The Dispute about Greatness

24 And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest . 25 And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors .' 26 "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 . 27 "For who is greater , the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves ? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among e you as the one who serves . 28 "You are those who have stood by Me in My trials ; 29 and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom , I grant you 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom , and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel .

Peter's Denial Foretold

31 "Simon , Simon , behold , Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat ; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail ; and you, when once you have turned again , strengthen your brothers ." 33 But he said to Him, "Lord , with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death !" 34 And He said , "I say to you, Peter , the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me."

Purse, Scrip, and Sword

35 And He said to them, " When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals , you did not lack anything , did you?" They said , "No, nothing ." 36 And He said to them, "But now , whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag , and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. 37 "For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ' AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS '; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment ." 38 They said , "Lord , look , here are two swords ." And He said to them, "It is enough ."

Jesus Prays in the Garden

39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives ; and the disciples also followed Him. 40 When He arrived at the place , He said to them, " Pray that you may not enter into temptation ." 41 And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw , and He knelt e down e and began to pray , 42 saying , "Father , if You are willing , remove this cup from Me; yet not My will , but Yours be done ." 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently ; and His sweat became like drops of blood , falling down upon the ground . 45 When He rose from prayer , He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow , 46 and said to them, "Why are you sleeping ? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation ."

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

47 While He was still speaking , behold , a crowd came, and the one called Judas , one of the twelve , was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, "Judas , are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss ?" 49 When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen , they said , "Lord , shall we strike with the sword ?" 50 And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear . 51 But Jesus answered and said , "Stop ! No more of this ." And He touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber ? 53 "While I was with you daily e in the temple , you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours ."

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 22:24-53

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.

Commentary on Luke 22:39-46

(Read Luke 22:39-46)

Every description which the evangelists give of the state of mind in which our Lord entered upon this conflict, proves the tremendous nature of the assault, and the perfect foreknowledge of its terrors possessed by the meek and lowly Jesus. Here are three things not in the other evangelists. 1. When Christ was in his agony, there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. It was a part of his humiliation that he was thus strengthened by a ministering spirit. 2. Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Prayer, though never out of season, is in a special manner seasonable when we are in an agony. 3. In this agony his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down. This showed the travail of his soul. We should pray also to be enabled to resist unto the shedding of our blood, striving against sin, if ever called to it. When next you dwell in imagination upon the delights of some favourite sin, think of its effects as you behold them here! See its fearful effects in the garden of Gethsemane, and desire, by the help of God, deeply to hate and to forsake that enemy, to ransom sinners from whom the Redeemer prayed, agonized, and bled.

Commentary on Luke 22:47-53

(Read Luke 22:47-53)

Nothing can be a greater affront or grief to the Lord Jesus, than to be betrayed by those who profess to be his followers, and say that they love him. Many instances there are, of Christ's being betrayed by those who, under the form of godliness, fight against the power of it. Jesus here gave an illustrious example of his own rule of doing good to those that hate us, as afterwards he did of praying for those that despitefully use us. Corrupt nature warps our conduct to extremes; we should seek for the Lord's direction before we act in difficult circumstances. Christ was willing to wait for his triumphs till his warfare was accomplished, and we must be so too. But the hour and the power of darkness were short, and such the triumphs of the wicked always will be.