthew.  I believed that Jesus carried His cross for a while, as stated in John, but then His tortured and beaten body could do it no more.  Scripture didn't say that!  I believe the purpose in Simon carrying the cross was a more spiritual one and symbolic of following Jesus.  First, Cyrene was a country in Africa; Simon was a foreigner, a Gentile.  But here he took up the cross and followed Jesus, a beautiful picture of discipleship and the fact that it is given to all people to be a disciple of Jesus.

(27) And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women who also mourned and lamented Him.

A crowd of people followed Jesus and among them were women who cried for Jesus.  Some of these were surely His friends and followers, but I imagine that some women of the general public mourned for Him because they had compassion for Him because of the unjust cruelty they had witnessed.  It proves that not everyone was hellbent on seeing Jesus crucified. 

(28) But Jesus turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."

However, Jesus turned to them and told them not to weep for Him, but that they should weep for themselves and for their children.  He willingly went to give His life to save all people.  He called them daughters of Jerusalem, and of course, He referred to what was to happen to Jerusalem because of the people's rejection of Him and His blood on their heads and that is why they should weep for themselves and their children.

(29) "For behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, 'Blessed the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.'"

I know Jesus's human body was tortured and weak at this point, but there is nothing feeble about Him.  He was in complete control and willingly went to His death, and He had the complete presence of mind to tell these women about their fate to come.  There was coming a time when it would be more blessed to be barren and to have never born children that would have to endure what was in store for them.

(30) "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.'"

Jesus told the women that the days that were coming would be so terrible that people would wish for mountains to fall upon them and kill them rather than be subject to the terrors and complete destruction facing them.

(31) "For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"

Jesus's words were metaphoric.  If such a green fruitful life such as His, completely innocent, can be killed in such a brutal abhorrent way, what could dry unfruitful sinful people expect?  If the Romans punished Jesus in such a manner as this, what would they do to the entire Jewish nation?  The Romans would be used by God to punish Israel.  Sure, they were guilty of evil, too, and persecuted the Jews, but it was not the Roman rulers who condemned Jesus to crucifixion and death.  It was the Jewish people, God's chosen people, who condemned Him.  They were the dry useless chaff that would be burned and destroyed.  I know that God is just and that He can punish anyone or show mercy to anyone as He pleases, but I always think that God doesn't have to personally punish, although He has every right to, but I know all He has to do is turn His back and the wicked world will do it for Him.  

Again, I have to ask Mr. Barnes if this sounds like a feeble man.  I know he meant no disrespect and Jesus's human body had indeed been horribly tortured and weakened, and it pains me to think of the pain He endured, but I know He was a triumphant King who willingly did all this to defeat Satan and death and to bring all of us to Him in eternal life.  He was always in control and teaching to His last moments on earth.

As this is a rather long chapter, I will end this post with this and continue chapter 23 in the next post.

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.