CHAPTER 22

(A.D. 33)

THE PLOT

¹Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover (it began on April 14th; there were three Feasts held at this particular time, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits).

²And the Chief Priests and Scribes sought how they might kill Him (represented the religious hierarchy of Israel; it is ironic; the world did not crucify Him so much as did the Church, i.e., Israel); for they feared the people (they should have feared God!).

JUDAS ISCARIOT

³Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot (pertained to the present time, even though Satan had been working on Judas for quite some time), being of the number of the Twelve (the Holy Spirit wanted all to know what an opportunity this man had, but threw it all away).

⁴And he (Judas) went his way (it was not Gods Way), and communed with the Chief Priests and Captains, how he might betray Him unto them (proclaims the most evil deed ever carried out by a human being).

⁵And they were glad (portrays evil beyond belief; it is more tragic still when one realizes that this was the Church of Jesus day; however, it hasnt changed; were Christ here now, institutionalized religion would do the same thing as was done then), and covenanted to give him money (thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave).

⁶And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray Him unto them in the absence of the multitude (they had to carry out this act when He was Alone, or at least in the presence of His Disciples only; Judas promised to provide this opportunity).

THE PASSOVER

⁷Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed (Jesus, Gods Passover, must be killed because the Scriptures predicted it; only His Atoning Death could expiate mans sin; all four Gospels record at great length His Death, while only two briefly record His Birth).

⁸And He sent Peter and John, saying (had to do with the preparation of the Passover, which constituted the Last Supper), Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat (means that Peter and John, representing the Apostolic band, took a lamb to the Temple where it was killed).

⁹And they said unto Him, Where will You that we prepare? (At this time, they did not know where it would be eaten. In fact, Jesus would eat the Passover a day early.)

¹⁰And He said unto them, Behold, when you are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water (in those days, men seldom carried pitchers of water, that being reserved for women; consequently, such would be easy to spot); follow him into the house where he enters in (would be the place where the Passover would be eaten; some think this was the home of John Mark, who wrote the Gospel that bears his name).

¹¹And you shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master says unto you, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the Passover with My Disciples? (If it is to be noticed, Jesus does not ask permission; for Kings tell instead of ask.)

¹²And he shall show you a large upper room furnished (prepared): there make ready (this could well be the same upper room from Acts 1:13, as it most probably was).

¹³And they went, and found as He had said unto them (will always be the case regarding anything He has spoken unto us): and they made ready the Passover (means that they prepared the lamb for roasting, along with the making of the unleavened bread, etc.).

THE LORDS SUPPER

¹⁴And when the hour was come (was a little after sundown, which was Wednesday, at least as Israel then reckoned time), He sat down, and the Twelve Apostles with Him (including Judas as is obvious).

¹⁵And He said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer (it would be symbolic of the New Covenant, brought about by what He would suffer through the Cross):

¹⁶For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof (this would be the last Passover, at least which God would recognize, because Jesus, Who was in reality the Passover, would meet its requirements on the Cross), until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God (even though the total price was paid at Calvary, still, all that Redemption affords has not yet been received, but will be received at the Resurrection of Life [I Cor. 15:49-58]).

¹⁷And He took the cup, and gave thanks (evidently a large cup), and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves (a small portion was poured for each one):

¹⁸For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God shall come (same as Verse 16).

¹⁹And He took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My Body which is given for you (His Body was prepared by God, in order that it be a Perfect Sacrifice [Heb. 10:5]): this do in remembrance of Me (in remembrance of His Death on the Cross of Calvary that purchased our Redemption, which we celebrate in that referred to as the Lords Supper).

²⁰Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament (New Covenant) in My blood (the terminology is symbolic and figurative, not literal; Lev. 3:17 and Lev. 7:26 forbade the eating of blood), which is shed for you (which was done on the Cross of Calvary).

THE BETRAYAL FORETOLD

²¹But, behold, the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me on the table (it doesnt tell us much because the hands of all of the Apostles were on the table).

²²And truly the Son of Man goes, as it was determined (Gods foreknowledge does not abrogate mans responsibility; God wills in the sense of permission, but not necessarily): but woe unto that man by whom He is betrayed! (This tells us that it was not predetermined who the man would be, even though it was predetermined that some man would do such a thing.)

²³And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing (at this time, none of the Disciples knew of the disposition of Judas).

STRIFE

²⁴And there was also a strife among them (took place almost immediately after Supper; Strife in this instance means contention), which of them should be accounted the greatest (Christ was about to die, and His Disciples were arguing over place and position; they still did not have a clue as to what was about to happen to Him).

²⁵And He said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them (proclaims the way of the world, which the Believeris notto emulate); and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors (presents the means by which these dictators justify themselves; they claim to give all types of good things to the people, but most give nothing).

²⁶But ye shall not be so (the lordship spirit is the way of the world, and is not to be adopted by the Church): but he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he who is chief, as he who does serve (all Believers, and especially those who will be greatly used by the Lord, must know and live as the servant).

²⁷For whether is greater, he who sits at meat, or he who serves? (This is meant to point out the total contrast between the ways of the world and the Ways of God.) is not he who sits at meat? (The world looks at the one who is being served as the Greatest, but now Jesus shows us true Greatness.) but I am among you as He who serves (as is obvious, Jesus lived by the servant principle, which as stated is the opposite of the world; and we must do the same).

²⁸You are they which have continued with Me in My temptations (He was the Man of Sorrows; His whole Life was a series of trials, griefs, hatreds, and sufferings).

²⁹And I appoint unto you a Kingdom (though He foreknew that they would all forsake Him, yet, in His most wonderful and tender Love, He praised their fidelity and courage and promised them a recompense out of all proportion to their service), as My Father has appointed unto Me (we become a joint heir with Christ [Rom. 8:17]);

³⁰That you may eat and drink at My Table in My Kingdom (has reference to the coming Kingdom Age, mentioned in Verse 18), and sit on thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel (is a privilege to be enjoyed only by the Twelve Apostles, with Matthias taking the place of Judas).

PETER

³¹And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you (portrays to us a glimpse into the spirit world, which was very similar to the same request made by Satan concerning Job), that he may sift you as wheat (Satan tempts in order to bring out the bad, while God tests in order to bring out the good; the simple truth is, God, at times, using Satan as His instrument in addressing character, causes men to seek Gods Holiness rather than their own):

³²But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not (Satans attack is always delivered against Faith, for if that fails all fail): and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren (does not refer to being Saved again, but rather coming to the right path of trust and dependence on the Lord, instead of on self; that lesson learned, one is then able to strengthen the brethren).

³³And he (Peter) said unto Him, Lord, I am ready to go with You, both into prison, and to death (most probably Peters true feelings, but his confidence was in self, and self cannot perform the task).

³⁴And He said, I tell you, Peter (Jesus seldom addressed Peter by this name; it means, a rock; so by Him referring to Peter in this fashion, in essence, told him that, despite the terrible denial which was coming, Peter would survive the onslaught), the cock shall not crow this day, before that you shall thrice deny that you know Me (pinpoints the time, and exactly the number of times this would happen).

³⁵And He said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked you any thing? And they said, Nothing (speaks of every need being met and abundantly so).

³⁶Then said He unto them, But now, he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip (a bag for carrying things, placed over the shoulder or around the waist; He is telling them that while the needs will always be met, it will not be nearly so easy as it had been in the past): and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one (all of these terms are symbolic; the sword has reference to the fact that Believers are to accept the protection of an ordered Government).

³⁷For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in Me (refers to Isa., Chpt. 53, and is the first time the Lord refers to that Text), And He was reckoned among the transgressors (does not mean that He was actually a transgressor, but that Israel considered Him one even though they could find no wrongdoing for which He could be charged): for the things concerning Me have an end (He had come to fulfill all the Prophecies of the past, and this He would do shortly).

³⁸And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords (proclaims that they did not understand that to which He referred concerning the purchasing of a sword; they took it literally, whereas He was speaking symbolically respecting the authority of Gentile nations). And He said unto them, It is enough (proclaims Him making no attempt to correct their false assumption in this securing of two swords, knowing that the meaning would become abundantly clear after the Day of Pentecost).

GETHSEMANE

³⁹And He came out, and went, as He was wont (accustomed), to the Mount of Olives (constitutes the beginning of the agony in the Garden); and His Disciples also followed Him (proclaims, it seems, that they did not quite know what He was going to do, and what the occasion would present).

⁴⁰And when He was at the place (Gethsemane, the place of surrender), He said unto them, Pray that you enter not into temptation (the temptation of subverting the Will of God).

⁴¹And He was withdrawn from them about a stones cast, and kneeled down, and prayed (His Prayer Life was exceptional, and ours should be as well!),

⁴²Saying, Father, if You be willing, remove this cup from Me (speaks of that which He would have to drink in the spiritual sense): nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done (this is the price of surrender).

⁴³And there appeared an Angel unto Him from Heaven, strengthening Him (this was the peace of surrender; as a human being, He suffered now as possibly no other has suffered, thereby desperately needing the help of the Angel).

⁴⁴And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly (Heb. 5:7 shows that the wrath of God was to judge Him as if He, and He Alone, were the only sinner who ever existed, even though He was no sinner at all; this caused that agony; so His Death was not just a great example of resignation and self-sacrifice, as multitudes vainly think): and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground (portrays a recognized fact that under extreme mental pressure, the pores may become so dilated that blood may issue from them in the form of bloody sweat).

⁴⁵And when He rose up from prayer, and was come to His Disciples (signals the victory won, at least in this great struggle concerning the Will of God), He found them sleeping for sorrow (the agony upon Him also affected His Disciples),

⁴⁶And said unto them, Why sleep ye? (This presents the moment He awakened them. He does not expect an answer.) rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation (would have been better translated, lest you succumb to temptation).

THE ARREST

⁴⁷And while He yet spoke, behold a multitude (pertains to the group coming to arrest Jesus, consisting of Roman Legionnaires and of Levitical guards belonging to the Temple), and he who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, went before them (proclaims the Holy Spirit purposely explaining who Judas was, so as not to confuse him with others of the same name), and drew near unto Jesus to kiss Him (the prearranged design).

⁴⁸But Jesus said unto him, Judas, you betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss? (This was the most infamous kiss in history.)

⁴⁹When they which were about Him saw what would follow (saw that He was about to be arrested), they said unto Him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? (This presents the very opposite of what He wanted them to do.)

⁵⁰And one of them smote the servant of the High Priest (this was Simon Peter; as well, John gives the servants name as Malchus), and cut off his right ear (evidently, Peter was trying to kill him!).

⁵¹And Jesus answered and said, Suffer you thus far (probably means, although it has been debated, bear with My Disciples). And He touched his ear, and healed him (presents the last miracle of healing He performed before the Crucifixion).

⁵²Then Jesus said unto the Chief Priests, and Captains of the Temple, and the Elders, which were come to Him (represented the religious hierarchy of Israel, the very ones who should have welcomed Him instead), Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? (This presents two thoughts: 1. If I wanted to use My Power against you, your swords and staves would do you no good at all; and, 2. I am not a thief, as should be obvious, so why do you treat Me as one?)

⁵³When I was daily with you in the Temple, you stretched forth no hands against Me (presents the truth of His Position, and the fallacy of theirs): but this is your hour (refers to God allowing the religious leaders of Israel to do this dastardly thing), and the power of darkness (means that the energy by which they were doing this thing was the energy of the power of darkness, i.e., Satan himself!).

THE DENIAL

⁵⁴Then took they Him, and led Him, and brought Him into the High Priests house (the High Priest at this time was Caiaphas, son-in-law to Annas, who was the legal High Priest, but who had been deposed by the Romans some time before). And Peter followed afar off (does not record the reason for Peters failure, as some believe; his problem, as with us all, was self-will).

⁵⁵And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together (speaks of those who had arrested Jesus, bringing Him to the house of the High Priest), Peter sat down among them (proclaims him arriving at the Palace with John who was able to procure admission for the both of them, due to John being known to the High Priest).

⁵⁶But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him (provides the first occasion for the terrible denial), and said, This man was also with Him (probably came as a surprise to Peter).

⁵⁷And he denied Him, saying, Woman, I know Him not (the first of three denials).

⁵⁸And after a little while another saw him, and said, You are also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not (the second denial).

⁵⁹And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with Him: for he is a Galilaean (represents the occasion for the third and final denial).

⁶⁰And Peter said, Man, I know not what you say. And immediately, while he yet spoke, the rooster crowed (the third denial, and exactly the number that Jesus predicted).

⁶¹And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter (probably refers to the moment that Jesus was being led from the interrogation before Caiaphas, to be examined before the Sanhedrin). And Peter remembered the Word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the rooster crows, you shall deny Me three times (presents this coming back to Peter in full force, with all its attendant implications).

⁶²And Peter went out, and wept bitterly (this type of weeping signals Repentance [Ps. 51:17]).

THE TRIAL

⁶³And the men who held Jesus mocked Him (referred to them goading Jesus that He use His Power to stop them; that is, if He had any power), and smote Him (fulfilled the Prophecies of Isaiah [Isa. 52:14]).

⁶⁴And when they had blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face (many struck Him, no doubt, causing His Face to swell), and asked Him, saying, Prophesy, who is it who smote You? (These mockers will one day stand before God, with each name being called out and exactly the number of blows that they delivered to the Face of Jesus.)

⁶⁵And many other things blasphemously spoke they against Him.

⁶⁶And as soon as it was day (the trial which had been conducted that night was actually illegal; so now the Sanhedrin will meet again during the day, to try to legitimize what they had already done), the Elders of the people and the Chief Priests and the Scribes came together, and led Him into their council, saying (was to constitute His trial they thought, but in reality it was their trial),

⁶⁷Are You the Christ? (Evidently, all who were present were aware that Jesus had admitted to this while before Caiaphas, which Luke incidentally passes over, but is recounted by both Matthew and Mark.) tell us (said with anger and determination). And He said unto them, If I tell you, you will not believe (constitutes an answer far broader than they had asked):

⁶⁸And if I also ask you (refers to questions that, if properly answered, would have proved His Messiahship), you will not answer Me (refers to the fact that they were not looking for Truth), nor let Me go (this meant that the trial was a farce).

⁶⁹Hereafter shall the Son of Man (presents the last time Jesus will refer to Himself as such; in effect, this answers their question) sit on the right hand of the Power of God (refers to the Great White Throne Judgment, in effect, saying, you are judging Me today, but tomorrow I will judge you).

⁷⁰Then said they all, Are you then the Son of God? (This was said with sarcasm!) And He said unto them, You say that I am (even though not resident in the Greek, in the Hebrew denotes a strong affirmation; in other words, in the clearest possible language He said, I am!).

⁷¹And they said, What need we any further witness? (This proclaims exactly what they wanted.) for we ourselves have heard of His Own mouth (means they would all witness against Him to Pilate that He had made this claim).