Luke Chapter
22:31-71
Memory
verses for this week: Josh 3:5 And
Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the
LORD will do wonders among you.
Introduction: We continue our study of
the book of Luke this week as we continue in last half of chapter
22. Last week, we began our study with the study about how Judas
betrayed Christ to the Chief Priests. Jesus gathered his disciples
together in the upper room as he instituted the Lord’s Supper. The
disciples argued about who would be the greatest in the kingdom, and
Jesus rebuked them and told them the greatest would be those who
serve. He further promised that each of the twelve apostles would
sit on a throne judging the twelve tribes of Israel in the
Millennial Kingdom.
I. Jesus
Predicts Peter’s Denial
Luke
22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired
to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luke
22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when
thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Jesus declares
that Satan desired to have Peter that he might sift him as wheat.
I think that we can honestly say that Devil wants to tear all of us
apart and sift each of us. If Satan does sift us, he can shake us
up badly and all that is left is the chaff. We need to not give
him any foothold in our lives. Jesus tells Peter he had prayed
that Peter’s faith would not fail. While Peter may have failed the
Lord, we can be sure that his faith did not fail. Satan is
powerful, but no match for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke
22:33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both
into prison, and to death.
Luke
22:34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this
day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
Sometimes the
Lord allows some of his best servants to fail terribly to show them
their weakness. Without Christ, we are nothing and can not
accomplish anything for the cause of Christ. But when we work as
branches out of the true vine, we can do great things with God’s
help. The Lord knew Peter far better than he knew himself. And He
knows us better than we know ourselves. Peter says that not only
would he not deny the Lord, but he was willing to even go to prison
and die if it was needed. And I believe he meant what he was
saying. Jesus told Peter that before the cock crew, he would deny
him three times.
Luke
22:35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and
scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
Luke
22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let
him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let
him sell his garment, and buy one.
Luke
22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be
accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for
the things concerning me have an end.
Luke
22:38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said
unto them, It is enough.
Jesus questions
the disciples as to whether they lacked anything when he sent them
forth without money or extra clothing. He asked if anything was
lacking, and they all agreed that there was nothing lacking.
Amazing how God can provide for us when we have no idea how it will
come. God promises to take care of his children, and he always
does. King David in the Psalms said he had lived many years, and
had never seen the righteous forsaken. God is faithful to His
children.
Psa
37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Jesus warns them
that tough times are about to be upon them. If they put our Lord to
death, be sure we will not be popular with the world. Jesus warns
them to take the money they had and to buy a sword because battles
were looming on the horizon. They tell Christ that they have two
swords among the twelve, and Jesus says that it is enough. Two
swords among 12 men was not many, but with God on their side, it was
more than enough.
Matthew Henry
said this about these verses concerning Christ’s warning.
They must therefore
expect troubles, and must not think now to have such an easy and
comfortable life as they had had; no, the scene will alter. They
must now in some degree suffer with their Master; and, when
he is gone, they must expect to suffer like him. The servant
is not better than his Lord. [1.] They must not now expect that
their friends would be so kind and generous to them as they had
been; and therefore, He that has a purse, let him take it,
for he may have occasion for it, and for all the good husbandry he
can use. [2.] They must now expect that their enemies would be more
fierce upon them than they had been, and they would need magazines
as well as stores: He that has no sword wherewith to defend
himself against robbers and assassins (2 Co. 11:26) will find a
great want of it, and will be ready to wish, some time or other,
that he had sold his garment and bought one. This is intended only
to show that the times would be very perilous, so that no man would
think himself safe if he had not a sword by his side. But the
sword of the Spirit is the sword which the disciples of Christ
must furnish themselves with. Christ having suffered for us,
we must arm ourselves with the same mind (1 Peter 4:1), arm
ourselves with an expectation of trouble, that it may not be a
surprise to us, and with a holy resignation to the will of God in
it, that there may be no opposition in us to it: and then we are
better prepared than if we had sold a coat to buy a sword. The
disciples hereupon enquire what strength they had, and find they had
among them two swords (v. 38), of which one was Peter’s. The
Galileans generally traveled with swords. Christ wore none himself,
but he was not against his disciples’ wearing them. But he intimates
how little he would have them depend upon this when he saith, It
is enough, which some think is spoken ironically: "Two swords
among twelve men! you are bravely armed indeed when our enemies are
now coming out against us in great multitudes, and every one with a
sword!’’ Yet two swords are sufficient for those who need none,
having God himself to be the shield of their help and the sword
of their excellency, Deu. 33:29.
[i]
II. Jesus in
the Garden
Luke
22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of
Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
Luke
22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye
enter not into temptation.
Luke
22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and
kneeled down, and prayed,
It was Jesus’
custom to retire from time to time to a garden on the slope of the
mountain called Gethsemane when he came into Judea. The disciples
follow him into the place called the mount of Olives. When Jesus
entered into the little garden of Gethsemane, he told the disciple
to pray that they be not led into temptation. And after this, he
goes about a stones cast further and knelt down and prayed. When
you look at how much and how long Jesus prayed, it makes me realize
that I don’t pray nearly as much as I should. I tend to try and
pray before meals and at bedtime, but Jesus spent hours at times
praying to the Heavenly Father. The bible tells us to be in
prayer constantly with God.
1 Th
5:16 Rejoice evermore.
1 Th
5:17 Pray without ceasing.
1 Th
5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Th
5:19 Quench not the Spirit.
1 Th
5:20 Despise not prophesyings.
1 Th
5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Th
5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Luke
22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me:
nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Luke
22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven,
strengthening him.
Luke
22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat
was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Notice what
Jesus prayed. He asked that the cup of suffering for our sins might
pass quickly. He was not asking for a way out of the death he had
made a pact to deliver in the council halls of God. The plan of
salvation was not an after thought with God, but it was planned from
the beginning that the son would come in the flesh, live a sinless
life, and then go and die on Calvary for the sins of the world.
Jesus was simply in agony, and was asking ‘If it be possible”, that
he go quickly to the cross as was planned. Note his words in verse
42… but “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Jesus was
always seeking to do the perfect will of God.
John
10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life,
that I might take it again.
John
10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This
commandment have I received of my Father.
John
19:9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus,
Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
John
19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me?
knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power
to release thee?
John
19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against
me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that
delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
Jesus was in
such great agony that God sent an angel to strengthen Him. The
angel coming emphasizes the reality of him being just a man here on
earth… one tempted in all points like us, yet without sin. In the
garden, it says in verse 44 that he sweated as it were great drops
of blood. No one understands the depths of anguish Jesus went
through to redeem us from the curse of the law.
Luke
22:45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his
disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
Luke
22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye
enter into temptation.
Note that when
Jesus arose from prayer, he was in perfect peace and calmness of
spirit. He comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping for
sorrow. These men did not understand why Jesus had to die, and it
was with heavy hearts that they waited for his crucifixation.
Jesus tells them to rise and pray. They were about to face their
supreme test.
Believers Study
Bible said this about the disciples sleeping for sorrow.
“Sleeping from
sorrow” means that the disciples are exhausted from the emotional
demands made by the prophecy of Jesus’ death and the difficult
future facing them.
[ii]
IV. Jesus
Betrayed by Judas
Luke
22:47 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was
called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near
unto Jesus to kiss him.
Luke
22:48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man
with a kiss?
Judas had told
the soldiers and high priests that he would point out the Lord by
kissing Him. This was a kiss of betrayal. Jesus was not
surprised by his actions, and says unto him “Judas, betrayest thou
the Son of man with a kiss?” You know this had to hurt inside to
know Jesus knew what you were doing, and to have your evil actions
revealed to the other disciples.
Luke
22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they
said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
Luke
22:50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut
off his right ear.
Luke
22:51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he
touched his ear, and healed him.
One thing you
can say about the disciples, they were ready to fight for the Lord.
The Lord never intended for the two swords they brought with them to
be used for His defense. They were for the disciples after his
death. However wrong it was, Peter lashes out with a sword and cut
off the right ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus tells them
“Suffer ye thus far.” And then he healed the ear of the man.
Here are people coming out to take Christ to town and ultimately put
Him to death, and yet in this hour, He shows love and compassion
against His enemies. Jesus set an example that we should all
follow. His instructions in Matthew are full of love and
compassion towards all men.
Mat
5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a
tooth for a tooth:
Mat
5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever
shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat
5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy
coat, let him have thy cloak also.
Mat
5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him
twain.
Mat
5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow
of thee turn not thou away.
Mat
5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat
5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat
5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:
for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat
5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do
not even the publicans the same?
Luke
22:52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the
temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as
against a thief, with swords and staves?
Luke
22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth
no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of
darkness.
Jesus asks them
a question. Why had they come out to get him as a thief with
swords and staves? Every day he was in the temple teaching, but
they didn’t arrest Him then. Why was that? Because His time was
not yet. But now, the time had come for him to die and for Satan
to appear to have won a battle. But that is all it was for Satan,
an appearance of winning. After three days and three nights, Jesus
came out of the grave victorious over death, and by His sacrifice,
we too can have eternal life.
John
7:6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your
time is alway ready.
John
7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify
of it, that the works thereof are evil.
John
7:8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for
my time is not yet full come.
Luke
4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things,
were filled with wrath,
Luke
4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto
the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might
cast him down headlong.
Luke
4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
In Adam Clarke’s
Commentary on the Bible, he said this about verse 3.
I was daily with you
in the temple—Alluding
to the four preceding days, during the whole of which he taught in
the temple, see Luke 21:37, and Matthew 21:17.
This is your hour,
and the power of darkness—That
is, the time in which you are permitted to unrein your malice; which
ye could not do before, because God did not permit you; and so
perfectly are ye under his control that neither you nor the prince
of darkness can proceed a hair’s breadth against me but through this
permission: see at the end of the chapter. What a comfortable
thought is it to the followers of Christ, that neither men nor
demons can act against them but by the permission of their heavenly
Father, and that he will not suffer any of those who trust in him to
be tried above what they are able to bear, and will make the trial
issue in their greater salvation, and in his glory!
V. Jesus
Arrested and Peter’s Denial
Luke
22:54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the
high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.
Luke
22:55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall,
and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.
Luke
22:56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and
earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.
Luke
22:57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.
Suddenly the
faith of the disciples is not what it had been. It says they took
Jesus to the high priest’s house, and Peter followed afar off.
That is how we sometimes are as Christians. We want to be part of
the winning side and be on God’s side, but when we need to take up
our cross and fight a battle, we tend to kind of hang back and let
others do the witnessing and the work of the Lord. We should not
be this way, but always about the Master’s work. Bible says we
should always be ready to give an answer to every man that asks us
for the reason of our hope.
1
Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready
always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of
the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1
Pet 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of
you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your
good conversation in Christ.
1
Pet 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer
for well doing, than for evil doing.
It is important
to note that there were not supposed to be meetings carried on at
night, but things were supposed to be done in the light. But the
trials and accusations give to Christ were not done by the law nor
done fairly in any stretch of the imagination. It says that Peter
comes in with the group and kneels down next to the fire to warm
him. A certain maid in verse 56 accuses Peter of being one that
was with Jesus. He adamantly denies this which was his first
denial.
Luke
22:58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art
also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.
A man later on
charges that Peter was one that was with Christ, and Peter claims he
was not. His words were “Man I am not.” No one wanted to
associate themselves with Jesus now or they might be imprisoned or
killed also. This was the second denial.
Luke
22:59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently
affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he
is a Galilaean.
Luke
22:60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And
immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
Luke
22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter
remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before
the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Luke
22:62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
Roughly an hour
after his second denial, another accuses him of being with Jesus
because he was a Galilaean. Peter again denies and says “Man I
know not what thou sayest.” And after this third denial, the cock
crew. In the record of this account in Matthew, it said that his
speech betrayed him, and he trying desperately to disassociate
himself from the Lord began to curse.
Mat
26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said
to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth
thee.
Mat
26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the
man. And immediately the cock crew.
Can you imagine
the feelings that went through Peter when the Lord turned and looked
upon him. Just earlier in this day, Peter had said he not only
would not deny, but he would go and die if need be. And I believe
with all my heart he meant those words. It says in verse 62 that
he went out and wept in repentance. This goes to show us how weak
we can be when we are alone and trying to battle with Satan.
Without the Lord, we are no match for Satan. Not even the angels
are able to battle effectively against Satan.
Jude
1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he
disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a
railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
VI. Jesus
Before the Sanhedrin Council
Luke
22:63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.
Luke
22:64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the
face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
The Sanhedrin
council was the supreme religious council in Israel and was made up
of the 70 most noted elders. Jesus is brought before this group
and was mocked and smote upon. They blindfolded him and struck him
in the face and in mockery asks him to prophesy as to who smote
him. What is amazing, He could have told them, but in the plan of
God, He kept his peace.
Luke
22:65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.
Luke
22:66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the
chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their
council, saying,
Luke
22:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I
tell you, ye will not believe:
Luke
22:68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
Luke
22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the
power of God.
Luke
22:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said
unto them, Ye say that I am.
Luke
22:71 And they said, What need we any further witness? for we
ourselves have heard of his own mouth.
Jesus is falsely
accused of many things. They directly ask Him if he is the Christ,
and he tells them that even if He told them, they would not
believe. He then tell them that one day they would see Him coming
on the right hand of the power of God. They accuse him of
blasphemy for saying this. But He was telling the truth. After
the seven years of tribulation, Jesus will come in great power and
glory and establish His kingdom here on earth.
Mark
13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
Mark
13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are
in heaven shall be shaken.
Mark
13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds
with great power and glory.
Mark
13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together
his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth
to the uttermost part of heaven.
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[i]Henry,
Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible,
(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers) 1997.
[ii]W.A.
Criswell, Believer’s study Bible [computer file],
electronic ed. , Logos Library System, (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1991 by the Criswell Center for
Biblical Studies.