Commentary on Luke

22.1–23.56 : The Last Supper and Jesus' trials, death, and burial

(Mt 26.1–27.61; Mk 14.1–15.47; Jn 13.1–19.42 ).

22.1–6 : The deadly conspiracy against Jesus.

1–2 :

Mt 26.2–5; Mk 14.1–2; Jn 11.47–53 . The word “called” is a concession to the Gentile readers for whom Luke wrote.

3–6 :

Mt 26.14–16; Mk 14.10–11; Jn 13.2 .

3 :

The entry of Satan into Judas (see 6.16n. ) reintroduces the theme from 4.13 .

22.7–13 : Preparations for the Passover

(Mt 26.17–19; Mk 14.12–16; Jn 13.1 ).

7 :

Ex 12.18–20; Deut 16.5–8 .

10 :

The plans appear to rest on some prior arrangement; a man carrying a jar of water would be doing woman's work and would be easily noticeable.

11 :

The identity of the householder is unknown.

12 :

The large room upstairs was on the second floor, probably served by an outside staircase; such rooms were regularly available and rented to pilgrims to Jerusalem.

22.14–20 : The Last Supper

(Mt 26.26–29; Mk 14.22–25; cf. Jn 6.51–58 ).

14 :

The hour, of the meal, after sundown.

15 :

12.49–50 .

16 :

Jesus thinks of the meal as pointing forward to the meal celebrating the fulfilling of God's kingdom ( 12.37n.; 13.28–29; 14.15; 22.28–30 ).

17 :

Some Jewish meals included prayers over the cup of wine, and several such prayers might be offered during the meal (see v. 20 ). Luke's order of events may be related to this practice, or to a variation among early Christians in the way they remembered and observed the “Lord's supper.” Jesus transformed a Jewish devotional meal into a continuing expression of association with himself in death and victory.

19 :

1 Cor 11.23–26 .

21 :

Ps 41.9; Jn 13.21–30 .

22.21–23 : The foretelling of the betrayal

(Mt 26.21–25; Mk 14.18–21; Jn 13.21–30 ).

22.24–30 : True discipleship

(Mt 20.24–28; Mk 10.41–45 ). These verses and those of the two sections that follow ( 21.31–34,35–38 ) form a brief farewell discourse delivered by Jesus to his disciples.

24 :

Jn 13.3–16 .

25 :

Benefactors, a title bestowed on Hellenistic kings.

27 :

See 12.37n.

22.31–34 : The foretelling of Peter's denial

(Mt 26.30–35; Mk 14.26–31; Jn 13.36–38 ).

31 :

Job 1.6–12; Am 9.9 .

32 :

You in this verse is singular (contrast v. 31 ).

34 :

See vv. 54–62 .

22.35–38 : Sayings about the coming crisis.

35 :

See 10.4; cf. 9.3 .

36 :

An example of Jesus' fondness for striking metaphors, but the disciples take it literally (v. 38 ).

37 :

Isa 53.12 .

38 :

An ironic rebuke.

22.39–46 : Jesus' prayer on the Mount of Olives

(Mt 26.36–46; Mk 14.32–42; Jn 18.1–2 ).

40 :

See 11.4 .

42 :

Cup, metaphor for that which is allotted by God, whether blessing (Ps 16.5; 116.13 ) or judgment (Isa 51.17; Lam 4.21 ). Here it refers to Jesus' suffering and death.

43–44 :

Important early manuscripts lack these verses, but they were known to Christian writers of the second century and reflect tradition concerning the suffering of Jesus. Whether they were a part of the original text is debatable.

22.47–53 : The betrayal and arrest of Jesus

(Mt 26.47–56; Mk 14.43–52; Jn 18.2–12 ).

52 :

Isa 53.12 . Only in Luke are the chief priests themselves present.

22.54–62 : Peter's denials

(Mt 26.69–75; Mk 14.66–72; Jn 18.25–27 ).

54–55 :

Jn 18.12–16 .

56–62 :

Jn 18.16–18,25–27 .

61 :

22.34 . Jesus' turning to face Peter is a detail found only in Luke (cf. 7.13 ).

22.63–65 : The mockery of Jesus

(Mt 26.67–68;27.27–31a; Mk 14.65; 15.16–20a ). see Jn 18.22–24 . This scene in Luke's account is located differently in the sequence of the narrative from the parallels in the other Gospels.

22.66–71 : Jesus before the council

(Mt 27.1; 26.59–65; Mk 15.1; 14.55–63; Jn 18.13–14,19–23 ).

66 :

Council, Gk “synedrion,” Sanhedrin.

67 :

The demand put to Jesus, If you are the Messiah, tell us, becomes an element of the charges against Jesus before Pilate in 23.2 .

69 :

See Ps 110.1; Dan 7.13 .