Day 38 Lent 2023
This is the betrayal and arrest. There is much in this chapter I don’t fully understand. We’ll get to those passages in time. It is also the longest chapter we’ve done so far. Let’s get started.
1Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.
2The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.
Luke 22:1–2 (NASB95)
They feared the people. The mob surrounded Jesus and protected Him. They loved Him. The Scribes and Pharisees knew it too.
3And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve.
4And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them.
5They were glad and agreed to give him money.
6So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd.
Luke 22:3–6 (NASB95)
What to say here? Satan is evil. Satan knows what will beat him. Jesus is not just his adversary but his undoing. It is through Christ we defeat evil. It is perhaps not defeated in this life, but it holds no power in the Kingdom of God. Satan knows this, and it makes him angry.
7Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.
8And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.”
9They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?”
10And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters.
11“And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’
12“And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.”
13And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
Luke 22:7–13 (NASB95)
Welcome to the Upper Room. Recall that this feast celebrates not having your firstborn child die. That was the final plague God sent to Egypt to secure the release of the people of Israel. Right now, Jews everywhere follow strict guidelines to prepare this meal. I wonder if they are personally grateful their firstborn child wasn’t taken in this plague? As I type this, I reflect on my firstborn child and her presence with me. I am very grateful I was not an unbeliever in Egypt at that time.
14When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.
15And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 22:14–16 (NASB95)
This is the last meal before the reason Jesus came to Earth begins. This is why He was born. He has always known this day would come, and now it is here.
17And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves;
18for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”
19And when He had taken some bread and 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.”
20And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
Luke 22:17–20 (NASB95)
Here is the first curious part. We’ve discussed the Kingdom of God being present now that Jesus is on Earth. However, he says “until,” meaning it is not yet there. We know the Kingdom of God is a spiritual one for those of us here on Earth and that Jesus proclaimed it arrived. As I type this, it occurs to me that this is a Kingdom of Faith, that the faith will strengthen after the resurrection, and we behold the risen Christ. Once Pentecost is complete and the Holy Spirit is given to all people, it is fully enthroned, I think. This is also the basis for the symbology of Holy Communion. For some denominations, they believe the wine served actually changes as the people drink it into the blood of Christ. I am not one of them.
21“But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table.
22“For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
23And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.
Luke 22:21–23 (NASB95)
Jesus knew from the moment Judas joined Him he would betray Him. Jesus brought him in any way. Jesus knew as they all went into the upper room Judas had met with the authorities and arranged everything, and still, He let it happen. In a bit, we will see why. That Jesus let it happens isn’t what puzzles me about this, and as I type this, I am reminded that the piece that does puzzle me shouldn’t. We’ll get to that later.
24And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.
Luke 22:24 (NASB95)
These guys are like any other group. The Boss just said someone will betray Him, and they are arguing about who is the best among them. They must have felt somewhat invincible with Jesus. After seeing all His miracles, raising the dead, water into wine, predictions of things that would happen, calming multiple storms, and all the healing, how could you not feel unstoppable? If you believe what He said, He is the Son of God, God Himself on earth. How could you not feel invulnerable? That’s going to change very soon.
25And 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 you as the one who serves.
Luke 22:25–27 (NASB95)
God is giving a leadership lesson. If you are in a position of authority and you don’t do the things, whatever those things are that your people do, you are not a leader in Christ’s image. God came to Earth and walked as a human being. While here, God served, healed, and helped all He came into contact with. He taught, educated, and corrected everyone around Him, but He did so from the position of someone who had already learned those lessons. Lead by example. Don’t ask people under you to do things you aren’t willing to do yourself. Do not send someone else to do the dirty work if you haven’t already put in the time doing the dirty work yourself. That is how you earn respect because you cannot demand, take, or steal respect. It can only be given to you by someone else. These men sitting with Jesus respected Him but didn’t fully understand who was sitting with them despite all His words. They would learn soon enough.
28“You are those who have stood by Me in My trials;
29and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you
30that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:28–30 (NASB95)
At first blush, I’ll wager some of these men thought they’d just been promoted. The smart ones realized that initial rush was wrong but may not have fully comprehended why. The geniuses among them, which probably came down to Peter and John, had an idea of what Jesus meant, but none of them fully comprehended the truth. Not yet, anyway.
31“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;
32but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
33But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!”
34And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
Luke 22:31–34 (NASB95)
The King James says it a little differently.
31And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
33And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
34And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
Luke 22:31–34 (KJV 1900)
The Greek word behind the word “converted” in the King James or “you have turned again” in verse thirty-two hints at returning, reverting, coming again, or turning about. I think it could have been as easily repent, but that has a different context. This is not necessarily about sin. I think Jesus means once Peter (Simon) realizes what he’s done and corrects his error returning to his faith. It’s a fantastic set of passages for Christians today in this context. Peter is afraid for his life and denies Christ three times. Jesus knows this and tells Peter that when he corrects himself, it will only make him stronger and asks him to pass that strength of conviction on to his brothers and sisters in the faith.
35And 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.”
Luke 22:35 (NASB95)
God provided what they needed at every turn in all things, and they know that.
36And 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.”
38They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
Luke 22:36–38 (NASB95) Isaiah 53:12
While Jesus was with the disciples, He guided them around trouble and cared for them. He cared for them by telling them where to go and what to do. The Holy Spirit does that for us today, but we struggle to listen and hear, and when we do hear, we struggle to implement and be obedient. While animals and evil men were real threats in those days. We still have evil men today. The wild animals, not so much. However, Jesus’ instruction to “buy a sword” was exactly what it says it is: to arm oneself and be prepared. The old martial arts adage is wisdom where weapons are concerned and our fellow man: The best way to avoid a punch is not to be there when it’s thrown.
What does that mean? It means don’t go to places and put yourself into situations where evil men are likely to be. What it also means is to learn how to defend yourself. It also means that when evil men find you, defend yourself. The part I struggle with is that defense could entail lethal force, and when you end someone’s life, you end their opportunity to repent and follow Jesus. That end is final for them, but, I hope, I go on to eternal life. For a complete pacifist, that is probably the right choice meaning someone else has the opportunity to influence that evil man to repentance after the pacifist is gone. I can’t decide if it’s a good or bad thing, but I’m certainly no pacifist. I hope I never have to find out on that front.
39And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.
40When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
41And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
42saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
Luke 22:39–42 (NASB95)
Obedience unto death. Jesus knows exactly what must happen in all its horrific details. He is still obedient to the calling of God in His life.
43Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.
44And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
Luke 22:43–44 (NASB95)
We marvel at what Jesus went through, all the hardship and pain of what is to come. I used to think it was because He was God and knew what waited for Him at the end, giving Him the strength to go through it. That’s not the case. An angel came and gave Him strength from God, but only after He prayed. Christ was divinely strengthened for the task before Him. The point? We need God’s strength to walk His path in our life because we cannot do it alone. The sooner we realize that, the sooner we can get about doing what He has for us to do.
45When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow,
Luke 22:45 (NASB95)
I suspect the disciples on watch as Jesus prayed had some terrible dread in them. So terrible that the only escape from it was the escape provided by sleep, that shuttering of the mind to escape the noise of life we all require. In this case, they ignored the request by Christ to stay awake to escape that dread. How terrible must their thoughts have been to drive them to that disobedience? Is there the possibility that they simply were overly tired and drifted off? Yes, but if that were the case, I don’t think Luke would have used the word sorrow here.
46and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
47While 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.
48But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Luke 22:46–48 (NASB95)
At last, it has come. The betrayal. Judas leads armed men with the leaders of the people who feel threatened by Jesus in the dark of night. It could end no other way.
49When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”
50And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
51But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.
Luke 22:49–51 (NASB95)
Everyone dies if they try to fight it out. However, that was how earthly followers of an earthly king did things. The disciples reacted with earthly understanding. They had not yet received a heavenly understanding, but that would come. For some, sooner than others.
52Then 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 in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”
Luke 22:52–53 (NASB95)
It is a rebuke that rings true. They came in the dark of night while the people slept. If they’d tried it during the day while people were about their lives, word would have spread. They would never have gotten a captive Jesus back to the stronghold of a leader’s house where they could defend themselves against a mob. They knew it, too, so they needed an insider, Judas, to help them know the proper timing.
54Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance.
55After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them.
Luke 22:54–55 (NASB95)
We hear the word “house” and think of our home. Our house today is a simple structure of rooms on a small plot of land. Maybe there’s a fence around the backyard, a driveway, perhaps even a gate on that drive. Some might live in a “gated community” or an apartment complex with controlled access, but the word “house” brings up the image of the rooms and structure we come and go from on a daily basis.
Back in Jesus’ day, someone’s “house” or “home” was a compound, especially for a person of prominence. Walls surrounded everything to keep wild animals out, but in cities, it kept evil men, and criminals out. There were separate buildings for servants from the family of the rich, and those who served the public, like the High Priest, would also have a courtyard where people could come to ask for help, petition the leader for justice, and other public matters. These would be open almost all the time unless in the middle of civil unrest. To keep the appearances of normalcy, the High Priest would not run the public off, and even to legitimize their charges, they’d need regular people to hear their deliberations. In this case, I’m certain the courtyard was filled with people the High Priest knew would side with them against Jesus for one reason or another. It is among those partisans, those supporters of the Scribes and Pharisees, that Peter goes in, in disguise, so he can see and hear what happens to his Lord.
56And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.”
57But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.”
60But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
Luke 22:56–60 (NASB95)
The Scribes and Pharisees are looking to kill Jesus. Like the disciples, anyone who is His close follower will be caught up in the punishments too. Everyone knows that. Peter knows that and witnesses what they are doing to Jesus, the physical abuse He is taking while they all watch. He fears they’ll drag him up there, too, and do the same to him.
61The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”
62And he went out and wept bitterly.
Luke 22:61–62 (NASB95)
Can you imagine the shame and horror Peter felt? Not only does he realize what he’s done, but he now knows Jesus knows it too. Only later will he realize Jesus knew it all along and still loved Peter. Think about that in terms of people who have wronged us and Jesus’ command to forgive people. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him, and He not only kept him around, but He educated Peter in such a way that Jesus could build the entire Christian faith upon the rock that would be his faith. We can have this discussion right now because of Peter’s rock-solid faith. It is this moment that sets the foundation for that faith. Peter’s resolve takes root right here as he cries over his actions. I can only imagine how fierce a defender of Jesus’ teachings Peter became after this event.
63Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him,
64and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, “Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?”
65And they were saying many other things against Him, blaspheming.
Luke 22:63–65 (NASB95)
We get three short verses here. Verse sixty-five sums it all up. It is very generic and sanitized. However, this is how Jesus spent the entire night until dawn, being beaten and physically abused by bullies.
66When it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying,
67“If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe;
Luke 22:66–67 (NASB95)
This moment right here is where I envision internet arguments starting. What I mean is that someone realizes we are Christians, or we post something about faith, and they question it. Their question doesn’t stem from wanting to understand what we believe or even why we believe it. Their question is a trap. It is simply out there to lure us onto ground they are familiar with intellectually so they can snare us with our words and herd us into a predetermined outcome they desire. The Scribe's and Pharisees’ question here is no different, and Jesus knows this. His response is the only response He can give that doesn’t give them what they want. It should also be our internet response: "If I tell you what I know, you won’t believe it, so why respond at all.”
68and if I ask a question, you will not answer.
Luke 22:68 (NASB95)
Keeping with the internet argument line, this connects with us trying to debate the point. We know what we know based on scripture. We can quote supporting passages, the underlying Greek text, and all manner of theological references, but they won’t agree that our “evidence” is actually true. They can’t. They already know that if they debate Jesus, He will beat them because He knows the truth better than they do. Just like the Scribes and Pharisees, arguments and debates of faith on the internet will never (almost never) result in those who seek to ensnare us admitting we hold any piece of the truth. Yet, we know what we know.
69“But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
Luke 22:69 (NASB95) Psalm 110:1
We already know Christ is in Heaven, judging the quick and the dead. We know His words were and are true. We know scripture is God’s Word of truth detailing good and evil, and we know our faith is based on sound spiritual principles. The world will not listen unless God changes their hearts. It is the Holy Spirit’s task to do that. If your path walks that line, I wish you well. Make sure you pray often and fervently.
70And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.”
71Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”
Luke 22:70–71 (NASB95)
People say Jesus never claimed to be God. This is simply not true. But the world will not accept this truth. However, the Scribes and Pharisees believed He made that claim. It was the basis for having Jesus crucified, and we see it happen right here. Jesus does not come out and say that thing in front of them. Christ’s claim here is that it doesn’t matter what He says, the Scribes and Pharisees have already decided His fate, and they will kill Him no matter what He says.
It is never a sin to speak the truth. Jesus always did this. HE did not simply answer “yes” to the Scribe's and Pharisees’ question because that would legitimize their condemnation. Instead, He gave them an answer that kept His legal innocence intact while maintaining His integrity. This was the basis for taking Him before Pilate for punishment, and it is the beginning of our salvation. God bless and Godspeed.