Bible Commentaries
Luke 22

Verse 15

Luke 22:15

The Passover greatly desired.

I. We cannot enter into the Divine intensity of this desire, but it would seem that the longing Christ had to eat this Passover with His disciples before He suffered arose, (1) from the consciousness that, in that hour and in that act He would for ever put an end to shadows, and bring in the substance of our redemption; (2) because that hour was the winding up of the long years in which He had waited for His bitter passion; (3) that last mournful Passover was a solace to the Son of Man. It was sad, but sweet.

II. What a light these words cast on the Blessed Sacrament which He then bequeathed to us, and on the law which binds us to it. For (1) it shows us that the Holy Sacrament is this last Passover continuing still. What was then begun is a perpetual celebration. In heaven and in earth, it is but one act still, one priesthood and one sacrifice. The Church is the upper chamber spread abroad; a sphere above this visible world, hanging over all the earth. It is in all lands, under all skies, upon the floods and in the mountains, in the wilderness and on trackless shores wherever two or three are gathered together, there is the upper chamber, and the paschal table, the disciples and the Lord of the true Passover, the Sacrifice and the Priest. (2) This may show us still further that with desire He desires still to eat this sacrament of His love with us, The first moving cause of this Divine desire is, that He may pour forth His blessings of power and grace upon us. ( a ) He desires to apply to us the benefits of His passion. ( b ) He desires to give Himself to be our spiritual food. ( c ) He desires to make us, even now in this life, behold His love. Love pent up withers away; but Divine love cannot be straitened; it is like the light of heaven which pours down in floods upon the earth. Our Redeemer is not only very God but very Man in all the truth of our humanity, and His human affections follow the laws of our perfect manhood. With desire He invites us to Himself, that He may show to our intimate consciousness the personal love which moved Him to give Himself, with full intention, for each several soul.

H. E. Manning, Sermons, vol. iv., p. 248.

Consider some of the reasons why the Saviour desired so earnestly to join in this last Passover before He suffered.

I. One reason was, that the Passover had now reached its end and found its full meaning.

II. Another reason was for the support of His own soul in the approaching struggle.

III. Christ desired to be present at the last Passover, because His friends needed special comfort.

IV. He desired it because it looked forward to all the future of His Church and people.

J. Ker, Sermons, p. 37.

References: Luke 22:15 . R. Tuck, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xii., p. 195; J. Keble, Sermons on Various Occasions, p. 495.Luke 22:17-20 . A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 359. Luke 22:19 . A. P. Peabody, Ibid., p. 111; Ibid., vol. xix., p. 260; C. Stanford, Evening of Our Lord's Ministry, p. 52; H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, Waterside Mission Sermons, 2nd series, No. i.; Sermons for Boys and Girls, p. 347; R. Tuck, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xiii., p. 142.Luke 22:19 , Luke 22:20 . Spurgeon, My Sermon Notes: Gospels and Acts, p. 106. Luke 22:20 . H. P. Liddon, Thoughts on Present Church Troubles, p. 1.Luke 22:21-23 . A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 380. Luke 22:24-30 . Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iv., p. 333; Preacher's Monthly, vol. viii., p. 102; Clergyman's Magazine, vol. iii., p. 24.

Verse 27

Luke 22:27

We find in these words a double reference: (1) To the character, and (2) to the office, of the Son of Man; to His character as the Lowly One, to His office as a servant. For the purpose of bringing both these things before His disciples He makes use of those marvellous words: "I am among you as the serving one." Consider three things in reference to this service: (1) Its history; (2) its nature; (3) the ends and objects which it is intended to meet.

I. Its history. It is not with His birth in Bethlehem that Christ's service begins. His visit to our first father in Paradise was its true commencement. After that we find Him, age after age, visiting the children of men, and always in the character of one ministering to their wants. At His birth His life of service visibly began.

II. Its nature. (1) It is willing service. (2) It is a loving service. (3) It is self-denying service. (4) It is patient, unwearied service. (5) It is free service.

III. Its ends and objects. It is to sinners that this service is rendered; and there is much in this to exhibit the ends which it has in view. We need forgiveness, cleansing, healing, strength, wisdom, faith, protection. He ministers these to us, according to our need. In every scene and place and duty and struggle and trial He will be at our side, as the servant, to minister to us in everything, so that in nothing we may be found lacking.

H. Bonar, Short Sermons, p. 70.

References: Luke 22:27 . J. Oswald Dykes, Sermons, p. 291; H. P. Liddon, Advent Sermons, vol. ii., p. 330; J. Keble, Sermons for Saints' Days, p. 319; R. Tuck, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xii., p. 195; S. A. Brooke, Ibid., vol. xviii., p. 65; Spurgeon, My Sermon Notes: Gospels and Acts, p. 109. Luke 22:29 , Luke 22:30 . Clergyman's Magazine, vol. v., p. 32.

Verses 31-32

Luke 22:31-32

These words contain a warning, a comforting assurance and a solemn charge. Note:

I. The warning. We must remember that the word "you" is not used here in the sense of our common language that is, to express a single person. Our Lord does not say that Satan had desired to have Peter only, but all the Apostles. The hour was coming, when their faith was to be severely tried, when they were to be sifted as wheat, to see what in them was good corn, and what chaff. In our lives also the words can never be otherwise than true.

II. The comforting assurance. "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not." This is spoken of Peter particularly; it is "I have prayed for thee" not, I have prayed for you, but though these words speak of Peter only, yet we have the assurance elsewhere that it is true of us also. Nay, on that very evening when He thus declared that He had prayed for Peter, we know that He prayed for the other Apostles too, and not for them only, but for us also.

III. All are warned of the coming danger; but one is especially prayed for, that being converted himself he might also strengthen his brethren. These words were addressed to Peter, and if we read the first twelve chapters of the Acts, we shall find their fulfilment. There we find him, indeed, strengthening his brethren, passing through all quarters, and by signs and wonders, by the word of wisdom, by fervent boldness and love unfeigned convincing the unbelievers, opening the eyes of the ignorant, baffling the threats of the enemy enlightening, cheering, and comforting his fellow-Christians. But this also was said, not to Peter only, but to us. In every society, there are those like him to whom it may be said, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." There are, and always must be, some who have more influence than their neighbours. Every advantage which we have over others makes us subject to this charge. If we are older, we should strengthen those that are younger; if we have the ascendency given by strength and activity, by decision of character, or by general ability, or by consideration of whatever sort, then we, being converted, should strengthen our brethren; we are answerable not for our souls only, but also in a certain measure, for those of others.

T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. iii., p. 114.

References: Luke 22:31 , Luke 22:32 . Homiletic Magazine, vol. viii., p. 126; vol. x., p. 133; Preacher's Monthly, vol. i., p. 352.Luke 22:31-34 . J. Oswald Dykes, Sermons, p. 263.

Verse 32

Luke 22:32

I. In this world of sin and sorrow, we have our work to do, and the question is What work, and how do we do it? Let us take the world of sin, and plainly and practically, with earnest consideration, ask what we can and what we ought to do. On all sides of us we see life blighted and ruined by human passions, which sweep over the earth like flame over a dry heath, and leave it black and scarred behind them. The sorrows of the world are in the sad heritage of its sins and these bitter fruits of sin have their bitter roots in selfishness. Things are as they are, and this is the world of sin. We. may not leave it. We are where God has placed us, and there we must stay until He gives us the signal to fall out of the ranks. How can we make better this ruined world of sin? The answer is a very simple one, but stringent, rigid, and inexorable; that is, we can only begin to do it by personal innocence and by personal holiness. Ah, how many will stumble over this entrance! No man who is not sincere in self-amelioration can ever be a prophet of God. Men who have begun wickedly have indeed, sometimes, like St. Augustine, like Bunyan, like Whitefield, turned over a new leaf and begun a new life; but we do not believe that even these have done as much as they might otherwise have done; even as he builds better who builds upon a foundation than he who builds upon ruins. But this, at any rate, is certain that no hypocrite no bad, no insincere, man can heal, in any appreciable degree, the sinfulness of the world. Not till he is converted can he strengthen his brethren. Alas! even when he is converted he may find that he is maimed, that he has ruined his own transcendent powers of usefulness.

II. About the mere presence and person of good men there hang a charm and a spell of good which make them do good even when they are not consciously thinking of doing good at all. Their very presence does good, as if there were an angel there; and from their mere silence there spreads an influence, a flowing in of higher motives and purer thoughts into the souls of men. So, too, the mere presence of bad men makes us bad when they are not thinking of doing harm. Marguerite asks Faust with surprise how it is she finds herself unable to pray when his friend is by. How many a crime has been consummated solely because of vicious wickedness unconsciously made plastic by stronger wickedness! Among the pure and good the base and impure inspire a shuddering repulsion such as the presence of Judas Iscariot seems to have inspired in the heart of St. John; but among the many who are but the weakly bad the contagion of the stronger bad has an assimilating force. Are we noble enough to enter into the meaning of the sigh of Jesus, and to share His pure and Divine Passion for the world? If so, we must enter also into the spirit of His life, and the very first condition of doing that is, sincerity a sincerity which can only be shown in the whole-hearted effort after personal innocence and personal holiness. If we would do as Jesus did we must be His servants. If we would help to heal the acknowledged evils of the world, we must ourselves be free from them. If we would tend the plague-stricken, there must not be the plague-spot in our own hearts. He who would help others must not only show others, but lead the way.

F. W. Farrar, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xvi., p. 385.

References: Luke 22:31 , Luke 22:32 . A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 476. Luke 22:32 . A. Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, p. 198; Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times," vol. vi., p. 135; H. Crosby, Christian World Pulpit, vol. x., p. 308; Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 11; J. Keble, Sermons for Saints' Days, p. 296. Luke 22:33 . Clergyman's Magazine, vol. ii., p. 306. Luke 22:34 . W. G. Horder, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xviii., p. 278. Luke 22:35 , Luke 22:36 . Expositor, 1st series, vol. vi., p. 312.Luke 22:35-38 . A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 471.

Verse 36

Luke 22:36

St. Luke alone records this saying. No other like it is to be found in any Gospel. Once, indeed, in commissioning the Twelve, Christ used the startling expression, "I came not to send peace, but a sword;" but there the whole context shows that He speaks not of the purpose, but of the result of His coming; so that even that saying hardly helps or illustrates this, where He Himself gives the command, and is understood by them literally, "He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." This parable of the sword says this to us: "In the world you will have conflict. You will want your sword. Better lack a garment than lack a sword."

Marvel not at the vehemence of the words: there are two reasons for it

I. They contradict flesh and blood. It is painful to be always armed. It makes life a painful effort. What should we think of living in a beleaguered house of having an enemy, secret or open, within the household? What food would nourish, what rest would refresh, on these conditions? How, then, if life itself, how if this fair world, how if this pleasant, converse, this delightful friendship, this seemingly innocent joy, is, to the eye that reads it truly, one insidious snare, or one perilous battlefield? What is existence worth on such terms? Nature speaks thus in her indolence and self-sparing. Scarce two or three in a generation really rise at Christ's call to sell the garment for a sword. If He spoke one whit less vehemently, not one not one in a generation would listen.

II. There is a second reason for this vehemence. Because in this field deception and self-deception are ever busily working, and he who might gird himself for mere difficulty is in danger of relaxing effort under illusion. It is the master art of the devil to persuade us that there is no battle, that all are agreed. It is a mighty responsibility, if Christ be true, for a Christian to be about in this world. In proportion to his intermixture with it, in proportion to his place and his talent and his influence, is his want of the sword. Better, for him at all events, no garment than no sword. For he must fight either against the world or for it. He cannot be neutral. Weaker men may pass through it and escape notice. But he is one of its constituents, for his day one of its makers. Might he but desire to buy of Christ the indispensable sword.

C. J. Vaughan, Good Words, 1870, p. 612; see also Half Hours in the Temple Church.

References: Luke 22:37 . Clergyman's Magazine, vol. ii., p. 159. Luke 22:39-46 . Homiletic Quarterly, vol. v., p. 70; Preacher's Monthly, vol. i., p. 277. Luke 22:41 , Luke 22:42 . Homiletic Magazine, vol. xvi., p. 228; Christian World Pulpit, vol. xv., p. 250. Luke 22:42 . Preacher's Monthly, vol. ix., p. 200. Luke 22:43 . J. E. Vaux, Sermon Notes, 4th series, p. 30.

Verse 44

Luke 22:44

I. The text expresses a deep mystery, of which we should try to give some account. It is a mystery; for what reason can be assigned for this intensity of suffering? Was the anticipation of that which awaited Him desertion, ignominy, a death of torture enough to cause all the agony which He felt? Do we not degrade our conception of the Lord Jesus Christ by admitting even the sufficiency, to say nothing of the truth, of such an explanation? Many an ancient stoic, many a Christian martyr would have met has met such a fate with a smile on his face. Shall we place Christ below them in the moral scale? It is, I believe, for the purpose of avoiding this difficulty that theories have been invented, in which some new and mysterious element in the suffering of Christ has been introduced. Thus, for example, we are told that the bitterness of Christ's suffering in the garden of Gethsemane consisted in this: That "in some mysterious way" he had to endure the wrath of God. Of this theory I have no hesitation in saying that it is distinctly immoral, for it represents God, the Judge of all the earth, as so far from doing right, that He is angry with an innocent being.

II. While we may not presume to dogmatise on the feelings which passed through His mind then, it is a fair subject for inquiry. Is there any unsurmountable difficulty in ascribing the agony in the garden to a feeling that must have passed through His mind. Anticipation of that which, as we know now, and He knew then, awaited Him. Insensibility does, to some extent, the work of fortitude. But fortitude cannot do the work of insensibility. Insensibility may make action easier. Fortitude cannot make suffering less. Pain or sorrow cannot turn a brave man from his course; but unless he is insensible as well as brave, feel them he must. It is to the sensitive, imaginative nature that suffering, felt or anticipated, is most bitter. Such a man needs more fortitude than one less finely organised. But to say that because he is more finely organised he is less brave, is to assume that for which neither reason nor fact give the slightest warrant. That it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to understand fully the connection between the suffering of Christ and the fulfilment of sin is undeniable; but if this connection be once admitted, I cannot see that there is any difficulty in understanding why anticipated suffering should have caused a sharper pang to Him than it would have done to many an ordinary man. It is a mistake to confound this sensitiveness with a deficiency in fortitude, but the conclusion arrived at is quite independent of the relative esteem in which you may choose to hold the stoical and the sensitive nature. You may call the former the higher nature, if you like, but it would not have been suited to the mission of Christ.

J. H. Jellett, The Elder Son and Other Sermons, p. 153.

References: Luke 22:44 . H. Wace, Expositor, 2nd series, vol. ii., p. 203; Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. ix., No. 493; Ibid, vol. xx., No. 1199; Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 83; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines of Sermons, p. 82.Luke 22:45 , Luke 22:46 . J. Keble, Sermons for Holy Week, p 46. Luke 22:46 . Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 299. Luke 22:46-48 . Clergyman's Magazine, vol. iv., p. 224.Luke 22:47 , Luke 22:48 . Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. ix., No. 494.Luke 22:48 . Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 85; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines of Sermons, p. 304; Clergyman's Magazine, vol. ii., p. 81.Luke 22:50 , Luke 22:51 . G. Macdonald, Miracles of Our Lord, p. 70.

Verse 51

Luke 22:51

I. By one act, in a moment, Christ made Himself the repairer of the breach. The evil which His follower had done was cancelled; and through the kind interposition of a special act, the injured man was none the worse, but rather the better; and the harm, of which a Christian had been the occasion, was neutralised by his Master. Ill would it be for any of us, if there were not that refuge of thought to fall back upon, from all the foolish things and all the wrong things said and done, which we have afterwards so much regretted. It would be tremendous to think of all the trail of harm which we were dragging after us, if there were not a Christ a Canceller and a Rectifier.

II. There is a great difference between those troubles which come straight from God, and those which pass to us from the hand of man. There are a dignity and sacredness about the one and an almost defilement about the other. But it would, be a mistake to infer that any one kind of trial comes more under the remedial power of the Lord Jesus Christ than another. It does not matter where the root and spring of the trouble lie, as soon as they are brought to Him they are all alike. Take it, in all its breadth, whatever the wound be, and whoever was the wounder equally Christ is the Healer.

III. Malchus, as we have seen, had been one of the foremost against Christ. In his opposition to Christ he got his hurt. Christ cures the hurt which was the consequence of opposition to Himself. The worst hurts we get in life are those which we incur by taking the side against light, against conviction, against truth, i.e. against God. We all of us have borne, and perhaps some of us are bearing now, some of those hurts. Our only remedy lies with Him, whom we were, at that moment, in the act of making our enemy, when we got that hurt. And the marvel is, how He heals us; not a word of reproach, not a shadow of retaliation; it is enough we are wounded, and we cannot do without Him therefore He does it. There is no healer of wounds but the Lord Jesus Christ.

J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 4th series, p. 239.

References: Luke 22:51 . Homiletic Magazine, vol. viii., p. 143; T. Birkett Dover, The Ministry of Mercy, p. 209. Luke 22:54-61 . A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 469.

Verses 61-62

Luke 22:61-62

Peter's Repentance a Type of True Sorrow.

Observe:

I. That Peter's sorrow did not arise from the fact that his guilt was known.

II. It was not simply the suffering of remorse.

III. The Divine power of Peter's sorrow is shown by three facts. (1) It rose from the sense of Christ's love; (2) it was manifested in the conquest of self-trust; (3) it became the element of spiritual strength.

E. L. Hull, Sermons, 3rd series, p. 191.

Although the failings and sins of God's eminent servants are faithfully recorded in Holy Scripture, we can never fail to cherish an affectionate and reverential remembrance of those chosen saints of God. Let us never forget how Jesus Himself valued and loved them, and was cheered and encouraged by their affection, their sympathy and their obedience. The faults and sins of God's people are recorded in Scripture, not that we may love and esteem them less, but that we may honour and love and esteem God more, and that we may be more thoroughly convinced of our own inability to serve and please our God.

I. Peter sinned against Light; against bright and fully revealed Light. The Father Himself had revealed unto him that Christ was the Son of God; and he not only sinned against Light, but in the actual presence of Light. Jesus was before him while he denied Him. And so do we all sin against Light and in the presence of Light. The very eyes of Jesus are resting upon us, and the very truth of the words of Jesus is within our hearts, whilst we forget Him and deny Him.

II. Remember how Christ had forewarned Peter, even when He had before Him His own sorrow and coming agony. So wonderful was His faithfulness and His love that He never for a moment forgot the sorrows of His disciples. The Lord looked upon Peter, and that brought back to Peter his individual relationship to Jesus.

III. Peter's weeping was a life-long weeping. Repentance which is born out of love lasts all our life. Repentance which exists chiefly out of fear may end in despondency, or may be banished altogether, as the morning cloud. Then this weeping, although it was bitter, was also sweet. Repentance is not bitter in the sense of that bitterness which the world's sorrow is, but is full of sweetness. In God's Word we have the blessedness of the poor in spirit, of those that mourn, of those that are weak, of those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, nay, more wonderful than all, we have the blessedness of the pure in heart. And when we repent and sorrow over our sins, it is because the voice of Jesus is heard saying, "Thy sins are forgiven thee."

A. Saphir, Penny Pulpit, new series, No. 673.

Reference: Luke 22:61 , Luke 22:62 . Preacher's Monthly, vol. vi., p. 278.

Verse 62

Luke 22:62

Only a Fall.

It is very difficult to define a fall. It has boundaries; you go into it and you come out of it. Some conditions of sin have no boundaries. Therefore, till the issue we cannot absolutely pronounce upon any wrong state and tell it is a fall. It rests with you, so to get up at this minute from any sin that you have ever done, that you shall make it only a fall. "Only a fall?" Yes a mere parenthesis, a mere exception, to be absorbed back into the eternal grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I. Look at the downward steps in Peter which go to make that long fearful slide which we name a fall. Peter, presuming on his position, and elated with his high distinctions, began to compare himself with other people and to prefer himself to them. I do not know whether this habit of comparison was the child of or gendered the pride which took possession of Peter's heart. Certain it is that he was proud, and the reason he was proud was that he was dealing with a low level. Whenever you have proud feelings, it is a proof, not that your attainment is great, but that your standard is deficient. "We have left all and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?"

II. Peter was reproved. But he was where all caution falls impotent. Without any measurement of himself, without any thought of past monition, he hurried on and ventured into the" very midst of scenes which were full of the ordeal which he was least able at that moment, to meet; and at once he was precipitated into the depth of his humiliation. He is as weak as the slenderest reed upon the lake. He, whom we should have called characteristically and fearlessly honest, tells three base lies. His Master is despised, sacrificed to a fear and a blush.

III. How did the restoring mercy work? By the simplest of all simple processes. Peter's eye was still on Christ. There was a fascination in the Saviour to him, even in his wickedness. There was a relationship between that man and Christ which nothing could ever dissolve; he could not help but look at Christ. And as Peter looked, the face of Jesus turned and looked upon Peter, and the Saviour's and the sinner's eyes met, and that meeting was salvation. It was but a glance, and it took but a moment, but it was the hinge of Peter's destiny for ever and ever.

J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 5th series, p. 290.

References: Luke 22:0 F. D. Maurice, The Gospel of the Kingdom, p. 324.Luke 23:2 . Clergyman's Magazine, vol. iii., p. 216. Luke 23:8 , Luke 23:9 . Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxviii., No. 1645; Homiletic Magazine, vol. xiii., p. 65.Luke 23:8-11 . Parker, Hidden Springs, p. 269. Luke 23:9 . W. M. Taylor, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxix., p. 47. Luke 23:13-16 . W. Hanna, The Last Days of Our Lord's Passion, p. 119. Luke 23:15 . Preacher's Monthly, vol. ii., p. 99.