How can humanity ever escape the stupidity with which we have ruled this planet? Why doesn’t God just toss us all away and start over? A merciful God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit made a plan to save us from ourselves. Let’s look at that plan’s darkest hours in Luke 22:14-23:56.
Luke 22:14-18 “I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God… I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”
The communion rite was begun that Maundy Thursday evening, the evening before the Jewish Passover, with the elements of bread and wine. The implication was that bread and wine will be served when Jesus comes in His kingdom.
Luke 22:19-20 “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me… This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.”
Here we see that communion is a sacrament: this is My body. What does “is” mean? It is not the word “symbolizes” nor the word “transubstantiates.” It is logically a mystery, a sacrament in Latin. Communion is an ordinance: “do this.” It is also a memorial: “in remembrance of me.”
Luke 22:25-26 “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 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.”
This is a great cry of the Protestant Reformation. People were murdered for translating the Bible into the common language. They were forbidden from exercising their freedom of conscience. Some church leaders were authoritarian, brutal and murderous.
Luke 22:40-42 “Pray that you may not enter into temptation… Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
Notice that unlike some modern Christians, Jesus was not averse to calling God Father. The tone of Jesus prayer is obedient and modest. Egalitarians would disagree with the sentiment, not my will but yours be done. But then Jesus had complete trust in the Father, and many moderns do not.
Luke 22:61 “Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, ‘Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.’”
Imagine how Peter felt as Jesus looked on him. With foul language Peter had loudly denied Jesus three times, he who had recently stated that even if everyone else deserted Jesus, he would not. Peter “went out and wept bitterly.”
Luke 22:70 “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am [you say that I am].”
This expression is not Greek, but Hebrew where it is understood as, your words testify to themselves. If we miss the meaning, it is clear that the Jews understood what Jesus meant, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”
Luke 23:3 “Pilate asked Him, saying, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And He answered him and said, ‘It is as you say.’”
This is a more accurate rendering of Jesus’ answer. “You say” is similar to our “You said it.”
Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
Again Jesus calls God Father. This prayer includes all who sin against God, not knowing what they are doing. We may be convinced that our lifestyle is not a sin, but God knows our guilt, even if we don’t, and Jesus prays the same for us, a prayer of forgiveness.
Luke 12:41-43 “...this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
Paradise was a word used for a grand, enclosed park and pictures either a place above Hades where people awaited the resurrection or a place in heaven. Some ancient fathers used to believe that it is the garden of Eden and that it still exists somewhere between earth and heaven.
Luke 12:46 “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.”
Again Jesus is not ashamed to call God Father. He entrusts His spirit, His breath of life, for safekeeping to the Father. This saying has been repeated by many faithful saints on their deathbed and was also been an evening prayer for many devout Jews coming from Psalm 31:5.
The whole of Psalm 31:5 says, “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” Redeemed means paid my ransom. We were captive to the sins of the world, owned by the devil, prisoner of our failures. Jesus paid it all.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Showing posts with label Luke 22. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luke 22. Show all posts
Communion Confusion
Is Communion a sacrament, an ordinance, or a memorial? Are bread and wine mere symbols or is there something deeper? Let’s look at what Jesus said in Luke 22:14-27.
Passover
Luke 22:14 “When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.” The appointed hour that the Passover was to be killed was culturally from three to six p-m (Exodus 12:6), and eaten shortly thereafter. Jesus reclined rather than stand (Exodus 12:11).
Luke 22:15 “And He said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer’” The letter-of-the-law time of Passover was actually 24 hours later. It is clear that Jesus was not legalistic. Christians understood this freedom and later changed the time of Easter.
Until
Luke 22:16 “for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Passover is not fulfilled by looking back to the Exodus but forward from the cross. “I will… dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)
Luke 22:17 “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves’” Jesus gave thanks (eucharisteo) for wine, not grape-juice, 6 months after the grape harvest, with neither refrigeration nor pasteurization. Wine is not forbidden, only drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18).
Luke 22:18 “for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” Culturally, this meant fruit of the GRAPE-vine. These verses show that Jesus will eat lamb and drink wine again when God’s Kingdom comes.
This Is
Luke 22:19 “And 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.’” How IS the Bread Jesus’ Body? Eastern Christians rightly call this a “mystery.”
The new covenant, is also the New Testament, because a testament involves the death of the testator. In this case, the death of Jesus. Communion is a sacrament[1] (“this IS” not “this symbolizes”, but also not “this transubstantiates”), an ordinance (“do this”), and also a remembrance (“in remembrance of me”.
[1] The most ancient Christian definition of sacrament is a mystery now revealed to the Church (Mark 4:11, Colossians 1:26, Colossians 2:2, 1 Timothy 3:16). It is also a visible expression of an invisible grace. Ancient Christians believed that all of life was a sacrament and thus it could not be limited in number.
Luke 22:20 “And 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.’” The early church knew this was more than mere symbol because of Jesus’ teaching in John 6:53–55:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.”
Betrayed
Luke 22:21-22 “But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” Another of over 300 prophecies fulfilled (Psalm 41:9).
Luke 22:23 “And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.” What innocence of character must they have had, to not even suspect Judas? They probably already deeply understood that none of them was of perfect character.
Greatest
Luke 22:24 “And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.” No shocks here; we still witness this between Christians from different nations, regions, and denominations. Ancient writers often ignored chronology, focusing on lesson structure, an appropriate communion lesson!
Luke 22:25 “And He said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called Benefactors.’” A fault of Church history, lording it over people’s faith, forcing meat down the throats of those only ready for milk, bossy brutality.
One Who Serves
Luke 22:26 “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.” Humility is not fake, but a simple realization that a leader’s job is not to boss, but to serve.
Luke 22:27 “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.” Arrogance is NOT godly leadership. God have mercy on our failures.
Conclusion
As we partake of the bread and wine, we partake of a mystery, eating and drinking eternal life, Christ who IS the Bread from heaven, we obey His ordinance to eat and drink, and we remember the sacrifice of one who came to serve all humanity.
Luke 22:14-27; Exodus 12:6; Exodus 12:11; Revelation 3:20; Ephesians 5:18; John 6:53–55; Psalm 41:9; Mystery Mark 4:11; Colossians 1:26; Colossians 2:2; 1 Timothy 3:16
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Passover
Luke 22:14 “When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.” The appointed hour that the Passover was to be killed was culturally from three to six p-m (Exodus 12:6), and eaten shortly thereafter. Jesus reclined rather than stand (Exodus 12:11).
Luke 22:15 “And He said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer’” The letter-of-the-law time of Passover was actually 24 hours later. It is clear that Jesus was not legalistic. Christians understood this freedom and later changed the time of Easter.
Until
Luke 22:16 “for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Passover is not fulfilled by looking back to the Exodus but forward from the cross. “I will… dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)
Luke 22:17 “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves’” Jesus gave thanks (eucharisteo) for wine, not grape-juice, 6 months after the grape harvest, with neither refrigeration nor pasteurization. Wine is not forbidden, only drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18).
Luke 22:18 “for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” Culturally, this meant fruit of the GRAPE-vine. These verses show that Jesus will eat lamb and drink wine again when God’s Kingdom comes.
This Is
Luke 22:19 “And 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.’” How IS the Bread Jesus’ Body? Eastern Christians rightly call this a “mystery.”
The new covenant, is also the New Testament, because a testament involves the death of the testator. In this case, the death of Jesus. Communion is a sacrament[1] (“this IS” not “this symbolizes”, but also not “this transubstantiates”), an ordinance (“do this”), and also a remembrance (“in remembrance of me”.
[1] The most ancient Christian definition of sacrament is a mystery now revealed to the Church (Mark 4:11, Colossians 1:26, Colossians 2:2, 1 Timothy 3:16). It is also a visible expression of an invisible grace. Ancient Christians believed that all of life was a sacrament and thus it could not be limited in number.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.”
Betrayed
Luke 22:21-22 “But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” Another of over 300 prophecies fulfilled (Psalm 41:9).
Luke 22:23 “And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.” What innocence of character must they have had, to not even suspect Judas? They probably already deeply understood that none of them was of perfect character.
Greatest
Luke 22:24 “And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.” No shocks here; we still witness this between Christians from different nations, regions, and denominations. Ancient writers often ignored chronology, focusing on lesson structure, an appropriate communion lesson!
Luke 22:25 “And He said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called Benefactors.’” A fault of Church history, lording it over people’s faith, forcing meat down the throats of those only ready for milk, bossy brutality.
One Who Serves
Luke 22:26 “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.” Humility is not fake, but a simple realization that a leader’s job is not to boss, but to serve.
Luke 22:27 “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.” Arrogance is NOT godly leadership. God have mercy on our failures.
Conclusion
As we partake of the bread and wine, we partake of a mystery, eating and drinking eternal life, Christ who IS the Bread from heaven, we obey His ordinance to eat and drink, and we remember the sacrifice of one who came to serve all humanity.
Luke 22:14-27; Exodus 12:6; Exodus 12:11; Revelation 3:20; Ephesians 5:18; John 6:53–55; Psalm 41:9; Mystery Mark 4:11; Colossians 1:26; Colossians 2:2; 1 Timothy 3:16
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
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