March 5, 2014: Luke Chapter 22

The Gospel According to Luke Chapter 22

Originally posted Monday, March 31, 2008

Luke Chapter 22:1-6 The Plot to Kill Jesus [see MT 25:1-5, 14-16; MK 14:1-2, 10-11]

Luke sets the scene within the most important celebration of the Jewish religious calendar. In the Synoptic Gospels Passover (Pesach) begins sundown Thursday and ends sundown Friday. The Passover meal (Seder) was prepared before sundown so that everything was in place when the time arrived. Passover was a mandatory pilgrimage and lambs were purchased and slaughtered beginning at noon. Luke mentions that Passover was called the festival of Unleavened Bread. Technically they are separate with the festival beginning on the day after Passover.

It is during the Day of Preparation that the "chief priests and scribes" conspire to arrest Jesus and have him executed. Luke's comment that they "were afraid of the people" provides the motive for the authorities quietly "looking for a way" to carry out their plan as secretly as possible. The unlikely assistance in achieving this goal would come from Judas, one of the Twelve. There are other details to this story that we do not know, such as Judas' motivation for his role in the larger plot. He is not recruited. He goes to the authorities on his own to negotiate the betrayal. Luke writes that Satan "entered into Judas," which is the only conclusion he could reach to explain such a nefarious deed: only the possessed human mind could conceive of such an act. The chief priests and scribes were no doubt ecstatic over this fortuitous event and agreed to pay Judas for his services. Judas would do the dark deed when no crowd was present.

Luke Chapter 22:7-13 Preparation for Passover [see MT 26:17-19; MK 14:12-16]

Luke's vs. 7 is not accurate in his chronology since the Passover Lambs had to be sacrificed on the day before Passover began. The difficulty in understanding the days arises from the use of sundown as the divider of one day from another. Thursday ends at sundown and Friday begins at sundown. Keeping tract of which day is which in the Passion narrative is like the sea Captain who keeps a piece of paper in a safe in his ward room with the reminder, starboard is to the right, port to the left.

In Luke's version Jesus takes the initiative to have preparations made for the meal. He sends Peter and John, a popular combination in the Gospel as well as the Book of Acts. Luke closely follows Mark in the rest of the passage.

Luke Chapter 22:14-23 The Lord's Supper [see MT 26:20-29; MK 14:17-25]

Luke's source for this section more logically places the longer introductory verses of Mark (copied by Matthew), concerning Jesus' betrayal, at the end of his passage and even then it is much shorter. By comparing the three versions of Jesus' words of institution we see that Luke's source has some significant differences. If we compare his wording with Paul's (1 Cor. 11:23-25) we see that in the important details they are essentially the same. This is important because Paul wrote as many as forty years (ca. 53 CE) before Luke and has provided the oldest written record of the words of institution. This means that Paul's source is even older than and probably is from the time of his conversion some fourteen years before his writing to the Corinthians. It is quite probable that Luke's version is older than Mark's (followed by Matthew).

In Luke there is a special introduction in which Jesus speaks to the Apostles about the importance of his sharing this Passover meal with them. He will not eat it again (or anew) until Passover has been fulfilled in the Kingdom of God, in the new age (the time of deliverance). The allusion to the Kingdom of God defines the future Passover as the Messianic Banquet. Although some writers interpret Jesus' comment in vs. 16 to mean that he was not going to eat the meal with the Apostles, this is doubtful based on vs. 15 where Jesus states his strong desire to eat it with them.

In Luke's sequence a first cup of wine (vs. 17) is used for the blessing of the meal. Jesus says the blessing, drinks from the cup of blessing and then passes it to the others. Here he makes a second reference to the coming Kingdom, saying he will not drink wine until the day of its fulfillment. This statement is not to be mistaken as a type of oath such as the Nazirite vow of John the Baptist (vs. 1:15). Jesus is saying this in the context of his time of suffering, death, and in Luke, his ascension. Next Jesus breaks the bread and passes it to the Apostles. His words here are different than Mark and Matthew's simple "take, this is my body." In Luke Jesus says, "This is my body which is givenfor you. Do this in remembrance of me." With this phrasing Luke has established two important aspects of the meaning of the Eucharist event: Jesus has voluntarily and sacrificially "given" himself to the Apostles (and to all who follow after) by way of his suffering and death and he has established the ongoing celebration of this rite in the Church as one of remembering Jesus and all that such remembering involves. The last words of institution are said over a second cup taken after the meal is finished. Luke follows Mark but adds one word, "This cup...is the new covenant..." following Paul. The "new covenant" is understood to be that of which Jeremiah wrote concerning God's new covenant with Israel upon their return from exile in Babylon (Jer. 31:31-34). For Luke this new convenient is with those who are the followers of Jesus through all generations. They will be the new Israel but not its replacement.

Luke Chapter 22:24-30 A Dispute About Greatness [see MT 20:25-28, 19:28; MK 10:42-45]

Luke uses this discussion of greatness as part of the Passover meal scene. It is consistent with the often mentioned theme of reversal: the greatest among you is the one who serves. Here Jesus compares kingdoms. Those who rule in the Kingdom of God will not be as those who rule over the Gentiles. They are called benefactors but any benefit is made odious by the highly oppressive rule of Emperors, Governors and the rich land owners. In God's Kingdom the greatest must become as the youngest - one not yet wise enough to rule; and the leader like one who serves. Jesus himself is a model for Kingdom leadership for he has come as one who serves. It is in this context as servants not lords, that Jesus confers the Kingdom that God has conferred on him. In that Kingdom they will be as judges of Israel, acting justly towards all, Jew and Gentile alike.

Luke Chapter 22:31-34 Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial [see MT 26:30-35; MK 14:26-31]

In Matthew and Mark this scene occurs when Jesus and the disciples are on the Mount of Olives on the way to Gethsemane. Jesus tells them they will all abandon him and Peter protests. In Luke they are still in the upper room. Jesus' address is specifically to Peter and the role he is to play as the leader of the Apostles. He will betray Jesus, but he has prayed for Peter that he might be emboldened to turn back (repent) and be a source of strength for the rest of the Apostles. The importance of this passage lies in the first decades of the Church. Peter will be executed by Rome within three decades, yet he will remain as the strongest pillar of Christianity. All four writers of the Gospels (and Acts) will show deference to him as the leader with the strongest endorsement being found in John. Whether the "honor" was deserved or not is beside the point. He was the hero of Christianity and if there were such a person, the successor of Jesus as shepherd, preacher and teacher. At the end of the first century the Church would begin its tumultuous journey toward a unifying orthodoxy. That "Great Church" as it was called would be in great part the product of the Apostle Peter, in myth as well as reality.

Luke Chapter 22:34-38 Purse, Bag and Sword

The passage is unique to Luke and is the source of much debate. Jesus is comparing the period of his ministry in which the disciples were sent on their evangelistic mission to heal and preach the nearness of God's Kingdom. They wanted for nothing in the village environment of hospitality. Now, however, times are changing. The relatively safe environment of the past has now become one of danger, as evidenced by his coming arrest and crucifixion. They are instructed to take provisions for travel. As vs. 31f notes, Satan will sift them all and there will be dangers ahead. There can be no assurances of protection. In that context Jesus tells them to carry a sword even if they have to sell a robe to purchase it. Here is where care must be taken in interpreting Jesus' instruction. He is not suggesting the disciples arm themselves for battle. His passivism in the face of his own arrest is to be their example. The swords are typical for self defense against animals and the frequent thief on the road, Jesus' sharp response, "It is enough" is a reprimand to their wrong conclusion that he was speaking of arming themselves to protect him in the case of arrest.

Luke Cheaper 22:39-42, 45-46 Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives [see MT 26:36-46; MK 14:32-42]

Luke has used his special source (L) for the Mount of Olives scene. By comparison to his usual Markan source, it is much briefer. He does not mention Gethsemane (nor does John) as the location of a garden on the Mount. There is no mention of Jesus' taking Peter, James and John apart to watch while he prays. There is no indication of the three separate periods of prayer interrupted by walking back to where the three disciples were sleeping. The sparse five verses report only one prayer and two warnings that the disciples should pray that they not lose heart in the struggles ahead. Jesus' prayer in vs. 42 indicates that the possibility of death was not something he wanted to happen but was willing to accept as God's will. If death was necessary to the advancing of the Kingdom he would give his one life for the benefit of the many.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

In some translations vss. 43-44 are either missing or in brackets. In the better study bibles there will be footnote comments which indicate that these verses are not part of the earliest and best manuscript copies of Luke. Often they will appear in copies of Matthew. In a number of later copies they are marked with an asterisk indicating an addition considered spurious. Textual scholars generally explain the addition as the Church's later tendency to enhance Jesus garden suffering emphasizing his humanity beyond what is noted in vs. 42.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Luke Chapter 22:47-53 Betrayal and Arrest [see MT 26:47-56; MK 14:43-52]

Luke writes an abbreviated version of Jesus' arrest. A crowd appears, led by Judas who attempts to kiss Jesus as a means of identification to the others but Jesus rejects this hypocritical gesture. There is no description at this point of who makes up the crowd. When some of the disciples offer a defense and one of them cuts off the earlobe of the High Priest's servant Jesus orders them to stop and then heals the servant. Violence has no place in the Kingdom of God. Jesus addresses the Temple officials and elders who have come in the dark of night to arrest him. He exposes their evil intent with the cutting words, "..this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

We are struck by Jesus' calmness. He has prayed about this moment and it is apparent "this cup" will not pass. He makes no struggle of resistance and they lead him away leaving the disciples alone and helpless.

Luke Chapter 22:54-71 Peter's Denial and Jesus before the Council [see MT 26:57-75; MK 14:53-72]

Luke has a reversed order in his narrative, presenting Peter's denial of Jesus as a unit ahead of Jesus' appearance before the High Priest. As noted in the previous passage about Jesus' arrest, the disciples have not fled and we will see Peter taking the initiative as their chief representative to follow Jesus to Caiaphas' palace on the Temple grounds. What follows in the courtyard of the palace is slightly different in all three versions. There is, however, the central point: three times Peter denies, even with a curse, that he knows who Jesus is, and the cock crows. In Luke there is the added poignancy, "The Lord turned and looked at Peter...and he went out and wept bitterly." We can only wonder what Peter saw in Jesus' eyes: Tears; disappointment; forgiveness? We will know the answer but not just yet.

At daybreak Jesus is brought before the gathered Sanhedrin. Note that the Pharisees are not mentioned as being present. The Sanhedrin was made up of the chief priests, Sadducees and Elders, presided over by the High Priest. Pharisees were not members. The hearing in Luke is very brief. They ask two questions trying to maneuver him into giving self-incriminating answers: Are you the Messiah? Are you the Son of God? To the first Jesus gives no direct answer, only an allusion to Dan. 12:13-14 as fulfillment of the three prior predictions of his suffering, death and resurrection (see 18:31-34). In the Church's understanding all that has come before has led to this time and what has been written in the Prophets will, from now on, be seen in the vision of the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God. Jesus' reference is not understood and so leads to a second, more direct question: Are you, then, the Son of God?" His answer, "You say that I am," can be taken one of two ways. It can be an elusive response, neither a denial nor an affirmation, or as the definitive use of I AM which would be an unambiguous "yes." The latter seems more likely given the leaders' response that no further testimony is needed. They understand his answer as blasphemy, "from his own lips." We also note Luke's affinity to John and that Son of God became the title of choice superseding all others in the wider Church by the end of the first century. The caution in accepting this conclusion would be to remember that this is the Christological and creedal declaration of the later Church and not one from the third decade of the first century. It may be more Christology then biography.