THE LAST WEEK OF JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY AND HIS CRUCIFIXION

-Jesus and the Apostles Eat the Passover Meal, Contention Amongst The Apostles

-Luke 22:14-18, 24-30; Matthew 26:20; Mark 14:17

-Luke 22:14 makes reference to “the hour.”  “What hour?  The usual time of eating the paschal

 supper, on Thursday evening, after sundown.  This showed that there was no irregularity in the

 time of their eating the Passover” (Boles, Luke, pg 412).

-Jesus stated that He had desired to eat the Passover with His apostles and that He would

 not eat any more of it until it was fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 

            -“Jesus had desired to keep with his disciples this last type which stood so close to the thing

             typified.  It was a feast commemorating a great deliverance from death through the sacrifice

             of a lamb, and the real sacrifice and deliverance of which it was typical were about to be

             fulfilled in the unfolding of the kingdom of God” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 646).

-The cup mentioned in Luke 22:17 is not to be confused with the instituting of the Lord’s Supper

 a little bit later.  This cup was being utilized as part of the Passover meal.

            -“The passover was typical of the Lord’s suffering before the event, and the Lord’s supper is

             typical of the same thing after the event” (ibid.).

-Here, we find that an old debate was renewed - Who would be the greatest?

            -From our viewpoint, looking back into time through the completed revelation of God’s will,

             this seems like a very odd time for this debate to resurface.  However, the tension in the air

             must have been quite severe.  A couple of days earlier, Jesus had directly confronted and

             severely rebuked the Jewish leaders who were seeking to kill Him.  Jesus and the apostles

             were now back in the city of Jerusalem - might we say back in the lions’ den.  Would there

             have been a sense that something was about to happen?  Evidently Peter thought so because

             a little later in our study we’ll find that Peter was carrying a sword with him.  Remember,

             Jesus had foretold the events that were about to transpire - betrayal, taken by the Jews, to be

             handed over to the Romans, crucifixion, burial, resurrection.  Yet, the apostles still did not

             understand this and didn’t want to believe it.  And, Jesus had just mentioned His kingdom - a

             kingdom that the apostles still expected to be earthly.  So, in such a setting, amidst such

             tension and with thoughts of the coming kingdom, they once again debated who would be

             the greatest.

-In response to their contention, Jesus replied in a way similar to previous occasions. 

            -In Luke 22:28 - “And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials” (NASB).  As we

             have proceeded through this study, we have seen the shortcomings of these men - and will

             continue to do so as this same night and the days that follow unfold - let’s remember that

             this was not an easy journey for them.  Yet, they had continued at the side of the Lord. 

             Therefore, let’s be careful not to overemphasize their weaknesses while failing to consider

             the service and dedication that they had displayed. 

-The Father was granting Jesus with a kingdom and Jesus was granting the apostles a place

 within it.  “The words concerning eating and drinking at the Lord’s table refer to the ancient

 custom of thus bestowing honor and distinction (II Sam. ix. 7; xix. 28), and indicate that the

 apostles, being about to participate in the Lord’s condemnation and suffering, should in the end

 share his exaltation and its attendant joys” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 647).

            -In regards to them sitting on thrones and judging, H. Leo Boles observed, “…the apostles

             were invested with authority over the true spiritual Israel, and by their teachings all will be

             judged; through their teachings they continue to exercise their authority.  In the final

             judgment they will virtually judge, for all are to be judged by the will of God expressed

             through the writers of the New Testament” (Luke, pg 419).

            -Remember, this offer of blessings was extended to Judas who had already bargained with

             the Jewish leaders and agreed to betray Jesus.  Sadly, through his decisions and actions, he

             would reject such a wonderful offer.