Lucas 22
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 22
Cole - The spiritual lesson for us from these verses is: Since it is possible to be religious and yet to be in league with Satan, we must guard against evil religion. Satan uses religion more than any other tool to keep men in his domain of darkness. “Satan entered into Judas” (Lu 22:3). Behind the scenes of world and personal events lurks an evil spirit, the devil, who is working for his own ends in opposition to God. If he can pawn off counterfeit religions that keep people from knowing the true God, he can hold them in spiritual darkness. They think that they are right with God, but in reality, they are not. All of the world’s major religions (except biblical Christianity) invariably promote the idea that man can save himself through some form of good works or human effort. Inherent in such an approach to salvation are several fatally flawed notions. God’s absolute holiness must be pulled down to a level where we can approach Him by our own good deeds. Thus the character of God is blasphemed. Man’s sinfulness must be played down and his goodness built up to the point that we can do something to save ourselves. If we aren’t dead in our sins, alienated from God to the degree that we can do nothing to remedy the situation, then we don’t need a perfect substitute to atone for our sins. We don’t need Christ to save us; we just need to try the best we can. So you can see why Satan loves religion. It makes the cross unnecessary and it feeds the pride of sinful man. But we must go a step further: 2. People can even profess and belong to true religion and yet be in league with Satan. The chief priests and scribes believed in the true God of the Bible, who revealed Himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Judas was not just a follower of Jesus, but also one of the twelve. And yet they all were in league with Satan in plotting for Jesus’ death. Even so, there are many who profess to be Christians, but they are in harmony with Satan, not with Jesus Christ. The Crusades were ostensibly under the banner of Christianity, but there was nothing Christian about them. Satan still uses them to malign true Christianity. The Inquisition and the persecution carried on under the reign of Bloody Mary in England were done in the name of Christ, and yet these events and the people responsible for them were hideously evil. The Protestant-Catholic terrorism in Northern Ireland is not Christian in any sense of the word, and yet the world perceives of it as Christian versus Christian. Looking at the Jewish religious leaders and Judas, we can see a number of dangers for all who hold to belief in the one true God: Religious profession is not enough. - The chief priests and scribes professed to know and fear the one true God. They professed to believe in the Scriptures. Judas professed to be a follower of Christ. And yet they killed the sinless Savior. Anyone can make a profession of faith, but in and of itself, such a profession is not enough to guard us from evil religion. Religious knowledge is not enough. - The chief priests and scribes knew the Hebrew Bible better than any of us do. They studied it for years in the original language. They could cite lengthy passages by memory. But in spite of their impressive learning, they missed Christ. Their knowledge filled them with pride, when it should have humbled them before God. Spiritual knowledge is good if it brings us to the true knowledge of God and of ourselves, which always results in humility. But if it puffs us up with all that we know, it will bring us to ruin. Religious position is not enough. - These men were the religious leaders of the nation. They had spiritual oversight of more than a million Jews. But they crucified the Savior. Judas was one of the twelve apostles, hand-picked by Jesus Christ. Yet he betrayed the Savior of the world for a small bag of silver. You can be the pastor of a large church or the head of a large denomination and yet be in league with Satan. Religious ritual is not enough. - These men were about to celebrate the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. But at the same time, they were going to murder an innocent man, their Messiah, no less! The Passover pictured God’s salvation as seen in the Exodus. The Feast of Unleavened Bread that immediately followed pictured removing sin from our lives. If they had taken to heart the message of Passover, how could they have been plotting murder at the same time? It is easy to go through religious rituals and miss the message behind the ritual. Mafia members can go to the Mass and go home and arrange the murder of a rival. Church members can partake of communion and go home and verbally abuse their mates or children. Ritual is not enough. Religious service is not enough. - The chief priests and scribes had devoted their lives to religious duties. Judas had served Christ for three years in as close a capacity as possible. He had gone out with the other disciples, preaching and healing the sick in Jesus’ name. But all the religious service in the world is worthless if we betray Jesus. (ED: Or on a practical level, if we do works and fail to abide in the Vine - John 15:5). Religious affiliation is not enough. - The chief priests and scribes were affiliated with the cream of religious leaders in Judaism. Judas was a member of the twelve. He was personally acquainted with Peter, James, and John, not to mention, Jesus. He could tell you inside stories about these great men. You would think that some of it would have rubbed off on him. But you can know godly men and run in godly circles and yet not be godly yourself. Religious experience is not enough. - Judas witnessed the many miracles Christ performed. He had seen Jesus heal the sick and raise the dead. He had watched Jesus feed the 5,000 and walk on the water. He had seen Jesus hold large crowds spellbound with His teaching. But all of his spiritual experiences did not keep Judas from betraying Jesus. Even so, people today report all sorts of interesting and amazing spiritual experiences. They speak in tongues, laugh uncontrollably, bark like dogs, roar like lions, get slain in the Spirit, and lay prostrate on the floor. They go forward at evangelistic crusades and feel a warm glow come over them. But ask Judas. He will tell you that you can have amazing religious experiences and still betray the Savior. Religious experience is inadequate by itself. If it is possible to profess to be a Christian and to do all of these other things, and yet to be in league with Satan, how can we guard against such evil religion in ourselves? 3. At the core of evil religion are the lack of genuine conversion, the rejection of Jesus as Lord, and the promotion of selfish desires under the guise of religious commitment. A. Evil religion lacks genuine conversion. Many different theories have been suggested as to why Judas would do such a thing as betray Jesus. But at the root of whatever motivated Judas was this key factor: He was not a converted man. This is the key difference between Judas and Peter. Peter failed miserably, denying Jesus at His moment of greatest need, humanly speaking. Both men felt badly after their failures. But the difference was, Peter was truly converted; Judas was not. We need to understand that true conversion is not a matter of making a decision to follow Christ. A decision cannot save anyone. True conversion has nothing to do with anything that we can do. Rather, conversion is a matter of God imparting spiritual life to a person who is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1-5+; Jn 1:12-13+). Without God imparting life to our dead hearts, we cannot and will not believe in Christ or make a commitment to follow Him (Jn 6:44, Jn 6:65; Lu 10:22+; Ro 8:7-8+). As James 1:18+ puts it, “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.” True conversion, then, is not something that people can will or believe into existence. True conversion is the mighty power of God through the Gospel and it necessarily changes our hearts (cf Ezek 36:26-27+). Whereas before we were self-willed, now we submit to God. Before we were proud of our goodness; now we are humbled by our sin. Before we shrugged off or justified our sin; now we confess and mourn over our sin. Before we didn’t really care about knowing God; now it is our one desire and quest. When God saves you, He changes your heart. False religion lacks true conversion. B. Evil religion rejects Jesus Christ as Lord. By distinguishing this point from the previous one, I am not suggesting that we first get saved and then add lordship sometime later, as a second step. A truly converted person bows before the lordship of Jesus Christ and seeks to bring every aspect of his life under Christ’s lordship. But I separate this point to emphasize something that many who profess Christ as Savior do not realize, namely, that they have never dethroned self and enthroned Christ as Lord. They came to Christ in hopes that He could do something for them. Maybe they hoped He would fix their marriage or straighten out a rebellious child. Perhaps they hoped that He would make them happy. But their problems have only grown worse. They are disappointed with Christ. He hasn’t given them what they had hoped for. They are in danger of turning to false gods for help. Such people may not be converted at all, because they are only using Christ to fulfill self, not denying self to follow Christ (Lu 9:23+). Self is still in control. If Jesus will cooperate and give what self wants, they will follow Jesus. If not, they will turn to whatever makes self happy. This is merely evil religion, using religion to get what you want out of life. I am speculating a bit, but I think I’m not far off the mark in suggesting that Judas was following Jesus for what he thought Jesus could provide for him, but he had not submitted to Christ as Lord. If Jesus is the Messiah and can set up His kingdom and get rid of Rome, Judas was on board. Besides, as one of the twelve, he should get a top assignment in the new kingdom. But when Judas saw Jesus heading toward the cross, he was horrified. This wasn’t the kind of Messiah he had envisioned. He hadn’t signed on to face persecution and perhaps martyrdom. He wanted prestige, power, and material comfort. He was using Jesus for his own ends. When Jesus didn’t “work,” he was willing to betray Him for 30 pieces of silver. Each of us needs to ask ourselves, “Am I following Christ for what I can get out of Him?” That’s the religion of Judas. Or, have I submitted to Jesus as Lord, no matter what the cost? That is true Christianity. C. Evil religion promotes selfish desires under the guise of religious commitment. The Jewish leaders and Judas were religious men, but their religion was a thin veneer over selfish desires and a means to fulfilling those desires. There were three areas of selfish desires these men shared in common: The desire for money and material things. - We have already seen that the Pharisees were lovers of money (Lu 16:14). The fact that Judas received money for betraying Jesus confirms what Jn 12:6 states, that Judas was a thief who pilfered out of the disciples’ money box. Evil religion does not kill greed. But God always confronts our greed. Covetousness is one of the Ten Commandments. Greed is often linked with idolatry and sexual immorality (Eph 5:3, Eph 5:5; Col 3:5). If you are not consistently confronting your greed, you need to re-examine your faith. To betray the Son of God for money seems despicable beyond imagination. And yet, isn’t that what millions do? They profess to be Christians, but their lives are consumed with the pursuit of material things. They cling to their things and are deeply offended if anyone suggests that they give away their things for the cause of Christ. They will even cheat or lie or compromise their morals and their testimony so that they can get ahead. They are betraying Jesus for money, just as Judas did. The desire for prestige and recognition. - The Jewish leaders wanted the prestige that came from being a religious leader in Israel. They loved the respectful greetings and the chief seats in the synagogue (Lu 20:46). They were overly concerned about what people thought of them (Lu 22:2, Lu 22:6). They feared the multitude, but they did not fear God. I am inferring this, since Scripture does not directly say, but I think that Judas also may have liked the prestige that came from being in the inner circle with Jesus during the time of His popularity. Many in the crowd would whisper, “He’s one of the twelve.” It made Judas feel good to be so important. But now that Jesus’ popularity was in question, Judas wanted to get on the good side of the religious leaders. By leading them to Jesus, he could assure himself of recognition with the rulers after Jesus was out of the way. We all need to judge our own hearts. We can serve in the church for the recognition and prestige that it brings, rather than out of love for Jesus Christ. The desire for power and influence. - Evil religion involves men a contest for power. If you can work your way to the top, you’ll gain power and influence. So you play religious politics. You network with those who have influence. You cater to the rich and famous. You use guile and manipulation to get ahead in the religious world. The Jewish religious leaders played such political games. Jesus threatened their power base. He challenged their greed and corruption. He exposed their selfish motives. But rather than yielding to Him, they decided to get rid of Him. And, Judas was using his inside information for his own ends. He should have judged his evil desire for power and influence. When I first came to this church, I went out to lunch with the man who was then the regional director for the Southwest Conservative Baptist Association. During our conversation, he said, “You’ve got to build your power base in the church.” I didn’t reply, but I thought, “I’m sorry, but I’m not into building power bases or playing church politics.” We should walk in integrity before God and not be using people to build our power base. We’ve seen that Satan uses evil religion to keep people in his domain of darkness. They can even profess true religion, yet be in league with Satan. At the core of evil religion are a lack of genuine conversion, the rejection of Christ as Lord, and the promotion of selfish desires under the guise of religious commitment. 4. Evil religion brings initial happiness and gain, but final ruin. Lu 22:5 sends a chill down my spine: “And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.” How can anyone be glad about the prospect of killing the Son of God? How could Judas be glad about striking such a deal? I can see the chief priest going home that night, and his wife said, “You seem unusually happy. What’s going on?” And he said, “It looks like we’re finally going to get rid of that troublemaker, Jesus! What a relief!” And Judas walked away with that bag of silver under his coat, smiling as he thought of the things he could buy. But their happiness was short-lived. Their doom is eternal! The things that make you glad reveal your heart. If hearing that you just won the Reader’s Digest Sweepstakes makes you leap for joy, but hearing that the Gospel has just penetrated a previously unreached people group makes you say, “Ho hum,” your heart is not right before God. The things that make God rejoice should make us rejoice. The things that make God grieve, namely sin, should make us grieve (cf Lk 19:41+, Ezek 6:9+, Ge 39:10). Conclusion - In light of how Satan uses religion for his evil purposes, it is shocking when evangelical Christian leaders, such as Billy Graham, endorse religious men who clearly deny the Gospel. For example, Graham spoke well of the late Norman Vincent Peale, who said on a 1984 Phil Donahue show, “It’s not necessary to be born again. You have your way to God; I have mine. I found eternal peace in a Shinto shrine… I’ve been to Shinto shrines, and God is everywhere.” Even Donahue was shocked. He responded, “But you’re a Christian minister; you’re supposed to tell me that Christ is the way and the truth and the life, aren’t you?” Peale replied, “Christ is one of the ways. God is everywhere” (“The Berean Call,” 10/97, citing The Christian News, 5/12/97, p. 11). Graham has also endorsed Robert Schuller who denies the Gospel. He endorses Pope John Paul II as “the greatest religious leader of the modern world, and one of the greatest moral and spiritual leaders of this century” (on David Frost, 5/30/97). He even said, “I think Islam is misunderstood, too, because Mohammed has a great respect for Jesus, and he called Jesus the greatest of the prophets except himself. And I think that we’re closer to Islam than we really think we are” (ibid.). My purpose is not to slam Billy Graham, although he needs someone to confront him. My purpose is to illustrate my main point, that since it is possible to be religious and yet be in league with Satan, we must guard ourselves against evil religion. At best Graham is extremely undiscerning. At worst, people who hear him say things like that will be kept from true salvation. I hope that none of you are deceived. Avoid evil religion. Do not endorse it. Do not join with it. Make sure that your heart is right before God. Are you trusting in Christ alone for salvation? Are you judging your sin on the heart level? Are you seeking to please God and walk before Him? If you are, you will avoid the danger of betraying the Son of God for a bag of silver. (Luke 22:1-6 Evil Religion) Luke 22:4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. KJV Luke 22:4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers Mt 26:14; Mark 14:10,11 Luke 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries EVIL MEN PLOT JESUS' MURDER The parallel passages... Matthew 26:14-16 Then (AFTER WITNESSING MARY'S COSTLY ACT OF LOVE TOWARD JESUS) one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16 From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus. Robertson on Matthew's 30 pieces - Matthew refers to Zechariah 11:12. These pieces were shekels of the sanctuary, of standard weight, and therefore heavier than the ordinary shekel. See on Matthew 17:24. Reckoning the Jerusalem shekel at seventy-two cents, the sum would be twenty-one dollars and sixty cents. This was the price which, by the Mosaic law, a man was condemned to pay if his ox should gore a servant (Exodus 21:32). Our Lord, the sacrifice for men, was paid for out of the temple-money, destined for the purchase of sacrifices. He who "took on him the form of a servant" was sold at the legal price of a slave. Mark 14:10-11+ Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time. And he went away - He went away being led by the unholy influence of the evil spirit Satan who had entered him enticing him to commit the greatest act of treachery in human history! There is a dramatic difference in the way Jesus and Judas responded to their personal encounters with the devil. Jesus under the empowering influence of the Holy Spirit (cf Lk 4:14+) was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and unlike Judas our Lord successfully resisted repeated temptations to sin against God (Lk 4:1-2+, Lk 4:3-13+)! O, how great is every believer's need to be continually filled with the Spirit of Jesus (Eph 5:18+) so that we might be energized and enabled to resist (cf James 4:5-10+) the continual temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil! Fill us Father so that we might resist the siren (in Greek mythology, a creature half bird and half woman who lured sailors to destruction by the sweetness of her song) call of sin and instead continually walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel for the glory of the Lamb. Amen. It is notable that the verb he went away (apelthon) is in the active voice which signifies that Judas made a volitional choice and it was he who chose to approach the Jewish leaders, not the converse for they would not have been aware of Satan's possession. So on one hand Satan surely shot fiery missiles into the mind of Judas (cf Eph 6:16+), but ultimately Judas made the final, fatal choice! Lane - Judas seems to have responded to an official notice that circulated in Jerusalem: “Now the chief priests had given orders that if anyone knew where he [i.e. Jesus] was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him” (John 11:57). (NICNT-Mark) Fruchtenbaum - In Luke 22:3 we see that Satan himself has entered Judas. He is not merely demon possessed but Satan possessed. Judas’ god has been money all along, and now he goes to betray Jesus for money to the chief priests and captains. Judas is “hired” for three things: (1) He is to show where Jesus may be arrested away from the multitude. He succeeds at that. (2). Under Roman law, a Roman cohort could not be released to make an arrest unless someone first appears before the Roman governor with an accusation of a crime punishable under Roman law. Judas was the witness to appear before Pontius Pilate in order to release the cohort. (3). Also under Roman law Judas would have served as a prosecuting witness at the Roman trial, a role he failed to accomplish. He would not be needed for a Jewish trial. • The negotiation results in the payment of 30 pieces of silver, a fulfillment of prophecy. (Life of Messiah) And discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them - An evil man controlled by Satan colludes with evil men who are likewise controlled by Satan to determine the "how" of Jesus' death. Mt 26:15 records Judas question "What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” As noted elsewhere, the Jewish leaders had planned to wait until after the Passover to seize and kill Jesus, but with Judas' offer they accelerated their plans. Here we see the sovereign will of the Lord God's "predetermined plan" (Acts 2:23+) that was in place from the foundation of the world. The Lamb of God must die on the Passover to fulfill the Old Testament feast which pointed to the Lamb of God. So in this sense, Satan, Judas and the evil leaders "played into" God's "predetermined plan." Beloved, if our Father is in control of every detail leading to the death of His only Son, His beloved Son, you can rest assured that He is in full control of the manifold, variegated events and circumstances in the lives of His children (cf 1 Jn 3:1+), even when things seem out of control! God grant us grace to rest in this truth in Christ. Amen Officers (4755)(strategos from stratós = an army + ágō = to lead) literally referred to the leader of an army the chief legal official of a city. A T
Lucas 22
Cole - The things that make you glad reveal your heart. If hearing that you just won the Reader’s Digest Sweepstakes makes you leap for joy, but hearing that the Gospel has just penetrated a previously unreached people group makes you say, “Ho hum,” your heart is not right before God. The things that make God rejoice should make us rejoice. The things that make God grieve, namely sin, should make us grieve. Keep in mind that the religious leaders had determined to kill Jesus, but they had not determined to do it during Passover because of the fear of a riot. Here is where we see the mysterious working of the sovereignty of God, Who so orchestrated events that Jesus the Lamb of God would be crucified as the Passover Lamb and not at some later date. As David
Lucas 22
Cole - Jesus solemnly assures the disciples that He will not eat the Passover meal or drink of the fruit of the vine again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom (Lu 22:16, Lu 22:18). There is debate about whether or not the Passover will again be celebrated in the millennial kingdom. It could refer to the future celebration of Lord’s Supper as the fulfillment of the Passover (Ed: cp Passover in Ezek 45:21 which is in the context of the Millennium). But whatever He meant, Jesus here predicted His resurrection and His coming again in power and glory to establish His Kingdom. I cannot see how Jesus’ present reign in the hearts of believers could be the final fulfillment of His Kingdom. He pointed ahead to the day when His Kingdom will be established on earth. (Luke 22:7-23 Come to the Table) (Bolding added) Be fulfilled (completed) (4137)(pleroo) literally speaks of the idea of totality, and here signifies that it will be fully accomplished. The verb is in the passive voice, which in the context is the so-called "divine passive" signifying God's power and providence will bring Jesus' promise to perfect fruition, perfectly on time. Kingdom of God is a major subject in Luke's Gospel - 32x in 31v and 6x in 6v in Acts - see discussion of the Kingdom in Lk 22:30+. References below also have significant discussions on the Kingdom of God. Lk. 4:43; Lk. 6:20; Lk. 7:28; Lk. 8:1; Lk. 8:10; Lk. 9:2; Lk. 9:11; Lk. 9:27; Lk. 9:60; Lk. 9:62; Lk. 10:9; Lk. 10:11; Lk. 11:20; Lk. 13:18; Lk. 13:20; Lk. 13:28; Lk. 13:29+; Lk. 14:15+; Lk. 16:16; Lk. 17:20+; Lk. 17:21; Lk. 18:16; Lk. 18:17; Lk. 18:24; Lk. 18:25; Lk. 18:29; Lk. 19:11; Lk. 21:31; Lk. 22:16; Lk. 22:18; Lk. 23:51; Acts 1:3+; Acts 8:12; Acts 14:22; Acts 19:8; Acts 28:23; Acts 28:31 Brian Bell - The Passover feast looked back to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. The Lord’s Supper looks back to Christ’s death on the cross. The Lord’s Supper looks ahead to His coming again, “until it is fulfilled in the kingdom”. Jesus saw a future fulfillment of the feast when His people would be gathered together in His glorious kingdom. Here are a few Scriptures which support a literal earthly Kingdom of God (From Gotquestions.org) 1) Christ's feet will actually touch the Mount of Olives prior to the establishment of His kingdom (Zechariah 14:4, 9+); 2) During the kingdom, the Messiah will execute justice and judgment on the earth (Jeremiah 23:5-8); 3) The kingdom is described as being under heaven (Daniel 7:13-14+, Daniel 7:27+); 4) The prophets foretold of dramatic earthly changes during the kingdom (Acts 3:21; Isa 35:1-2+, Isa 11:6-9+, Isa 29:18, 65:20-22; Ezek 47:1-12; Amos 9:11-15) 5) The chronological order of events in Revelation indicates the existence of an earthly kingdom prior to the conclusion of world history (Revelation 20+, esp Rev 20:7-10+). The amillennial view comes from using one method of interpretation for unfulfilled prophecy and another method for non-prophetic Scripture and fulfilled prophecy. Non-prophetic Scripture and fulfilled prophecy are interpreted literally or normally. But, according to the amillennialist, unfulfilled prophecy is to be interpreted spiritually, or non-literally. Those who hold to amillennialism believe that a “spiritual” reading of unfulfilled prophecy is the normal reading of the texts. This is called using a dual hermeneutic. (Hermeneutics is the study of the principles of interpretation.) The amillennialist assumes that most, or all, unfulfilled prophecy is written in symbolic, figurative, spiritual language. Therefore, the amillennialist will assign different meanings to those parts of Scripture instead of the normal, contextual meanings of those words. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb Tony Garland Revelation 19:9+ Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he *said to me, “These are true words of God.” Since the bride needs no invitation to the marriage supper, (15) those mentioned here are a separate body of saints who are not part of the church, having never been baptized into the body of Christ. They are the saved who died before the Day of Pentecost or who came to faith after the Restrainer was removed in the Rapture of the Church. See Who is the Restrainer?Since the banquet includes the saints of all ages (not just the bride), this also indicates the feast will be held during the Millennial Kingdom. In order for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to participate, it will have to follow their resurrection (Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2+). In order for the Tribulation martyrs to participate, it will also have to follow their resurrection (Rev. 20:4+). It is with the Marriage Feast that the Millennium will begin, . . . the invitations . . . go out to all the redeemed who are not members of the Church, i.e., the Old Testament and Tribulation saints soon to be resurrected. (16) It is in the kingdom of God, when the Messianic Kingdom comes on earth, that Jesus will once again eat the Passover: Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” (Luke 22:15-18) Since the marriage supper consistently is used in reference to Israel on the earth, it may be best to . . . view the marriage of the Lamb as that event in the heavens in which the church is eternally united to Christ and the marriage feast or supper as the millennium, to which Jews and Gentiles will be invited, which takes place on earth, during which time the bridegroom is honored through the display of the bride to all His friends who are assembled there. (17) Jesus promised those in the church at Laodicea who opened to His knock that he would dine with them and that they would sit with Him on His throne. Since His throne, the throne of David, is taken up during the Millennial Kingdom, the promise likely extends to participation in the marriage supper. See commentary on Revelation 3:20+.Some see the need to include the millennial saints and the mention of the New Jerusalem as the bride of the Lamb as an indication that the feast will be prolonged into the eternal state: [The marriage feast] cannot transpire on earth in a completed sense until after the Millennium when the rest of the faithful from the thousand-year period combine with the martyrs and other saints to complete the body of the redeemed (Charles). The language of Rev. 21:2, 9+ is quite explicit regarding the bride in the new heaven and the new earth (Lee). The better part of wisdom is to include both the Millennium and the new heaven and the new earth as the prolonged wedding feast of the Lamb and His bride (cf. Rev. 19:9+). It will commence with Christ’s glorious appearance to initiate His kingdom on this present earth. (18) Luke 22:17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; KJV Luke 22:17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: And when He had taken a cup and given thanks Ps 23:5; 116:13; Jeremiah 16:7 He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; Luke 22:19; 9:16; Deuteronomy 8:10; 1 Samuel 9:13; Romans 14:6; 1 Timothy 4:4,5 Luke 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Alfred Edersheim - The Paschal Supper THE EUCHARIST GIVING OF THANKS And when He had taken a cup and given thanks - While not all commentaries agree, most conservative sources consider this to be the first cup of (diluted) wine out of the traditional 4 cups described above (note), probably the "cup of blessing." This cup appears to be unique to Luke's Gospel, for the cup mentioned in Matthew and Mark is clearly the one Jesus designates as "the blood of the covenant." (Mt 26:27-28, Mk 14:23-24) NET Note - Only Luke mentions two cups at this meal; the other synoptic gospels (Matt 26:27-28, Mark 14:23-24) mention only one. This is the first of the two. It probably refers to the first cup in the traditional Passover meal, which today has four cups (although it is debated whether the fourth cup was used in the 1st century). It is notable that the cup in the OT often symbolized the outpouring of God's wrath (e.g., Ps. 75:8; Isa. 51:17). W A Criswell comments that "Four cups were actually shared during the Passover meal. Luke mentions two, while Mt. 26:26-29, Mk 14:22-25, and 1 Cor 11:23-26 speak of only one cup, which follows the bread. The other synoptic Gospels and Paul focus attention on only one cup because of its memorial significance. This is probably the "cup of blessing" (1 Cor 10:16) which ties the old and new observances together." Had...given thanks (also used in Luke 22:19)(2168) (eucharisteo) is a word that at its very core (eu = good + charis = grace) means to acknowledge how good grace is! This Greek word gives us our English Eucharist. Note that the Lord’s Supper and baptism are the only two "sacraments" that Jesus instituted for the Church (some denominations have added others but they are not prescribed in the Bible) and is also known as “Communion," "Holy Communion,” or “The Eucharist” Brian Bell - Gave thanks - Thanksgiving is the expression of Joy God-ward! Believers are encouraged to abound in it! Col.2:6,7 “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”
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Cole - The context of Luke heightens the absurdity of this debate among the disciples. Jesus has just announced His impending death (Lu 9:44) and He is about to set His face to go to that fate in Jerusalem (Lu 9:51). Sandwiched between these solemn pronouncements, the disciples bicker about which of them is the greatest! We will again encounter a similar episode at the Last Supper (Lu 22:24). But before we shake our heads and say, “How could they do that?” we need to acknowledge that we are made of the same fabric as the disciples; we struggle against the same problems. The fact that they got into a similar dispute on the eve of the crucifixion should also warn us that this isn’t a lesson that you learn once and store away in your file cabinet. It is a lesson that we must constantly apply. (Relational Lessons for Christian Service ) (Bolding added)
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Cole - Illustration - Former world heavyweight boxing champ, Muhammad Ali, was known for often bragging, “I’m the greatest.” Just before take-off on an airline flight, the stewardess reminded Ali to fasten his seatbelt. “Superman don’t need no seatbelt,” Ali told her. The stewardess retorted, “Superman don’t need no airplane, either.” Ali fastened his seatbelt. (The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes, ed. by Clifton Fadimon [Little, Brown] p. 14.) No one would mistake Muhammad Ali’s braggadocio as a Christian virtue. Humility and selflessness are to mark the believer in Jesus Christ. Since we all know this, it seems incredible that the apostles would get into this silly debate over which of them was the greatest, especially when you consider the setting: the Last Supper, the night before Jesus would go to the cross. The Lord had just announced that one of the twelve would betray Him. The disciples had responded by discussing who would do such a thing, and with each one asking, “Surely, not I?” (Mk 14:19). Perhaps this led someone to say, “I know that I’m not a likely candidate.” Someone else said, “Me, neither!” Another said, “Well, it couldn’t be me?” “Why not? Do you think you’re better than the rest of us?” From there, things heated up quickly. This wasn’t the first time that the twelve had gotten into this sort of silly debate. They had argued about the same matter while they walked at some distance from Jesus, thinking that He couldn’t hear what they were discussing (Mk 9:33-37). But He knew what they were discussing and used the occasion to teach them about childlike humility. On another occasion, the mother of James and John had come to Jesus to ask that her sons could sit on His right and left in the kingdom. The other disciples were indignant (Mk 10:35-45). What right had these two brothers to claim the top spots in the kingdom? Jesus taught them that the greatest should become the servant and the one who wished to be first should be the slave of all, adding, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” But in spite of these repeated lessons, here they were again, right on the eve of the Lord’s death, arguing over which of them was the greatest! This shows us that although we can have this lesson in our heads, it takes a while to put it into practice. We just think that we’ve learned it once and for all when someone does something to bug us and we think, “I’m a better servant of Christ than he is!” Although we may not get into a verbal debate, the thought of our heart is, “I’m greater than he is!” So we all have to keep coming back to this fundamental lesson: The greatest in God’s sight are those who humbly serve. This is a lesson that all who are actively serving Christ must continually apply. But it also applies to Christians who are sitting on the bench, not engaged in serving the Lord. The Bible clearly teaches that every believer has been given at least one spiritual gift and is to employ it in serving one another (1Pe 4:10). Being a servant of Christ is more than just signing up to teach Sunday School or to do some other job at the church. Being a servant is a mindset, where each day you make yourself available to Christ and ask Him to use you in His service in whatever ways He chooses. It may be to speak a word about the Savior to someone who needs Him. It may be to offer cheerful help to someone in need. It may be to listen to a person who needs sympathy or understanding. But whatever the job, your daily attitude is, “Lord, here I am. Use me as Your servant.” If you’re not living in that way, then you are living for self, not for Christ. ( Who's the Greatest? Luke 22:24-30) 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.' BGT Luke 22:25 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οἱ βασιλεῖς τῶν ἐθνῶν κυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ ἐξουσιάζοντες αὐτῶν εὐεργέται καλοῦνται. KJV Luke 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. NET Luke 22:25 So Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called 'benefactors.' CSB Luke 22:25 But He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles dominate them, and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' ESV Luke 22:25 And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. NIV Luke 22:25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. NLT Luke 22:25 Jesus told them, "In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called 'friends of the people.' NRS Luke 22:25 But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. YLT Luke 22:25 And he said to them, 'The kings of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those exercising authority upon them are called benefactors; GWN Luke 22:25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of nations have power over their people, and those in authority call themselves friends of the people. NKJ Luke 22:25 And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called`benefactors.' NAB Luke 22:25 He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are addressed as 'Benefactors'; Mt 20:25-28; Mark 10:41-45 Luke 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 20:25-28 20 (THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING AT A DIFFERENT TIME) Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She *said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” 22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They *said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He *said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” 24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:35-45+ (THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING AT A DIFFERENT TIME) James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” VERBAL REBUKE OF THE DISCIPLES Luke does not record Jesus' instructive example of servanthood in John 13:1-11, but most think that it probably preceded Jesus' explanation of true greatness. The other synoptic gospels record a similar discussion by Jesus but in a different context (not the Lord's Supper). (Mt 20:25-28 = see context Mt 20:20-24, Mark 10:41-45). Clearly this was a recurrent problem with the fleshly disciples. And He said to them - Jesus immediately addresses the argument among the disciples. Matthew 20:25 has "But Jesus called them to Himself and said" which makes an important point that Jesus sensed pride beginning to raise its ugly head (see Mt 20:20-24) and so the first thing He does is summon all the Twelve to Himself. Gilbrant writes "This is always the first step toward unity and understanding. Believers must gather around Jesus and let Him speak. This can be done through His written Word." How do you address pride (and resultant divisiveness) in your church? Satan is always fomenting our pride. And the best response is to gather around the Word and pray the Word (Jn 1:1, Rev 19:13) as a group. That's the next best thing to having a personal audience with Jesus. My daughter has a friend who is a leader in the church and whose marriage is experiencing severe testing. When several of the women she knew agreed to come over to her home and pray for this woman and her spousal strife, the Spirit laid on my daughter's heart to lead the time of prayer so that it was somewhat structured. She is a reluctant leader, but obeyed and sent all the ladies Scriptures to ponder before they gathered, asking them to bring other Scriptures to the prayer meeting. The upshot is that it was a wonderful time of hearing the voice of Jesus via the Spirit and the Word and all participants sensed God's favor on the meeting.
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Cole - We fail to recognize the spiritual battle that we’re engaged in and so fail to pray as we should. Peter didn’t understand that Satan was out to get him and that this hour belonged to the power of darkness. Thus he failed to pray at that crucial time in the garden (Luke 22:31, 46, 53). This caused him to react to Jesus’ arrest by swinging his sword, rather than with weapons for spiritual warfare. Then he blindly wandered into the path of temptation in the courtyard of the high priest’s house. So often, like Peter, we react to difficult situations from the physical or human perspective, rather than realizing that we’re in a spiritual battle with the unseen forces of wickedness in heavenly places (Eph. 6:11-12). Someone says something against you at work and you react in anger by putting him down or getting back at him. By not praying and seeing it as a spiritual attack, you missed the opportunity to bear witness for Christ! Steven Cole - God uses our failures to give us a deeper understanding of our total need for Him We all inherently have too high a view of ourselves and of our ability to live the Christian life in our own strength. And so the Lord graciously permits us to fail to teach us our absolute need for Him. About the time that you start thinking, “I’ll never fall into that sin again!” look out! “Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). This principle is illustrated in many places in the Bible (see Psalm 107, for example), but perhaps nowhere more clearly than with Peter’s denials of Christ. The Lord could have prevented Peter’s failure. Satan had demanded permission to sift Peter like wheat (Luke 22:31). God did not have to grant Satan’s demand. He could have said, “Satan, be gone!” and Satan would have had to flee. But God granted Satan’s request to teach Peter (and us) a painful, but necessary, lesson: Peter was not as strong as he thought he was. He had protested that even if all others fell away, he would stand firm (Mark 14:29). But he had to fail to learn not to trust in himself. The Christian life is a process of getting knocked off our feet so that we learn not to trust in ourselves, but totally in the Lord. But Peter learned something else through his failure, and Asaph learned the same wonderful lesson Ray Pritchard - Satan prowls the world like a roaring lion, looking for those he can destroy (1 Peter 5:8). But though he possesses great power, he can do nothing without God’s express permission. In Job 1 it is God who tells the devil to consider his servant Job. Satan cannot afflict Job beyond the limits established by God. The devil is powerful, but he is not omnipotent. He has great knowledge but he is not omniscient. A few hours before his betrayal, Jesus told Peter that Satan had requested permission to sift him like wheat, meaning that Satan could not tempt him to evil without God’s permission (Luke 22:31). Satan operates within limits imposed by God. This is both a comfort and a warning. It is a comfort to know that our temptations do not happen by chance but are permitted by our Heavenly Father. The warning is that God still holds us accountable for how we respond. No one will ever be able to escape judgment by saying, “The devil made me do it.” No, he may have tempted you, but you did the sinning all by yourself. (Overcoming Lingering Bitterness) Adrian Rogers - Where was Satan working on Peter when he tempted him to deny Jesus? He tempted him on his faith, on his relationship with God. Peter wasn't on an ego trip. It wasn't his soul that was under attack. It wasn't that his hormones were raging or that he was set on committing some sexual sin. No, his spirit was under attack. His faith became weakened under the hammering of Satan's temptation. Satan will come against you in the same way. And when he does, the Bible tells us to use the "shield of faith" to protect ourselves from "the flaming arrows of the evil one" (Eph. 6:16). (Borrow What every Christian ought to know day by day : essential truths for growing your faith) David Wilkerson - WHEN SIFTING COMES And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat’ ” (Luke 22:31). It is important to understand that Satan seeks to sift only those who threaten his work. He goes after the tree that has the most potential to bear fruit. That is exactly why the devil desired to sift Peter. For three years Peter had been casting out devils and healing the sick. I believe that when Satan had heard Jesus promise the disciples another baptism—one of Holy Spirit power and fire—he trembled. Now the devil heard God’s ultimate plan for Peter—and he realized that the works of the past three years would be nothing compared to the greater things Peter and the others would perform. The devil was looking for a measure of corruption in Peter to build on, to make Peter’s faith fail. Perhaps like Peter you are being shaken and sifted. Maybe you’re asking, “Why me? Why now?” First of all, you ought to rejoice that you have such a reputation in hell. Satan is sifting you because you play an important part in God’s Church in these last days. God is doing a new thing in this last generation, and you have been set apart by Him to be a powerful witness to many. He has set you free and is preparing you for His eternal purposes. The greater your gifts and the greater your surrender to the will of God, then the greater your potential—and the more severe your sifting will be. When someone is going through the fire of sifting, what should those around him do? What did Jesus do about Peter’s imminent fall? He said to him, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail” (verse 32). When you see brothers and sisters compromising or heading for trouble or disaster, love them enough to warn them as firmly as Jesus warned Peter. Most of all, tell them, “I am praying for you.” Vance Havner - THE SIFTING OF THE SAINTS Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22:31, 32. Here again are the countermovements of Satan and God. Satan puts the saints in his sifter to winnow out the good and leave the bad. Christ prays for His people that their testing may winnow out the chaff and leave the wheat. The dross He would consume and the gold refine. And all in order that the saint may be a strengthener of his brethren. If you have not been through the devil's sifter, you are probably not worth sifting! Lehman Strauss - Sifted Every human life is a commentary upon the presence and power of evil in the world. Every biography is a warning signal to the coming generation of the subtle attacks of man's universal enemy, the devil. The life story of Simon Peter is such a biography. No thoughtful reader could fail to see in it a solemn warning of the approach and attack of our infernal foe. Lest we belittle the enemy's presence, we have our Lord's own words to one of His followers: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat" (Luke 22:31). The Possibility Of The Sifting These words of our Lord point out the possibility of a believer being caught in Satan's riddle. Satan, knowing that he is permitted to sift the winnowed wheat that is in God's granary, actively seeks to entrap the saints in his screen, that he might shake them violently. That Satan may do this is one of the divine mysteries; nevertheless it is true. Satan being a created being, both his power and knowledge are limited. Yet he is permitted to have access to God's elect. When the Lord Jesus warned Peter of the possibility of being sifted, He was borrowing a figure of speech from the Old Testament. In His warning of divine judgment to come upon Assyria, God said that He would "sift the nations with the sieve of emptiness," or "a useless sieve." The sifting here is not to preserve but to destroy. The Assyrians and their generals were sifted by God; and inasmuch as they were but unbelieving chaff, they were annihilated (Isa. 37:36). This sifting was a type of a greater one that will take place on a larger scale when the Son of Man comes again in power and glory, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 1:5-10; 2:8-12). In this one instance the sifting is not for the good of those being tried, but rather for the vindication of the righteousness of God. But let us look further into the possibility of the sifting of the saints in the devil's sieve. The aim of Satan's sifting is contrary to the aim of divine sifting. Satan purposes to get rid of the gram; God purposes to get rid of the chaff. The devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8), but God gathers His wheat into the garner and burns up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12). Satan, by the permissive will of God, shook Job violently in his sieve (Job 1:6-12). The patriarch Job was a wealthy man, but he was a good man whose trust was in the Lord. Satan accused Job, before the Lord, of serving God for the material profit he derived from doing so. God gave Satan the privilege of sifting His servant, and while Job was in the devil's sieve, his possessions and family were taken away. The enemy's desire is to sift all of God's children, and there is no promise given to us from God that we shall escape a sifting of the devil similar to that which Job experienced. Death, destruction, or poverty might strike at any time in any of our lives. And, while at first all might appear to be a gloomy mystery, the sifting always results in a glorious manifestation. Some of the blessed results of the sifting of the saints we shall observe later. In the prophecy of Amos, we see God sifting His children, Israel: "For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth" (Amos 9:9). A careful reading of this entire book will show that Israel had exposed herself to many sinful practices and departures from the Lord. Her thanklessness, idolatry, and wantonness resulted in her being sifted. In the early Church, an incestuous person took one of his father's wives into his home. Instead of heeding the Christian message, this guilty person had followed a false religious philosophy that legalized polygamy. The Apostle Paul sternly reproved him and commanded the church at Corinth to deliver him into Satan's hands for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:5). Here, indeed, is another case of a saint in Satan's sieve. Finally, the possibility of sifting is seen in the experience of the great apostle himself. Paul, by the Holy Spirit, wrote of his rapture into Paradise. That any carnal boasting might be bridled, the apostle was given "a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet" (2 Cor. 12:7). These six references will suffice to show the possibility of being sifted by the permissive will of God. The Protection For The Sifting With each sifting of a saint there is the blessed assurance of divine protection. While Satan is permitted to sift us, God makes certain that the enemy goes just so far, and there he meets the restraining hand. In the case of Job, the Lord said to Satan: "All that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand" (Job 1:12). The hedge that God placed about Job (1:10) shows that the child of God is safe from the worst that the enemy can do. In our text, the protection of the Christian in this present dispensation is clearly stated. Jesus said to Peter: "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32). The saint in Satan's sieve is assured that the Lord Jesus, the master in the art of prayer, is his advocate and intercessor. Before we are attacked by the enemy, our Lord has protected us by exercising His function as our great high priest. During the process of the sifting we might receive comfort from the prayers of our friends, but none of these intercessions can compare with the praying of our Lord. The secret of unfailing faith is in the Lord's presence at God's right hand. Our Lord has entered into heaven itself, "now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Heb. 9:24), "seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25). His praying is our protection. What Christ did for Peter, He is doing daily, night and day, for us. When He was yet upon the earth, our Lord prayed to His Father in heaven: "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15, A.S.V.). This proves that no true child of God can be lost in Satan's sieve. The fact that Jesus lives to manage my affairs shows that I, too, live forever. He has committed Himself as my bondman. Therefore my faith cannot fail. It will be good for us if we refresh our minds on this subject of our Lord's present intercessory ministry in our behalf. Perhaps the most formal discussion of the priestly work of Christ appears in the Epistle to the Hebrews. What those persecuted and suffering Jewish Christians needed to know was that Jesus was a sympathetic high priest, better than Aaron. Forty days after His resurrection He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9), and there are abundant evidences as to exactly where He is and what He is doing now. Paul tells us that Christ is at the right hand of God and that He "maketh intercession for us" (Rom. 8:34). His position in heaven is one of dignity and authority, and it serves to stress the efficacy of His intercessory work. Why does our Lord intercede for us? Because there is someone with power who comes before the throne of God that he might condemn the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. That slanderer is Satan, or the devil, the malignant accuser and worst enemy of man. Whenever he brings his false charge against a child of God, our great high priest in heaven silences him by the marks of crucifixion in His hands, feet, and side, proof sufficient that the believer is justified by the blood of Christ. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25). Before every Christian lies a pilgrim path beset by our great foe, Satan. We need to know that we have a great high priest who protects us from the worst our enemy can do. Our Lord is infinitely sympathetic and He is able to carry us straight through to the end of our pilgrimage. "Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted" (Heb. 2:17, 18). The ministry of our high priest is not confined to His atonement, but continues in intercession and succour. To know Him in this present ministry for us will strengthen our hearts when the enemy comes in like a flood. He is our faithful high priest, always near to give the victory. In view of the fact that we have such an high priest, who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:15, 16). He helps in the hour of temptation, giving grace and mercy to preserve us blameless and to keep us from falling. When Satan would buffet us and sift us in his sieve, we may draw near with boldness to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our loving high priest. He provides grace for both present and future spiritual needs. The Purpose Of The Sifting God never acts without reason, and His purposes He makes plain to those who desire to know them. Some of the purposes of sifting we shall examine now. Sometimes the sifting is permitted in order to silence Satan. The enemy of God's Word, the accuser of the brethren, is often silenced even as he sifts the saints. Again, probably the best example of this in the Old Testament is the patriarch Job. Satan accused Job of serving God for gain (Job 1:9-11). Then God gave Satan the privilege to take away Job's possessions and family. This only resulted in the silencing of the evil one, for instead of complaining against God, Job testified: "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). The devil sows the seed of doubt and distrust in the minds of many people by persuading them that Christians can serve God only in the sunshine, but our common enemy has been silenced in many a sickroom and poverty-stricken home where trial and testing have brought forth praise to God, even in the midst of physical and mental suffering. There is a ministry in suffering that produces greater victories over Satan than much present-day preaching and religious activity. Certainly Job, and all other saints in Satan's sieve, can rejoice in having a part in the ministry which silences the enemy. Sometimes the sifting is permitted that we might have sympathy for others. Often the greatest sufferers become the greatest sympathizers. Having been in the place where we needed sympathy ourselves, we become more sympathetic toward others. Job's three "friends" knew nothing of his sufferings, so he called them "miserable comforters." The Scripture teaches us that God "comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" (2 Cor. 1:4). The greatest sympathizer of all time is our Lord Jesus Christ. For forty days he was sifted in Satan's sieve (Matt. 4:1-11). At the end of that time He had silenced Satan. All the while He knew what it was to be hungry and to spend sleepless nights as He wrestled with the enemy. "For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted" (Heb. 2:18). Our Lord did not fail to instruct Peter in this, for He said: "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32). O weary one, look now to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive His comfort. There is a ministry awaiting you. Then, too, the sifting might come to us to fill up that which is lacking in Christian experience. Simon Peter needed the sifting. He had been boastful (Mark 14:29), self-confident (Luke 22:33), prayerless (Luke 22:45), hasty (Luke 22:50), and had warmed himself at the fire of the enemy (Luke 22:56), denying his Lord (Luke 22:57-60). He needed the sifting to get rid of the chaff. If Christ had not prayed for Peter, Satan would have destroyed him and not the chaff. But God was making no mistake in permitting His child to be sifted in Satan's sieve. He was purging away the chaff that He might polish the pure grain. The sifting makes us more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes the trial and test are God's method of producing Christlikeness in His children. The Lord is not concerned merely with providing our salvation to keep us out of hell. He longs to conform us to the image of His Son. And if we are to be like the Lord Jesus, there must be sifting, suffering, and sorrow. We can never be like Christ without these things. So when we are passing through the sifting process, we can say: "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God," and the reason is that we might "be conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:28, 29). These are but a few of the glorious purposes of God in permitting His children to get caught in Satan's sieve. One final word should serve as a warning to the unsaved. God Himself will execute the final sifting of the unrighteous from the righteous. Today, while the devil is sowing his tares among the wheat, many unbelievers are ranked among the redeemed. But, at the end of the age, the grim reapers will separate the tares from the wheat, and the unbelievers will be cast into a furnace of fire where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:24-43). In that day of judgment, the nations "shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind" (Isa. 17:13). Man's day will have come to its close, and of him it is written: "The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away" (Psa. 1:4). He is a wise man who acknowledges the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, thereby escaping the final sifting when the unsaved will be cast into hell forever. Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." BGT Luke 22:32 ἐγὼ δὲ ἐδεήθην περὶ σοῦ ἵνα μὴ ἐκλίπῃ ἡ πίστις σου· καὶ σύ ποτε ἐπιστρέψας στήρισον τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου. GNM Luke 22:32 ἐγώ@npn-1s δέ@ch δέομαι@viao--1s περί@pg σύ@npg-2s ἵνα@cc/cs μή@qn ἐκλείπω@vsaa--3s ὁ@dnfs πίστις@n-nf-s σύ@npg-2s καί@cc σύ@npn-2s ποτέ@abi ἐπιστρέφω@vpaanm2s στηρίζω@vmaa--2s ὁ@damp ἀδελφός@n-am-p σύ@npg-2s KJV Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. NET Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." CSB Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." ESV Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." NIV Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." NLT Luke 22:32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." NRS Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." YLT Luke 22:32 and I besought for thee, that thy faith may not fail; and thou, when thou didst turn, strengthen thy brethren.' GWN Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. So when you recover, strengthen the other disciples." NKJ Luke 22:32 "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." NAB Luke 22:32 but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers." MIT Luke 22:32 But I interceded in your behalf lest your faith be utterly terminated. When you have had a turnaround, strengthen your brothers." NJB Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.' ASV Luke 22:32 but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren. DBY Luke 22:32 but *I* have besought for thee that thy faith fail not; and *thou*, when once thou hast been restored, confirm thy brethren. BBE Luke 22:32 But I have made prayer for you, that your faith may not go from you: and when you are turned again, make your brothers strong. NIRV Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, Simon. I have prayed that your faith will not fail. When you have turned back, help your brothers to be strong." RSV Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren." RWB Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. WEB Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. but I have prayed for you Zechariah 3:2-4; John 14:19; 17:9-11,15-21; Romans 5:9,10; 8:32,34; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 2:1,2 that your faith may not fail Luke 8:13; 2 Timothy 2:18; Titus 1:1; Hebrews 12:15; 1 Peter 1:1; 1 John 2:19 when once you have turned again Luke 22:61,62; Mt 18:3; 26:75; Mark 14:72; 16:7; Acts 3:19 strengthen your brothers Ps 32:3-6; 51:12,13; Jn 21:15-17; 2 Co 1:4-6; 1 Ti 1:13-16; Heb 12:12,13; 1 Pe 1:13; 5:8-10; 2 Pe 1:10-12; 3:14,17,18 Luke 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Hebrews 7:25+ Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since (WHY IS HE ABLE TO SAVE FOREVER?) He always lives to (present tense - continually) make intercession for (huper - on their behalf) them. Romans 8:33-34 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also (present tense - continually) intercedes for (huper - on our behalf) us. Jude 1:24-25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. John 17:6-19 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 “Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; 8 for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9 I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; 10 and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. 12 “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19“ For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. OUR GREAT INTERCEDING HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST JESUS But I (ego) have prayed (deomai) for you - But is a strategic term of contrast! Praise God for this contrast! Satan is seeking but the Savior is interceding! Thank You Jesus! "The One through Whom we have access to the Father is Himself going directly to the Father. "Christ shelters the weak and faltering with the shield of His intercession." (James Smith) And remember since Jesus always prays according to His Father's will, His prayers are always answered! (cf 1 Jn 5:14-15+). David Guzik rightly reasons that "Surely there are many times that we would have perished, but Jesus prayed for us and protected us." Leon
Lucas 22
Cole - So Jesus told the disciples to sell their robe and buy a sword. And, when they produced two swords, He said, “It is enough.” What did He mean? In light of Jesus’ command to Peter in the garden to put away his sword, and Christ’s non-resistance to the Jewish guards (Lu 22:53), it is obvious that Jesus was speaking symbolically, not literally, when He told them to buy swords. He was referring to the swords as a symbol of preparation for the intense spiritual conflict just ahead. When the disciples took Jesus literally and produced two swords and He replied, “It is enough,” He was dismissing the subject in light of their continuing spiritual dullness. They just didn’t get it. (Luke 22:39-53 Prayer or Temptation?) John Martin on it is enough - This response has been interpreted in at least four ways: (1) Some understand the words as a rebuke to the disciples. If that were the case, then Jesus was saying, "Enough of this kind of talk!" (Leon Morris, The Gospel according to St. Luke: An Introduction and Commentary, p. 310) (2) Others understand the words to denote the fact that even two swords are enough to show human inadequacy at stopping God's plan for the death of Christ. Swords could not stop God's purpose and plan. (3) Jesus may simply have been saying that two swords were adequate for the 12 of them. (4) Others see the clause in conjunction with the quotation from Isaiah and understand Jesus to mean that by possessing two swords they would be classified by others as transgressors or criminals. This fourth view seems preferable. (See Bible Knowledge Commentary) Luke 22:39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. KJV Luke 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. he came Mt 26:36-38; Mark 14:32-34; John 18:1,2 as Luke 21:37; Mark 11:11,19; 13:3 Luke 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 11:11; 19+ Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late. (11:19) When evening came, they would go out of the city. Mount of Olives CHANGE OF VENUE: TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES Leon