LUKE 22
THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND JUDAS- See also (Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27)
LUKE 22:1-6
22:1: THE PASSOVER (Greek... Pascha): Is the celebration of the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt and the deliverance of God's people from bondage (Exodus 12-14): In remembrance of this, The Jewish people would slaughter an unblemished lamb and than partake with it with unleavened bread: This is prefiguring Christ's Passion, in which the only begotten Son of God is slain in order to deliver His people from their bondage to sin and death, to be raised up to lead us to the eternal Kingdom: So Pascha is the primary term by which we refer to the death and Resurrection of Christ, known in the West as Easter!!!
22:3: SATAN: does not enter a man except by the man's consent: The reason Satan chose Judas and none of the other disciples is that Judas had a place for Satan in his heart, while the others did not: Luke mentions of Judas being NUMBERED AMONG THE TWELVE emphasizes the depth of the betrayal showing that religious positions are worthless if not accompanied by faith and virtue!!!
PREPARATION FOR THE PASSOVER- See also (Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-26)
LUKE 22:7-13
22:7:8: SEE NOTES AT V. 1 ABOVER TERM PASSOVER (Greek-Pascha)- can refer to the original event itself, which is the celebration of that event, the food that is eaten, or the lamb that is slain: According to the Fathers, PETER represents zeal and JOHN represents spiritual understanding, the virtues with which we are to partake of the Lord's Supper!!!
THE EUCHARIST INSTITUTED- See also (Matthew 26:20, 26-29; Mark 14:22-25; John 13:1-38)
LUKE 22:14-19
22:15: CHRIST HAS A FERVENT DESIRE FOR THIS PASSOVER: because the meal will impart the mysteries of the New Covenant to His followers, and this event inaugurated the great deliverance of humanity from sin through the power of the cross!!!
22:17-18: THIS FIRST CUP: is concluding the OT Passover meal where Christ eats with His disciples to fulfill the Law: UNTIL THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMES means until Christ's Resurrection; at that time He will again eat and drink with His disciples- (Luke 24:43; Acts 10:41)
22:19-20: GAVE THANKS: Is rooted in the Greek word eucharist, which immediately referred to both the Liturgy and the sacrament of Holy Communion: Before the end of the first century, a manuscript called the Didache refers to the celebration of the Liturgy as the Eucharist, in AD150, St. Justin says of Holy Communion, "This food we call Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing (Holy Baptism) for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ commanded us." THIS IS MY BODY: The Orthodox Church has always accepted Christ's words as true, "that the food consecrated by the word of prayer which comes from Him is he flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus" (St. Justin)- see (John 6:51-66- see 1 Corinthians 11):
DECEPTION AND BETRAYAL- See also (Matthew 26:21-25; Mark 14:18-21; John 13:21-30)
LUKE 22:20-23
22:21-23: JUDAS TOO IS INVITED TO THE TABLE: for the mystical supper, Jesus seeking by all means to save him: His unworthy participation leads to his destruction (see- 1 Corinthians 11:27-30; read and compare Est 7):
GREATNESS IS SERVICE- See also (Matthew 20:24-28; Mark 10:35-45)
LUKE 22:24-27
22:24-27: THIS SMALL-MINDED DISPUTE: is out of place in the context of the mysteries Christ has just revealed: He corrects the disciples by comparing them to the power-hungry GENTILES, whom they themselves considered an abomination, and than contrasting them to Himself, who SERVES us even though He is Lord of all!!!
CHRIST REWARDS HIS SERVANTS
LUKE 22:28-30
22:30: "CHRIST JUDGES BY DISCERNING THE HEART: and not by examining deeds. The apostles are being shaped into exercising their own spiritual judgement concerning faith, and also rebuking error with virtue : GOD'S KINGDOM begins with the Resurrection of Christ, the authority of judgement has already been given to the apostles and their successors in the journey of the Church on earth (Matthew 16:19; John 20:23):
PETER'S DENIALS PREDICTED- See also (Matthew 26:30-35; Mark 14:26-31; John 13:36-38)
LUKE 22:31-34
22:31-32: THE FORM OF YOU In (v. 31) is plural: Indicating Satan ASKED FOR all the disciples, while the YOU in (v. 32) is singular indicating Jesus prayed especially for Simon Peter: That's because Peter's faith was the strongest, he would be tested the most: WHEN YOU HAVE RETURNED TO ME: (See- John 21:15-17): STRENGTHEN YOUR BRETHERN is referring not only to the other disciples, but to all the faithful until Christ returns!!!
TIME OF CRISIS
LUKE 22:35-38
22:35-38: THE SWORD: (v. 36): is not be taken literally (let's see and compare vv. 49-51), but instead referring to the living word of God in the battle against sin ( Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12): St. Ambrose gives and us an additional meaning to this: that giving up one's garment and buying a sword refers to surrendering the body to the sword of martyrdom: Because the disciples were thinking of swords literally, Jesus ends the discussion with the words- IT IS ENOUGH OR BETTER TRANSLATED ENOUGH OF THIS!!! (See- Deuteronomy 3:26; Mark 14:41):
JESUS WATCHES IN THE GARDEN- See also (Matthew 26:30, 36-46; Mark 14:26, 32-42; John 18:1)
LUKE 22:39-46
22:41-44: CHRIST'S AGONY (v. 44) Was the product of Hid human nature: In asking that THE CUP be taken away, Here Christ is revealing His Human Will: By submitting His Human Will to the Father, Christ reveals His divine will to be one with the Father's, and further shows that each person must submit his or her own will to God's will (Luke 11:2): Christ willingly takes in Himself the voice of weak humanity, so He is now conquering weakness: "The words of weakness are sometimes adopted by the strong in order that the hearts of the weak may be strengthened" (GrgGt)
22:43-45: This passage is read on Holy Thursday, the Thursday before Pascha (Easter)
ARREST- See also (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; John 18:2-12)
LUKE 22:47-53
22:51: THIS HEALING: is recorded only here by St. Luke: It indicates how we are to treat our enemies: A spiritual meaning is given that Christ who gives people the ability to hear the truth so they can come to salvation on their on terms- (see- Luke 8:8; and Luke 14:35):
22:53: DARKNESS: See- John 3:19-21; and John 13:30: John 3:19-21: And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 13:30: Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night. -Judas' exit from the Last Supper at night is symbolizing his entrance into all-encompassing spiritual darkness (John 3:19):
PETER'S DENIALS- See also (Matthew 26:57-58, 69-75; Mark 14:53-54, 66-72; John 18:13-18, 25-27)
LUKE 22:54-65
22:56: A GIRL: being the first to test Peter is showing us a reference to the temptation of Adam by Eve (Genesis 3:6): Our fallen state is overcome in Christ when women are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10)
22:61-62: PETER IS SO OVERCOME WITH FEAR: that neither Christ's prediction (V. 34) nor the crowing of THE ROOSTER calls him to repentance, but only the Lord's gaze causes him to weep BITTERLY: nerveless, "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud" (St. Ambrose)
BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN- See also (Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:55-65; John 18:19-24)
LUKE 22:66-71
22:68: JESUS ASKED MANY QUESTIONS: of the Jewish leaders which they refused to answer because doing so would have meant confessing Him as the Christ (Luke 20:4-7; Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 3:4):
22:69: BY THIS CLAIM: Jesus declares Himself to be equal with GOD!!!
-Greatness is the Lord's service to us, because Great is His Faithfulness!!!
JPCE SPIRITUAL TALK
NEVER HOLD BACK
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
JEHOVAH SHALOM!!!