The Passion (According To Luke)

How can humanity ever escape the stupidity with which we have ruled this planet? Why doesn’t God just toss us all away and start over? A merciful God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit made a plan to save us from ourselves. Let’s look at that plan’s darkest hours in Luke 22:14-23:56.

Luke 22:14-18 “I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God… I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”

The communion rite was begun that Maundy Thursday evening, the evening before the Jewish Passover, with the elements of bread and wine. The implication was that bread and wine will be served when Jesus comes in His kingdom.

Luke 22:19-20 “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me… This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.”

Here we see that communion is a sacrament: this is My body. What does “is” mean? It is not the word “symbolizes” nor the word “transubstantiates.” It is logically a mystery, a sacrament in Latin. Communion is an ordinance: “do this.” It is also a memorial: “in remembrance of me.”

Luke 22:25-26 “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.”

This is a great cry of the Protestant Reformation. People were murdered for translating the Bible into the common language. They were forbidden from exercising their freedom of conscience. Some church leaders were authoritarian, brutal and murderous.

Luke 22:40-42 “Pray that you may not enter into temptation… Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

Notice that unlike some modern Christians, Jesus was not averse to calling God Father. The tone of Jesus prayer is obedient and modest. Egalitarians would disagree with the sentiment, not my will but yours be done. But then Jesus had complete trust in the Father, and many moderns do not.

Luke 22:61 “Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, ‘Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.’”

Imagine how Peter felt as Jesus looked on him. With foul language Peter had loudly denied Jesus three times, he who had recently stated that even if everyone else deserted Jesus, he would not. Peter “went out and wept bitterly.”

Luke 22:70 “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am [you say that I am].”

This expression is not Greek, but Hebrew where it is understood as, your words testify to themselves. If we miss the meaning, it is clear that the Jews understood what Jesus meant, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”

Luke 23:3 “Pilate asked Him, saying, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And He answered him and said, ‘It is as you say.’”

This is a more accurate rendering of Jesus’ answer. “You say” is similar to our “You said it.”

Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Again Jesus calls God Father. This prayer includes all who sin against God, not knowing what they are doing. We may be convinced that our lifestyle is not a sin, but God knows our guilt, even if we don’t, and Jesus prays the same for us, a prayer of forgiveness.

Luke 12:41-43 “...this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

Paradise was a word used for a grand, enclosed park and pictures either a place above Hades where people awaited the resurrection or a place in heaven. Some ancient fathers used to believe that it is the garden of Eden and that it still exists somewhere between earth and heaven.

Luke 12:46 “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.”

Again Jesus is not ashamed to call God Father. He entrusts His spirit, His breath of life, for safekeeping to the Father. This saying has been repeated by many faithful saints on their deathbed and was also been an evening prayer for many devout Jews coming from Psalm 31:5.

The whole of Psalm 31:5 says, “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” Redeemed means paid my ransom. We were captive to the sins of the world, owned by the devil, prisoner of our failures. Jesus paid it all.

New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation