LUKE 22:14-23
THE LORD’S SUPPER INSTITUTED [JESUS’ LAST NIGHT SERIES]
[Matthew 26:26–29; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26]
In this sermon series we are going to look at Jesus’ last night basically from the book of Luke. His last night is filled with meaning and the fulfillment of Scripture.
Jesus’ last day before His death started on Thursday evening, which in Jewish thinking was really the start of the next day. If you remember the creation account “There was evening and there was morning, one day” (Gen 1:5,8,12,19,23,31).
It was Nisan 14, the Jewish Day of Preparation for Passover. The Last Supper was during its nighttime hours, preceding the daytime hours (Mt 26:17; Jesus’ Last Day Series). It was “before the Feast of the Passover” (John 13:1). After instituting the supper, Jesus and His disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane (Mat 26:36, Jn 18:1). Jesus is then betrayed by Judas (Mt 26:48-49). He is arrested and taken to the High Priest Caiaphas (Mt 26:57) & there Peter denied Jesus three times (Mt 26:69-75).
Jesus begins His last night with His final preparation of the disciples for life in the coming kingdom. Jesus taught His men during His Last Supper that His death would mean the beginning of the New Covenant. The symbolism about the bread and the fruit of the vine was given to show that Jesus’ body and blood were necessary to institute the New Covenant.
[Luke’s account of Jesus’ last preparation for His death includes two parts: Jesus’ closing ministry to His close disciples at the Passover meal (vv. 7–38), and Jesus’ final hours praying alone in the garden (vv. 39–46).]
I. THE LORD’S TABLE TEACHING, 14-20.
II. THE LORD’S BETRAYAL, 21-24.
Having secured all the necessary arrangements for the Passover, Jesus bids this Passover welcome in verse 14. “And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.
Jesus and His chosen disciples, now called apostles (6:13; 9:10; 17:5; 24:10), were reclined at the table. Jesus enjoyed the fellowship of those men who had believed His message of the kingdom. They were the ones who had followed Him, knowing that He was truly the Messiah. They were the ones who had left everything in order to follow Him. They had been called to a radical form of discipleship. [John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 259.] He had molded them together into His new family.
Jesus’ solemn declaration in verse 15 reveals how much He was looking forward to this final Passover meal. ‘And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.’
Jesus began the meal by saying that He would shortly “suffer” and desired to eat this last meal undisturbed with His chosen Apostles. [His opening statement is strongly worded. “I have eagerly desired” represents a strong double construction with a Semitic cast, epithymia epethymesa (lit., “with desire I have desired”). Walter L. Liefeld, “Luke,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), 1026.] He looked forward to it so eagerly, not because He was looking forward to His death (v. 42) but because He will establish the new covenant through His suffering & death.
[The normal procedure at the Passover meal was to have an opening prayer which was followed by the first of four cups of wine and a dish of herbs and sauce. Then the story of the institution of the Passover was recited, Ps. 113 was sung and the second cup of wine was drunk. After a prayer the main course of roast lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs was eaten, and after a further prayer the third cup of wine was drunk. Pss. 114–118 were then sung, and the fourth cup of wine was drunk. I. Howard Marshall, “Luke,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1015.]
Jesus announces in verse 16 that this was the last Passover He would eat with them until all that it means would find fulfillment in the kingdom of God. “For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus’ second statement begins with an emphatic future negative: “I will not eat” (ou me phago). [A similar construction occurs in v. 18.] His statements convey the depth of Jesus’ feelings at this time and the immense significance of what is taking place.
This meal would be the last supper, for the next occasion for him would be the fulfilment of the meal in the kingdom of God. The reference is probably to the Messianic banquet. Many events in the Old Testament, including the Passover, pointed toward the ministry of Jesus and the kingdom He was to inaugurate. When His kingdom would arrive, the Passover would be fulfilled for God would have brought His people safely into their rest.
[So He takes His leave of all passovers, signifying thereby His doing away all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which the Passover was one of the earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come. Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Lk 22:7.]
Then in verse 17 Jesus begins His Last Supper by taking a cup of wine. “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.
Luke mentions a cup before (v. 17), as well as after (v. 20), the bread. It was the first of several partaken of in a Passover service. Again, Jesus gave thanks, this time for the cup. Jesus then appears to share His own cup with His new family rather than each drinking from his own cup. This would emphasize the unity the new covenant would bring which would be needed to establish and expand the kingdom.
Jesus then in verse 18 reaffirms that this would be the last occasion on which He would drink before the coming of the kingdom; in this way He clearly linked His death to the coming of the kingdom. “For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
It was the point of transition between two covenants and their two great festivals, the one about to close for ever, the other immediately to open and run its majestic career until from earth it will be transferred to heaven. Rather than looking back to the earthly exodus, He is looking forward to the heavenly one in God’s new promised land.
In verses 19 & 20 the institution of the Lord’s Supper is established for all Christians. ‘And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”
Taking the “bread” in His hands Jesus first gives thanks to God His Father. “Gave thanks” translates the verb eucharisteo (literally, good grace), the source of the beautiful word Eucharist, often used to signify the Lord’s Supper.
The bread is then broken by Jesus as He will be broken by God on the cross for them, for us. This “bread” (arton) was the thin, unleavened bread used in the Passover. “This is My body” means this Passover bread now represents His body. In the saying the bread “is given for you” (hyper hymon didomenon) Jesus is indicating that His body was about to be given in sacrificial death on their behalf. He was the sacrificial Lamb who was to take away the sin of Israel and of the entire world (John 1:29).
Next He bids them to repeat the ceremony in remembrance of Him.“In remembrance of Me” directs our attention to the person of Christ and not merely to the benefits we receive (of whatever nature we may understand them to be) from taking the bread and cup. Later they would understand that they were to repeat this rite again and again in memory of Him.
In verse 20 Jesus indicates that the following cup of wine symbolized His blood by which the new covenant was inaugurated with a sacrifice (Ex. 24:8; Je. 31:31–34). “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’
The next (third) cup, the cup of blessing, following the sequence of several refillings during the Passover, signifies the “new covenant” in Jesus’ blood. The basis for the new covenant is the shed blood of Christ “poured out for you” (to hyper hymon ekchynnomenon).
The New Covenant (spoken of many times in the OT but highlighted in Jer. 31:31–34), which was a prerequisite for the Kingdom Age, was instituted by Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus shed His blood in order to establish a new covenant. The New Covenant provided for the regeneration and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling individuals (1 Cor. 11:25–26; 2 Cor. 3:6; Heb. 8:6–7).
Jesus referred to the new covenant being inaugurated in His blood. He was bringing new significance to an element of this meal and He does so using the terminology of covenant. He talks about a new covenant that he is inaugurating, a new covenant that he will ratify with the pouring out of his own blood.
The disciples would have been reminded of the “blood of the covenant” (Ex 24:8), i.e., the blood used ceremonially to confirm the old covenant. The new covenant (Jer 31:31–34) carried with it assurance of forgiveness through Jesus’ blood shed on the cross and the inner work of the Holy Spirit in motivating us and enabling us to fulfill our covenantal responsibility.
This is the moment of transition from the Old Testament people of God to the New Testament Church; there, around that table, the Church of Jesus Christ was born. [R. C. Sproul, A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1999), 391.
[The Lord’s supper is a sign or memorial of Christ coming, who by dying delivered us. His death is in special manner set before us in that ordinance, by which we are reminded of it. The breaking of Christ’s body as a sacrifice for us, is therein brought to our remembrance by the breaking of bread. Nothing can be more nourishing and satisfying to the soul, than the doctrine of Christ’s making atonement for sin, and the assurance of an interest in that atonement. Therefore we do this in remembrance of what He did for us, when he died for us; and for a memorial of what we do, in joining ourselves to him in an everlasting covenant. The shedding of Christ’s blood, by which the atonement was made, is represented by the wine in the cup. Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Lk 22:19.]
II. THE LORD’S BETRAYAL, 21-24.
Having instituted the Lord’s Supper in verses 21-23 Jesus spoke of His imminent betrayal, bringing together in one difficult saying the facts of the divinely ordained course which He had to follow and the free responsibility and consequent guilt of the person who betrayed him.
Traditionally, the Passover is celebrated with one’s family. It commemorates the angel of death passing over the children of Israel while slaying the first-born in every Egyptian household. Jesus chose to celebrate with His new family, those twelve men who had shared His life and ministry for so long. He says to this special family in verse 21, “But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.”
Jesus reveals that the betrayer was one of the gathered disciples who was eating the Passover meal.
Verse 22 again shows that Jesus knows His earthly ministry is quickly drawing to a close. “For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”
Judas’ accountability and God’s sovereign plan for Jesus’ death are seen together. Jesus had to die, for His death was the basis of the salvation offered to all mankind and the only means for lifting the curse of sin. But the betrayer was accountable for his actions.
God did not force Judas to an uncharacteristic act of evil, rather God works through Judas’ evil intentions. This does not excuse Judas in any way. He is guilty. He is a traitor. Satan is working on all of us all the time, especially if you’re an important part of God’s kingdom as Judas was.
Jesus emphasizes that the betrayer had not forced Jesus’ hand. The betrayer did not control Jesus or history. Neither did the one who entered in to possess Judas control history. God determined that Jesus’ time had come.
In verse 23 we understand that the disciples did not know who the betrayer was. “And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.”
Apparently the disciples had trusted Judas completely, for they had no idea who would do such a thing. All twelve begin to question who would do this thing. Matthew reports that each of them began to say to Him, “Is it I?” Each one was aware that he was potentially a Judas. Deep down, they knew each one of them was capable of such betrayal.
We are all Judases, actually or potentially. The traitor is the one who has done something to betray the king, who has acted unworthily or dishonestly. What a marvel. The church is a fellowship of forgiven traitors (such as Peter). [Bruce Larson and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Luke, vol. 26, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1983), 313–314.]
IN CLOSING
Luke’s location of the prophecy of betrayal underscores the possibility of falling away even among those at the covenant table. We can see in our minds this circle of men reclining as was the custom, heads into the table, eating. They have all been together for three years. Jesus has shared His kingdom with them, His presence, and His power. Now, in the wine and bread, He gives them His body and blood. He gave Himself unreservedly to all twelve, including Judas.
In the Lord’s Supper we express our solidarity with Jesus in a public act of covenant renewal. We keep in mind His self-sacrifice in His body broken and His life blood poured out for us. With His sacrifice He started a new era under a new covenant for by His broken body and shed blood He purchases the Church (Acts 20:28) made up of those from every tribe, people, nation and generation (Rev 5:9).
[Luke, like the other synoptic writers, does not define exactly how Jesus ties in the Lord’s Supper with the actual celebration of the Passover. In the Passover feast bitter herbs are consumed, the meal is eaten, hymns are sung, passages of Old Testament history are recited, and, in the course of the whole meal, wine is taken on four distinct occasions. It is not clear on which of these occasions Jesus gave new meaning and significance to the act and from a theological perspective the order is unimportant—it is the significance of the act that is important. R. C. Sproul, A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1999), 389–390.]
