DAY #133: Luke 22:1-20

All Jewish males over the age of twelve were required to go to Jerusalem for Passover. This would be followed by a seven-day festival called the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15-20). For these festivals, Jews from all over the Roman Empire would converge on Jerusalem to celebrate one of the most important events in their history. Passover took place on one night and at one meal, but the Festival of Unleavened Bread would continue for a week. The Passover celebration commemorated the night the Israelites were freed from Egypt.

The religious leaders’ opposition to Jesus had grown to such a point that they were actively plotting Jesus’ murder. There is a certain irony in seeing these leaders celebrating the Exodus while plotting to kill one of their own at the same time. But they had a problem: they greatly feared the people. Jesus was a popular teacher, and there were many Galileans in the city who would have rioted if Jesus had been taken captive. The religious leaders felt that they had to kill him because of his growing popularity.

The leaders’ opportunity to get to Jesus came in a manner they least expected. One of Jesus’ twelve disciples came to them willing to act as betrayer and accuser. Luke explained that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot (John 12:6; 13:2, 27). Satan assumed that Jesus’ death would end Jesus’ mission and thwart God’s plan. Like Judas, Satan did not know that Jesus’ death and resurrection were the most important parts of God’s plan all along.

The religious leaders had planned to wait until after the Passover to take Jesus, but with Judas’s unexpected offer, they accelerated their plans. Judas, in turn, began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus when there would be no Passover crowds to prevent Jesus’ capture and no possibility of a riot.

Although the Gospel of John goes into great detail recounting what Jesus said and did during his last Passover meal (John 13:1–17:26), Luke’s Gospel merely highlights Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper (22:17-20), his prediction of his betrayal (22:21-23), his teaching on service (22:24-27), and his prediction of Peter’s denial (22:31-34).

Peter and John had been sent ahead to prepare the meal, then at the appointed time to eat, Jesus and the twelve apostles arrived and assumed their seats at the table. The Passover meal was supposed to be eaten in Jerusalem after sunset and finished before midnight. The disciples and Jesus took their places on the reclining couches around the table. During such an important meal as the Passover, everyone would recline at the table, symbolizing the freedom the people had gained after the very first Passover and their subsequent release from slavery in Egypt.

While Passover commemorated a past event, it also foreshadowed Jesus’ work on the cross. As the spotless Lamb of God, his blood would be spilled in order to save his people from the penalty of death brought by sin. At that time, those who belong to Christ will sit down at a glorious banquet (Isaiah 25:6-8; Revelation 19:7-9).

Jesus took the loaf of unleavened bread, thanked God, and broke it. Just as the Passover celebrated deliverance from slavery in Egypt, so the Lord’s Supper celebrates deliverance from sin by Christ’s death. Jesus told the disciples: “This is my body, given for you.” Jesus used literal terms to describe a figurative truth. Just as he had so many times said, “I am” the door, the bread, the light, the vine, so the bread symbolized Jesus’ work of salvation on behalf of humanity. That his body would “be given” pictures the cross on which Jesus gave his body in death, allowing it to be broken so that believers could receive life.

Jesus told the disciples to eat the broken bread in remembrance of me. He wanted them to remember his sacrifice, the basis for forgiveness of sins, and also his friendship that they could continue to enjoy through the work of the Holy Spirit. After supper, Jesus took a cup and explained, “This wine is the token of God’s new covenant to save you.”

In Old Testament times, God agreed to forgive people’s sins if they brought animals for the priests to sacrifice. When this sacrificial system was inaugurated, the agreement between God and sinful humanity was sealed with the blood of animals (Exodus 24:8). But animal blood did not in itself remove sin (only God can forgive sin), and animal sacrifices had to be repeated day by day and year after year. Jesus instituted a “new covenant” or agreement between humans and God. Under this new covenant, Jesus would die in the place of sinners. Unlike the blood of animals, his blood would seal the agreement between God and people to remove the sins of all who put their faith in him.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

I am struck by the ability of Jesus to carry out the Passover dinner, knowing that Judas had already betrayed him and that death was imminent. Jesus knew what His mission was, and He would not be deterred. He had laser like focus on the mission.

Oh Lord, build into me the discipline necessary to obtain that same type of focus on the mission You have given me. Keep my eyes and mind and heart focused on You. Don't let me drift or wander of the path.

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24 (NIV)