Luke

By  Joyce Webb  2021

Chapter 22 Verses 14-23

Verse 14-16 Jesus sat down with his disciples for the Passover meal.

He said, “I have been wanting to have this meal with you before I suffer.”

I imagine the disciples were wondering what he was talking about—”before he suffers”. Why would he be suffering?

Remember—the Jewish thought that the Messiah, Promised One would come to deliver them from the rule of other kings and they would be a free people. The Messiah would be their king.

The disciples have come to believe and accept that Jesus was from God, and that he was sent from God, and that he was the Messiah.

They still expected him to rise up and conquer Rome and be their King.

Now he was talking about suffering.

Vs. 16 Jesus says: I will not eat of the Passover meal with you again, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

In other words, Jesus would not eat the Passover meal again until he ate it with them someday in heaven.

The disciples did not understand that sentence. They did not know what Jesus was talking about.

Vs. 17 Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks then said to them, Take this, divide it among yourselves—each take a sip— then again, Jesus said, Vs. 18 I will not drink of the cup of fruit of the vine again, until the kingdom of God shall come.

The Passover meal was eaten every year. So the disciples must have been wondering—where was Jesus going to be that he would not be eating the Passover meal again. And what did Jesus mean when he said “until the kingdom of God shall come”?

Vs. 19 Jesus took the unleavened bread (means had no yeast —like a cracker) , he took it an broke it and gave some to them.

He said, “Eat this, it is my body—which is given for you”

Do this (in future) as a remembrance of Me.

Vs. 20 Jesus took the cup and said—This is the new testament in my blood which will be shed (poured out, given) for you.

The disciples must have had a hard time trying to understand what those sentences meant. They had no idea that Jesus was going to die. That his body would be “broken like the bread” because the soldiers would beat him with a whip. That Jesus’ blood would run down his head and his side.

Jesus called it “a new testament” in my blood.

The Old Testament was about the law that was written by Moses.
There were many rules.

Now Jesus was saying that from now on—because of his blood—there would be a “new testament”.

Because of Jesus’ death on the cross—the death punishment for sin–would be paid in full.

There would be no more need of animal sacrifice—animals being killed—their blood being given to “cover” the sins of a man.

Instead of a man dying for his sin—God allowed the man to let an animal die in his place and the animal’s blood was given instead of the man’s.

Now, Jesus–a man—a perfect man with no sin—would die–for all the people who had sinned. Jesus’ would take their place and die for them.—just like the lamb had done.

This is why Jesus is called the “lamb of God”.

Now the sacrifice of animals and many of the rules of the Old Testament would no longer be needed.

Jesus taught that we would worship him in “spirit and in truth”.

We would not have to go to a certain building or a certain altar to worship or take an animal sacrifice.

In our spirit —by prayer alone—we could worship God and ask for forgiveness of our sin. We could do this anywhere we were.

Vs. 21 Then Jesus said, Look, the person who has his hand on the table with me will betray me.

Vs. 22 Woe (Bad things will happen) to the one who betrays me.

Vs. 23 The disciples began to ask Jesus and each other—who is it that would betray him?