Luke 22:14-23
Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” A number of items in Luke are different from Matthew and Mark. The first is in verse 15: I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Neither Matthew nor Mark records this heartfelt comment from Jesus to His apostles. It shows a real, genuine, human Jesus.
Second, both Matthew and Mark place Jesus’ comments about His betrayer before His connecting the bread and wine with His body and blood. Luke places the betrayal after this consecration. It must have been a really weird feeling for Judas if his betrayal was announced before the bread and wine. To know that his plan had been made public, then to see Jesus speaking of His body and blood… Very strange for Judas! How could he go through with it…??!!
Third, in Luke we have two cups of wine. As I understand it, at a Passover meal there are typically four cups of wine, so an item of two cups of wine is, by itself, not significant. What is different, however, is the fact that Jesus separates two declarations between the two cups: (#1) For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. (v. 18) and (#2) This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (v. 20) In Matthew and Mark these two statements follow one another after the only cup that is mentioned.
These are all distinguishing items between Luke and the other two Synoptic writers. But let’s not miss the main point for all three writers, that Jesus is instituting for us the Eucharist that we celebrate each Sunday: simple bread and wine for which we remember His suffering – His body and His blood. Thankfully we are in a tradition in which this is a weekly reminder. We are indeed blessed to be in this together!
Slava Bohu!