221 The Feast of Unleavened Bread, also called Passover, drew near. 2 The high priests and religion scholars were looking for a way to do away with Jesus but, fearful of the people, they were also looking for a way to cover their tracks. 3 That's when Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot. He was one of the Twelve. 4 Leaving the others, he conferred with the high priests and the Temple guards about how he might betray Jesus to them. 5 They couldn't believe their good luck and agreed to pay him well. 6 He gave them his word and started looking for a way to betray Jesus, but out of sight of the crowd.
7 The Day of Unleavened Bread came, the day the Passover lamb was butchered. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John off, saying, "Go prepare the Passover for us so we can eat it together." 9 They said, "Where do you want us to do this?" 10 He said, "Keep your eyes open as you enter the city. A man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him home. 11 Then speak with the owner of the house: The Teacher wants to know, 'Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?' 12 He will show you a spacious second-story room, swept and ready. Prepare the meal there." 13 They left, found everything just as he told them, and prepared the Passover meal. 14 When it was time, he sat down, all the apostles with him, 15 and said, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering. 16 It's the last one I'll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God." 17 Taking the cup, he blessed it, then said, "Take this and pass it among you. 18 As for me, I'll not drink wine again until the kingdom of God arrives." 19 Taking bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory." 20 He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.
21 "Do you realize that the hand of the one who is betraying me is at this moment on this table? 22 It's true that the Son of Man is going down a path already marked out - no surprises there. But for the one who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man, this is doomsday." 23 They immediately became suspicious of each other and began quizzing one another, wondering who might be about to do this.
24 Within minutes they were bickering over who of them would end up the greatest. 25 But Jesus intervened: "Kings like to throw their weight around and people in authority like to give themselves fancy titles. 26 It's not going to be that way with you. Let the senior among you become like the junior; let the leader act the part of the servant. 27 "Who would you rather be: the one who eats the dinner or the one who serves the dinner? You'd rather eat and be served, right? But I've taken my place among you as the one who serves. 28 And you've stuck with me through thick and thin. 29 Now I confer on you the royal authority my Father conferred on me 30 so you can eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and be strengthened as you take up responsibilities among the congregations of God's people.
31 "Simon, stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 22:1-31
Commentary on Luke 22:1-6
(Read Luke 22:1-6)
Christ knew all men, and had wise and holy ends in taking Judas to be a disciple. How he who knew Christ so well, came to betray him, we are here told; Satan entered into Judas. It is hard to say whether more mischief is done to Christ's kingdom, by the power of its open enemies, or by the treachery of its pretended friends; but without the latter, its enemies could not do so much evil as they do.
Commentary on Luke 22:7-18
(Read Luke 22:7-18)
Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover. Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his Father's glory and man's redemption. 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.
Commentary on Luke 22:19-20
(Read Luke 22:19-20)
The Lord's supper is a sign or memorial of Christ already come, 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 rememberance 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.
Commentary on Luke 22:21-38
(Read Luke 22:21-38)
How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than self-confidence, with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless we watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day into those sins which we were in the morning most resolved against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall; but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ. Our Lord gave notice of a very great change of circumstances now approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a purse, let him take it, for he may need it. They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, but he spake only of the weapons of the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.