Read or listen The Gospel of Luke, chapter 22 online (ESV, Bible Gateway)

Gethsemane, Gabbata, Calvary - Luke 22 - 23

The Gospels, especially Mark's, have been described as "suffering histories with a long introduction." The suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus are the most central thing of the Christian faith, that is why evangelists tell these events in detail.

The evangelists recount the events in a consistent manner, although each has some unique characteristics in their narrative. Luke tells many events more briefly than Markus, who wrote first, but on the other hand, he also tells about something that Markus does not tell about.

The Betrayal of Jesus – Luke 22:1-6

The Passover (Nisan 14) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Nisan 15-21) were the greatest festivals of Judaism (Exodus 12). Like the Jewish historian Josephus, Luke combined the two festivals.

The two groups of Jesus' opponents joined forces: the secularized Sadducees were above all afraid of losing their power, while for the scribes led by the Pharisees, Jesus was a dangerous heretic. However, they had a serious problem: Jesus was so popular that his arrest could not be carried out during the day without fear of a riot. Therefore, it was a stroke of luck for Jesus' opponents that Judas offered to betray Jesus "quietly" (verse 6).

Luke does not explain the reason for Judas' betrayal. He states that it was simply the work of Satan. Some have sought more detailed explanations, and four things in particular have been suggested.
1. First, Judas' greed for money has been suggested as the reason (compare Matt 26:15 and John 12:6).
2. Second, Judas has been suggested to be a Zealot, a man of the resistance movement (Iscariot is close to the word "sicariot", which means dagger men, which were among the Zealots). In this way, Judas would only have wanted to speed up the beginning of Jesus' rebellion.
3. Third, the opposite of the previous one has been suggested: Judas was a conservative, orthodox Jew who was disappointed in Jesus after he cleansed the temple, and wanted to betray him in revenge. 4. Fourth, it has been suggested that Judas thought that Jesus would miraculously be saved from this situation as well.

The price paid for Jesus, 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15), was the common price of a slave (Exodus 21:32), but above all it was the price foretold by the prophet Zechariah to be paid for the Messiah:

"Then I said to them,
“If it seems good to you, give me my wages;
but if not, keep them.”
And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver."
(Zechariah 11:12)

Preparations for the Passover meal – Luke 22:7-13

The entire path of suffering took place in one day; from Thursday evening to Friday evening.

Finding a place to eat in Jerusalem, which was crowded with pilgrims during the Passover, was not easy. Apparently, one of Jesus’ disciples living in Jerusalem had promised Jesus and his disciples a room. It is thought that the upper room was the same one where the disciples gathered after Jesus’ ascension to heaven (Acts 1:13). Perhaps the room was in the house of John Mark (Acts 12:12). A rare event helped in finding the room: a man was carrying a water jar, which was usually the job of women.

According to the law, you could eat lamb at the Passover meal only in Jerusalem. Elsewhere, the meal consisted only of bitter herbs, red fruit puree, unleavened bread, and four cups of wine. The meal was accompanied by a long ritual.

In fact, the Passover lamb was not slaughtered until noon the next day, by which time Jesus had already been crucified. Biblical scholars speculate that Jesus either followed an unofficial calendar, which was also in use, or, knowing his suffering, he had the main meal early. Bishop Bo Giertz points out that the Gospels do not actually mention Jesus and his disciples eating the "Passover lamb" but the "Passover meal" (verse 13), so it is possible that Jesus' last meal did not include a lamb.

Jewish custom required that the Passover meal be eaten lying down, as was the custom of the rich, to show that the Israelites were a free people.

"The new covenant in my blood" – Luke 22:14-23

"And likewise the cup
after they had eaten, saying,
“This cup that is poured out for you
is the new covenant in my blood." (Luke 22:20)

The cup of verse 17 was either the first or second of the four cups of the Passover meal, and the cup of verse 20 is the third or fourth. Jesus showed (verse 16) that all the sacrificial offerings of the Old Testament were only symbols of what was to come. Now it was time for the last metaphorical meal, soon the foreshadowing would become reality.

Jesus made the new covenant (verse 20) that Jeremiah had prophesied God would make (Jer 31:31-34) with His people in the end times:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

The Jewish Passover meal became the meal of the new covenant, the Lord's Supper. Jesus himself is present when we celebrate the Lord's Supper (verses 19 and 20 "this is..."). The Reformer Martin Luther held fast to this, and did not agree with the Reformed Church's idea of ​​a mere memorial meal.

Another symbolic act took place at the meal: Jesus broke, tore apart the bread - that is, his body. Soon, Jesus' body would indeed be torn apart.

Judas was also present at the supper, but he had already chosen his way and left after the meal (John 13:30-31). Judas was responsible for his action, even though it was Satan’s plot to kill Jesus (verse 22).

Disciples who do not understand - Luke 22:24-38

The closer Jesus walked to the cross, the more difficult it seemed for the disciples to understand him. In this section, Luke uses three stories to show how Jesus was alone even before the prayer struggle in Gethsemane. The disciples did not understand what was happening, but were only interested in their own desires.

The disciples did not foresee the suffering that awaited Jesus, but were already eager to share their positions in Jesus’ future kingdom. Jesus does not deny their future role as rulers ("you may"..."sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel", verse 30). But Jesus points out that they should not exalt themselves above others, but be servants of all, just as Jesus had been their servant. This refers not only to the washing of the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17) but also to Jesus’ greatest service: death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-11). The disciples' authority in heaven reminds us that even in heaven we have different tasks, even though we are perfectly happy and equal there.

Another indication of the disciples’ lack of understanding was Peter’s eager promise to die with Jesus. Peter would hardly have made this promise if he had known what awaited Jesus. But Jesus knew not only his own future but also Peter’s. It is comforting that Jesus also knows our weaknesses. Our failures and sins do not “surprise” Jesus.

"This day" in verse 34 is explained by Jewish chronology: the day began in the evening at about 6 p.m.

The third and final indication of the disciples’ lack of understanding was the discussion about swords. Jesus reminded the disciples of how he cared for them even when they went out to preach the gospel without equipment (Luke 9:1-6).

The time would soon come when they would have to do without Jesus (John 14:25-31). Then they would have the right to take their equipment with them. But the disciples thought that a rebellion against the Romans would soon begin and drew their swords. Jesus’ response could also be translated: “Enough of that talk!”

Gethsemane - Luke 22:39-53

Luke does not mention Gethsemane by name, apparently to avoid using Hebrew words because he was writing to Gentiles. A church was built in Gethsemane perhaps as early as the 4th century. Ruins of that church remain, including a piece of mosaic floor, inside the current "Church of All Nations", built in 1919-1924.

The words "as was his custom" show that Jesus did not want to flee, but submitted to being betrayed by Judas. The appearance of an angel to strengthen Jesus is an indication of his full humanity. The cup (verse 42) in the Bible means suffering and the fulfillment of God's wrath and judgment (Ps 11:6, Isa 51:17, the bowls of wrath in Revelation Rev 16).

"Rise and pray..."
(verse 46)

Usually people prayed standing (compare Luke 18:11, 13: "The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed..."; "But the tax collector, standing far off..."). Jesus' kneeling was an expression of great pain and humility.

When Jesus was arrested, Peter (John 18:10) wanted to defend his Master with a sword, but Jesus prevented him. "No more of this!" (verse 51) is addressed to the disciples, not to the captors.

The Jewish leaders had arranged for Jesus to be arrested (verse 52). The religious leadership served Satan, not God. The hardness of the heart was at its peak, and even the miracle that had just happened did not make Jesus' captors wonder who they were imprisoning. They were not interested in the disciples, who were allowed to escape freely.

Peter denies Jesus - Luke 22:54-62

Luke directly tells how Peter, who had sworn to be brave (Luke 22:33), became a coward and a denier. The disciples were not superhuman. Three times Peter denied Jesus, and three times later he confessed his love for Jesus (John 21:15-17). Jesus forgave even his denyer and gave him the opportunity to return.

The dialect of Galilee differed slightly from that spoken in Judea (verse 53, compare Matt 26:73), but "Galilean" could also mean rebellious, as the inhabitants of Galilee were known for their rebellious tendencies against Rome. The revolt of 66 AD also began in Galilee.

Vain Luukas kertoo meille tästä Jeesuksen katseesta: "And the Lord turned and looked at Peter" (jae 61).

Jesus is not believed in – Luke 22:63-71

Luke tells how two very different groups demanded proof from Jesus that he was the Messiah: first the soldiers (verses 63-65) and then the 71-member Sanhedrin (verses 66-71). Neither group received the evidence they wanted.

According to Jewish custom, a sentence could not be passed on the same day as the interrogations, so the Grand Council waited until dawn to create some semblance of legality.

At first, there was an attempt to label Jesus as a rebel, the messiah of this world (verses 67-69), but Jesus did not respond to that accusation. He was and is the Messiah, but not in the sense that his opponents intended.

Finally, Jesus was convicted of blasphemy; that he had made himself equal to God, even God (verses 70-71). There was only one penalty for that crime: death. But the Romans had taken away the right of the Jews to pass sentence of death. (John 18:31) Therefore, the Jews had to submit Jesus’ case to the Romans for their decision and confirmation.