返回Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lk. 22:1. The feast of unleavened bread, called Passover, was drawing near,
Lk. 22:2. The chief priests and scribes sought how they might destroy Him, for they feared the people.
The scribes sought to kill Him (Jesus). Since the time of Passover was approaching, and they therefore saw danger for themselves from the gathering crowd, especially during the feast, they were searching, at last, for a way to kill Him without exposing themselves to any danger.
Lk. 22:3. Then Satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, one of the number of the twelve,
"And Satan entered into Judas," "one of the number of the twelve," that is, one of the close and sincere disciples. Let no one rely on himself, but be attentive to his life, for he has a fearsome enemy. Some understood the words "one of the number of the twelve" thus: one who merely filled out the number of the apostles, but was not a true apostle and disciple. For what kind of true disciple is one who stole what was put into the money box? (John 12:6).
Lk. 22:4. And he went and spoke with the chief priests and captains about how to betray Him to them.
Lk. 22:5. They were glad and agreed to give him money;
Lk. 22:6. And he promised, and sought a convenient time to betray Him to them in the absence of the crowd.
Thus Judas received Satan who had entered into him and agreed to betray Jesus to those seeking Him. For this is what the word "promised" means, that is, he finally concluded the terms and the agreement. And he sought a convenient time when he might find Him (Jesus) without the crowd, that is, alone, and deliver Him to them. By "captains" he here means the overseers of the temple buildings, or the supervisors of good order. For the Romans had appointed certain overseers over the people, so that they would not revolt, for they were rebellious. These are the ones he calls captains (in Church Slavonic — "voevody," i.e., military commanders). Or perhaps the military commanders were those who, belonging to the priestly order, held military positions. For, suffering from a love of preeminence, they involved themselves in such offices as well. Therefore he also called them captains of the temple, perhaps in order to reproach them more keenly.
Lk. 22:7. The day of unleavened bread came, on which the passover lamb had to be sacrificed,
That Pascha, called Phasek in Hebrew, signifies the departure from Egypt — many have spoken of this, and in general everything that was performed at that time during this feast the saints have explained. But we need to speak about which day is called the day of unleavened bread. He calls Thursday "the day of unleavened bread," on the evening of which it was necessary to slaughter the Pascha.
Lk. 22:8. And He sent Peter and John, saying: Go and prepare the Passover for us to eat.
Lk. 22:9. And they said to Him: where do You wish us to prepare?
Lk. 22:10. He said to them: behold, when you enter the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters,
So then, on Thursday, perhaps in the morning, the Lord sends the disciples Peter and John, one as the loving one, the other as the beloved one, and sends them to a "stranger's" house; for neither He Himself nor the disciples had their own, otherwise He would have celebrated the Passover at the home of one of the disciples. See what poverty! He sends them to an unknown man in order to show that He accepts His sufferings voluntarily. For if He had not wished to suffer, then, having inclined the mind of this unknown man to receive them (Himself and the disciples), He could also have produced in the Jews whatever He pleased. Some say that the Lord did not mention the name of this man nor reveal it, but leads the disciples to his house by a certain sign so that the betrayer, having learned the name, would not point out this house to the Pharisees, and they would not come to seize Him before He established the supper, before He imparted His spiritual mysteries. Therefore Christ, a little later, says: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering." That is, I took every care for us to hide from the betrayer, so as not to undergo suffering before the time, before I impart the mysteries. Whoever wishes may accept this explanation.
Lk. 22:11. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with My disciples?
Lk. 22:12. And he will show you a large upper room, furnished; there make ready.
Why then does the Lord observe the Passover? In order to prove by all His actions to His very last breath that He is not an opponent of the Law. Let us also eat this Passover with understanding; let us understand by the day of unleavened bread the entire life spent in spiritual light, having nothing of the oldness of the former disobedience in Adam. Truly leading such a life, we must be nourished by the mysteries of Jesus. These mysteries will be prepared by Peter and John — activity and contemplation, fervent zeal and peaceful meekness. For the believer must be ardent in doing good, zealous against evil, and gentle toward those who commit evil. For one must hate evil, not the one who does evil. That person must be healed, for he suffers. To do evil means precisely to be troubled by the evil one and to suffer from malice. If we have Peter and John preparing the supper, that is, a good life, which Peter represents, and true teaching, which John the Theologian represents, then with such preparers a "man" will meet them, that is, we will then find the truly human being, created in the image of the Creator, or rather, the Maker, carrying a "pitcher of water." Water signifies the grace of the Spirit, as the evangelist John teaches (John 7:38–39), and the pitcher signifies the fragility and softness of heart. For the one who receives spiritual grace is humble and contrite of heart, and to the humble the Lord gives grace (James 4:6). Recognizing himself as earth and ashes and saying with Job, "You fashioned me like clay" (Job 10:9), he will carry the grace of the Spirit in the easily broken and easily crushed vessel of his heart. Following such a disposition, we will enter the house of the mind, whose master — the mind — will show us a large furnished upper room. The "upper room" is the lofty dwelling place of the mind, that is, the divine and spiritual things among which it lives and moves with love. They are furnished, for there is nothing harsh in them, but even what is crooked becomes a straight path for such a mind, as Solomon also said: "They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge" (Prov. 8:9). You would not err in saying also that the mind, although it performs a lofty work by acting according to the power of the mind, nevertheless its knowledge is still spread out and very close to the earth. But truly lofty knowledge, and the unknowing that surpasses the mind, is above every height — when the mind no longer acts but receives action. First we must act with our own mind, and then the grace of the Lord will act in us, catching us up, as it did the prophets, and releasing us from every natural power. Truly it is said that in such-and-such a prophet there was a rapture from the Lord. Similarly here, when this upper room is furnished, Jesus comes with His disciples and performs the mysteries, coming to us Himself and manifesting His own power in us, rather than waiting for us to come to Him. The "disciples" of God the Word are all reflections upon creation. When the Word thus acts in us, then we will understand the communion of the Passover and be even more nourished by reflections upon creation, as it is said: "I consider Your heavens — the work of Your fingers" (Ps. 8:4).
Lk. 22:13. They went and found it as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
Lk. 22:14. When the hour came, He reclined at table, and the twelve Apostles with Him.
They ate the Passover standing; so how is it said of the Lord that He reclined? They say that, having eaten the lawful Passover, they then reclined afterward, according to the common custom, to eat whatever other foods there were.
Lk. 22:15. And He said to them: I have greatly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering,
The Lord says to the disciples: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering." He speaks as if to say: this is My last supper with you, therefore it is dear and longed for by Me, for in the time to come I will not eat with you. This is similar to how those about to depart on a journey conduct their last conversations with relatives and friends with greater pleasantness and love. And in another sense: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you," because in it I am to impart to you great mysteries — the mysteries of the New Covenant. By this He shows that He will suffer voluntarily. For since He knew of the coming sufferings, He could without doubt have avoided them, just as He had done in the preceding time (John 8:59).
Lk. 22:16. For I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.
Lk. 22:17. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves,
Lk. 22:18. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
The words "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes" some of the saints understood thus: until I rise again. For after the resurrection, while spending time with the disciples, He ate and drank with them, as Peter also says to Cornelius: "who ate and drank with Him after His resurrection from the dead" (Acts 10:41). That the resurrection is the Kingdom of God is evident. For the resurrection is the destruction of death. Death reigned from Adam until Christ; but from that time, having been destroyed, it yielded the victory and the kingdom to the Lord, as it is said: "O Death!... where is your victory?" (Hos. 13:14). And David says: "The Lord reigns" (Ps. 93:1), and then, in explanation of how He came to reign, adds: "He is clothed with majesty," when the body was freed from corruption and adorned with Divinity, as Isaiah says: "so majestic in His apparel, marching in the greatness of His strength" (Isa. 63:1). And the Lord Himself after the resurrection says: "All authority has been given to Me" (Matt. 28:18). Thus, when the resurrection came, which, as having destroyed death, is called the Kingdom of God, the Lord again drank with the disciples as proof that He had risen not in mere appearance.
Others understood the Kingdom of God as the future state, and the Lord's drinking with us in the age to come as His revelation of mysteries. For He, the Lover of mankind, rejoicing us, Himself rejoices, and nourishing us, is Himself nourished, and reckons our drink and food, that is, teaching, as food for Himself. So He will then drink some new drink with the worthy, always revealing to them something new and extraordinary.
Lk. 22:19. And having taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying: This is My Body, which is given for you; do this in My remembrance.
Lk. 22:20. Cup likewise after supper, saying: This cup is the new testament in My Blood, which is shed for you.
It seems that Luke mentions two cups. He speaks of one: "Take this and divide it among yourselves" (Luke 22:17), which one might call a figure of the Old Testament, and he speaks of the other after the breaking and distribution of the bread. The Lord Himself distributes it among the disciples, calls it the New Testament, and says that it is renewed in His Blood. For when the Old Law was given, the blood of irrational animals was used as a seal (Exodus 24:5–8); but now, when God the Word became Man, the New Testament is sealed for us by His Blood. By the words "which is given for you" and "which is shed for you," He does not indicate that His Body was given and His Blood was shed for the apostles alone, but for the entire human race. Therefore, when He says that it is given "for you," you should understand: for the entire human race.
The ancient Passover was celebrated for deliverance from Egyptian slavery, and the blood of the lamb was shed for the preservation of the firstborn; but the new Passover is for the remission of sins and for the preservation of thoughts dedicated and consecrated to God.
First the bread is given, and then the cup. For first comes activity that is laborious and difficult to accomplish. Sweat precedes virtue, just as bread is not only cultivated by the sweat of one's brow, but also requires labor when consumed (Gen. 3:19). Then, after the labors, comes rejoicing from the grace of God, which is signified by the cup. For whoever labors in the difficult-to-accomplish virtue is afterwards deemed worthy of gifts and experiences a good intoxication, becoming detached from this world, like Paul and David, or, to speak even more boldly, like God in the prophet Habakkuk.
Lk. 22:21. And behold, the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me on the table;
There is nothing more wretched than a soul hardened in obstinacy. For see what the Lord says: "Behold, the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me on the table," yet the madman did not come to his senses. The Lord says this not only to show that He knows what is about to happen, but also to reveal to us His goodness and the malice of the betrayer, by which the latter was not ashamed to be at His supper, and afterwards did not abandon the carrying out of his intention. The Lord also gives us by this an example, that we should strive to the end for the benefit of those who are falling.
Lk. 22:22. however, the Son of Man goes according to what has been determined,
And the Son of Man, He says, goes, not because He supposedly cannot defend Himself, but because He has destined Himself for death for the salvation of mankind.
Lk. 22:22. But woe to that man by whom He is betrayed.
Although He was destined to suffer, why did you turn out to be so wicked as to resolve to betray Him? For this reason "woe" shall be your lot—that you proved inclined to betrayal, just as the serpent too was cursed for having served as an instrument of the devil's schemes.
Lk. 22:23. And they began to question among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
Having heard this, the disciples were troubled. You will learn about this more extensively in the commentary on the Gospel of John (see ch. 13).
Lk. 22:24. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
They are now troubled not only by the suspicion of betrayal among themselves, but from this confusion they pass to a dispute, arguing about which of them is the greatest. They arrived at this dispute in a natural progression. Probably one of them was saying to another: you intend to betray, and the other replied: no, you intend to betray. From this they moved on to saying: I am better, I am greater, and the like. What then does the Lord do?
Lk. 22:25. He said to them: Kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.
Lk. 22:26. But you are not so: but he that is greater among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that serves.
He tames their agitation with two examples. First, with the example of the Gentiles, whom they considered unclean, declaring that if they think this way, they will be like the Gentiles.
Lk. 22:27. For who is greater: the one who reclines at table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
Secondly, by His own example, for having explained that He serves them, He thereby leads them to humility. It was precisely at that time that He, as it is said, distributed to them the bread and the cup. If I, Whom all the angelic and rational creation worships, serve in your midst, then how do you dare to think highly of yourselves and argue about primacy? It seems to me that He mentioned this reclining at table and serving not in passing, but to remind them that if you ate of one bread and drank of one cup, then the one table makes you friends and of one mind. Why then do you have thoughts unworthy of this? Moreover, I did not act so as to serve one and not another, but all of you equally. Therefore you also should have the same feelings toward one another. Perhaps from all of this you may also understand how the disciples were at that time still imperfect, yet afterwards shone forth so wonderfully. Let the Manichaeans be put to shame, who say that some are by nature incapable of learning, and that it is impossible for such people to change.
Lk. 22:28. But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials,
Lk. 22:29. And I bestow upon you, as My Father has bestowed upon Me, a Kingdom,
Lk. 22:30. That you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom,
Having said "woe" to the one betraying Me, and meanwhile having taught them (the disciples) that one must be humble-minded, the Lord, just as He assigns "woe" as the portion of the betrayer, so conversely He says to them: but you are those who have continued with Me in My trials; therefore I also bequeath to you a recompense, that is, I make a covenant with you, so that — just as My Father bequeathed to Me, that is, appointed a Kingdom for Me — you also may eat and drink at My table. He said "that you may eat and drink" not because there will be food there or because His Kingdom is a sensory one. For by His answer to the Sadducees He Himself taught that the life there is angelic (Luke 20:36); and Paul teaches that the Kingdom of God is not "food and drink" (Rom. 14:17). Therefore, hearing the words "that you may eat and drink at My table," let no one be scandalized, but let him understand that they were spoken in reference to those who enjoy honor from the kings of this world. For those who share the king's table are considered to have preeminence over all. So also concerning the apostles the Lord says that He will prefer them above all.
Lk. 22:30. And you shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Likewise, when you hear of sitting "on thrones," understand not thrones, but glory and honor. For of those created and born, no one will sit there. To sit is fitting for the One Holy Trinity alone, the Uncreated God and King of all, while the creature, as a servant, must stand — and even this we speak of sitting and standing in a bodily sense. "To judge," that is, to condemn those from the "twelve tribes" who will not believe. For the apostles, who are themselves Israelites yet believed, serve as no small condemnation of the Israelites who did not believe.
Lk. 22:31. And the Lord said: Simon! Simon! Behold, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat,
Since He repaid the betrayer with woe, and to them who remained in love for Him He foretold great honor in the future, lest they become proud, as though they had accomplished something great by remaining in love for Him and not betraying Him, He says: "Satan has asked to sift you," that is, to trouble, corrupt, and tempt you; but "I have prayed." Do not think, He says, that all this perfection is from yourselves. For the devil strains every effort to tear you away from My love and make you betrayers. The Lord addresses this speech to Peter, because he was both bolder than the rest, and had likely become proud from Christ's promises. Therefore, humbling him, the Lord says that Satan greatly exerted himself against them.
Lk. 22:32. But I prayed for you,
He speaks thus according to His humanity, for, as God, what need had He to pray?
Lk. 22:32. "that your faith may not fail;"
I, He says, prayed "that your faith should not fail." Although you will be shaken somewhat, the seeds of faith will be preserved in you, and although the spirit of the tempter will shake the leaves, the root is alive, and your faith will not fail.
Lk. 22:32. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.
This is convenient to understand, namely: since I first addressed My word to you, then — after you weep over your denial of Me and come to repentance — strengthen the others. For this is fitting for you who first confessed Me as the rock and foundation of the Church (Matt. 16:16–18). But these words can be applied not only to the apostles, whom Peter was to strengthen at that time, but also to all believers until the end of the age. Peter! You, having turned back, will be for all a beautiful example of repentance, and none of those who believe in Me will despair, looking at you who, being an apostle, denied Me and yet through repentance again received your former standing among all the apostles and among God's chosen ones from the whole world. Satan asked to sift you and to spoil you like pure wheat by mixing filth into it, because he, as is his custom, envies your love for Me. So he also did with Job. But I did not abandon you entirely, so that your faith would not fail completely. Although I Myself prayed for you, nevertheless do not fall, but having turned back, that is, having brought forth repentance and tears, be for the rest of the faithful as well a model of repentance and hope. And what of Peter?
Lk. 22:33. He answered Him: Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death.
Relying on his strong love, he promises what is for now impossible for him.
Lk. 22:34. But He said: I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today before you deny three times that you know Me.
But the Lord, seeing that he speaks thoughtlessly (for, having once heard from the self-existent Truth, who told him that he would undergo temptation, he should not have continued to contradict), declares to him also the form of the temptation, namely: denial. From this we learn the truth that human will is insufficient without the help of God. Peter was left alone for a short time and, it would seem, loved even ardently, yet when God left him, he was tripped up by the enemy. Equally, the help of God is insufficient without the consent of human will. Judas, although the Lord did everything for his benefit, received no benefit, for he did not have a good will. Therefore, let us shudder at the thought of the devil's schemes, how powerful they are against the negligent. Here too, although Peter was strengthened by God, yet when for particular purposes he was left alone, he came to the point of denial. What would have befallen him if he had not been guarded by God and there had not been hidden within him good seeds? For the devil's aim was to bring him too to betrayal; for the devil's "food is sumptuous," as the prophet says (Hab. 1:16). But thanks be to God, who does not abandon the saints, the righteous, and the good of heart, such as Peter was, who loved tenderly and was free from all suspicion regarding the Teacher.
Lk. 22:35. And He said to them: When I sent you without purse, and bag, and shoes, did you lack anything? And they answered: Nothing.
The Lord, at the beginning of the preaching, sending the disciples to villages and cities, commanded them not to take anything extra, not to carry with them anything even necessary, and not to worry about anything. And in this case they were to come to know His power. For He Himself, caring for them as for the weak, arranged things so that even without their concern, everything necessary flowed to them in abundance.
Lk. 22:36. Then He said to them: but now, he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a bag; and he who has none, let him sell his garment and buy a sword.
But now He commands the opposite, not contradicting Himself, however, but declaring to them that until now He had cared for them as children and did not make them worry about anything, but from now on they must consider themselves grown up and care for themselves. I, He says, your caring Father, am now departing. From now on take upon yourselves the cares of your own affairs, and do not place everything upon Me; for your affairs will not be as they were, easy and without hardship, but you will be subjected to hunger, and thirst, and many calamities. He hints at this with the words about the bag, the knapsack, and the sword. Therefore be alert, since you will hunger and be in need of food, which is hinted at by the "knapsack," and be courageous, since you will fall into many dangers, which is indicated by the "sword." He says this, of course, not so that they would carry swords with them, but so that, as I said, He might announce the wars and calamities and make them ready for everything. Lest posterity think that the apostles contributed nothing of their own toward godliness, but that everything was from God, the Lord says: no, let it not be so. For I do not wish to use My disciples as soulless instruments, but I require that they also apply what they can do of themselves. And indeed, you will find that the apostles, and especially Paul, successfully carried out many things through human skills as well (Acts 18:3, 20:34); except that the help of God was not absent from them either. At the same time, this was also beneficial for the humility of the apostles. For if they, caring for nothing themselves, expected everything from God and everything were given to them, they might have become proud, as those who had received as their lot something above human nature. Moreover, their nature would have become idle and corrupted if they had invented nothing of themselves but expected everything, as the saying goes, in ready-ground form. Therefore the Lord says to them: from now on carry "knapsacks," that is, arrange and care for yourselves as those who are about to experience hunger, and buy "swords," that is, guard yourselves as those who are about to encounter dangers and wars.
Lk. 22:37. For I say unto you, that this which is written must yet be accomplished in Me: "And He was numbered with the transgressors." For that which concerns Me is coming to an end.
Some have understood the purchase of the sword differently. By this, they say, He hints at the attack upon Him that is about to take place soon, and at the fact that He would be seized by murderous men. Since before this time they had been disputing with one another about primacy, the Lord says: now is not the time for disputes about primacy, but a time of danger and killings. For even I, your Teacher, will be led to death, and moreover to a dishonorable death. But through this, what was said will be fulfilled in Me: "and He was numbered with the transgressors" (Isa. 53:12). Thus, wishing to indicate the brigand-like attack, He mentioned the sword, and did not reveal it completely, so that they would not be disturbed by some terror, nor did He remain completely silent, so that they would not be thrown into confusion in the event of a sudden attack, and especially so that, recalling it afterwards, they would marvel at His foreknowledge and wonder how He nevertheless gave Himself over to suffering for the salvation of mankind, and therefore they themselves would not flee from any sufferings for the salvation of others.
Lk. 22:38. They said: Lord! behold, here are two swords. He said to them: it is enough.
I think that the Lord speaks thus in parables so that they might receive benefit later, when they remember and understand. Since at that time they were in such misunderstanding that they said, "Lord, behold, here are two swords," and He, seeing that they did not understand, says, "It is enough," although it was not enough. For if against those who came in a robber-like manner it were necessary to employ human help, then not even a hundred swords would have been enough. But if not human but Divine assistance were needed, then even two swords were superfluous. However, the Lord did not wish to rebuke them for their lack of understanding, but, having said "It is enough," went on His way. This is similar to how we too, when conversing with someone and seeing that he does not understand our words, say: very well, let it be — although it is not well, but so as not to offend him, we let it go. The Lord did this because He saw that the disciples did not understand what was said.
He goes forward and leaves off the discourse, allowing the understanding of what was said to the course of events, just as He once said, "Destroy this temple," and the disciples understood only afterward, after His resurrection (John 2:19–22). Some, however, say that by the word "enough" the Lord pointed out the incongruity of the words with the circumstances. The disciples said, "Look, here are two swords," and the Lord, they say, pointing out this incongruity, said: if there are two swords, then that is very much and enough for us against the crowd that will come against us.
Lk. 22:39. Going out, He went as was His custom to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples also followed Him.
After supper, the Lord does not give Himself over to idleness, pleasures, and sleep, but teaches and prays, giving us a model and example in this. Therefore, woe to those who after suppers turn to the shameful deeds of fornication. Having taught this to the disciples, the Lord ascends the Mount of Olives to pray. He loved to do this in private, and therefore withdraws even from the disciples. However, He takes disciples with Him, but not all—only those three who had seen His glory on the mountain (Luke 9:28).
Lk. 22:40. And when He came to the place, He said to them: Pray that you do not enter into temptation.
Lk. 22:41. And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and kneeling down, He prayed,
Lk. 22:42. saying: Father! oh, if Thou wouldst be pleased to carry this cup past Me! nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done.
Since He is in agony and prays, lest this appear to be a sign of cowardice, He takes with Him those who themselves saw His Divine glory and themselves heard the testimony from heaven, so that, seeing Him in agony, they would consider this an act of human nature. For to confirm that He was truly Man, He allowed this nature to act in its own way. As Man, He desires to live and prays for the cup to pass from Him, for man is a lover of life; and through this He overthrows the heresies according to which He became man only in appearance. For if even after such actions of human nature they found occasion to babble in this manner, what would they not have said if these actions had not taken place? Thus, the desire that the cup pass by belongs to human nature, while the words spoken shortly after — "nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done" — show that we too must have the same disposition and the same mindset, submitting to the will of God and not turning aside, even though our nature may pull us in the opposite direction. "Not My" human "will, but Yours be done," and this Yours is not separate from My Divine will. The one Christ, having two natures, undoubtedly also had the will or desires of each nature, Divine and human. Thus, human nature at first desired to live, for this is proper to it, but then, following the Divine will that all people be saved — a will common to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — it resolved upon death, and in this way one desire emerged: salvific death.
Lk. 22:43. An Angel appeared to Him from heaven and strengthened Him.
Lk. 22:44. And being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling upon the ground.
That the prayer was from the human nature, which by permission had the attachment to life common to all, and not from the Divinity, as the accursed Arians say, is evident from the fact that Jesus was in sweat and such agony that, as the saying goes, drops of blood fell from Him. For of those who labor greatly, it is customary to say that they sweat blood, just as of those who bitterly grieve, it is said that they weep blood. Wishing to show precisely this — that what flowed from Him was not some thin moisture appearing merely for show, but that large drops of sweat were falling — the Evangelist used drops of blood to depict the reality. From this it is clear that the nature which produced the sweat and was in agony was human, not divine. For human nature was permitted to experience such states, and it did experience them, on the one hand to show that He was not a man only in appearance, and on the other — a hidden purpose — to heal the timidity common to human nature, by exhausting it in Himself and subjecting it to the divine will.
Another may say that the sweat issuing from the body and falling to the ground signifies that, with the encouragement and strengthening of our nature in Christ, the fountains of fearfulness in us evaporate, turn into drops, and fall away from us. For if He had not had this in mind, that is, the desire to heal our human fearfulness, He would not have sweated so, even if He were very fearful and fainthearted. "And there appeared to Him an Angel from heaven, strengthening Him." This too is for our consolation, namely: that we might learn the strengthening power of prayer and, having learned it, turn to it in times of misfortune. At the same time, the prophecy of Moses spoken in the great song is also fulfilled: "and let all the sons of God be strengthened" (Deut. 32:43). Some, however, explained these words thus: that an Angel appeared to Him, glorified Him, and said: Thine, O Lord, is the strength! For Thou hast overcome death and hell and hast set free the human race. This is so.
Lk. 22:45. Rising from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow.
Lk. 22:46. And He said to them: Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you fall into temptation.
And He, finding the disciples sleeping, rebukes them and at the same time urges them to pray in temptations, so as not to be overcome by them. For not to fall into temptation means not to be swallowed up by temptation, not to come under its power. Or He also simply commands us to pray that our lot may be safe and that we not be subjected to any trouble. For to cast oneself into temptations means to be reckless and proud. How then does James (Jas. 1:2) say: "Count it all joy when you fall into various temptations"? What is this, are we not contradicting ourselves? No, for James did not say: cast yourselves in, but when you are subjected to them, do not lose heart, but have all joy, and make what was once involuntary into something voluntary. For it is better if temptations had not come, but when they have come, why grieve foolishly? Show me a place in Scripture where it is literally commanded to pray to fall into temptations. But you cannot show one.
I know that there are two kinds of temptation, and that some understand the duty of praying not to fall into temptation as referring to the temptation that conquers the soul, for example, the temptation of fornication, the temptation of anger. But one should count it all joy when we undergo bodily afflictions and temptations. For to the degree that "the outward man perishes," to that degree "the inward man is renewed" (2 Cor. 4:16). Although I know this, I prefer that which is more true and which is closer to the present purpose.
Lk. 22:47. While He was still speaking this, a crowd appeared, and one of the twelve, called Judas, was walking ahead of them, and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. For he had given them such a sign: Whomever I kiss, He is the one.
Judas set a kiss as the sign for those going against Jesus, but so that they would not make a mistake because of the night, he pointed Him out not from afar. So that Jesus would not hide, for this reason they come with lanterns and torches. What then does the Lord do?
Lk. 22:48. Jesus said to him: Judas! Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?
He admits him to Himself with this hostile kiss. And thunderbolts did not rain down upon the ungrateful and treacherous one! Thus the Savior teaches us meekness in such circumstances. He says only with reproach: "Judas! Do you betray with a kiss?" Will you not be ashamed of the very manner of the betrayal? Why do you mix betrayal, an act of enmity, with a friendly kiss? And whom do you betray? "The Son of Man," that is, the humble, the meek, the condescending One, Who became man for your sake, and moreover the true God. He says this because even to the very last He burned with love for him. Therefore He did not insult him, did not call him inhuman and utterly ungrateful, but called him by his own name: "Judas." And He would not have reproached him if even this did not serve for his improvement, should he so desire. For He did this and, it would seem, reproached him so that Judas would not think that He was hiding, but so that, at least now, recognizing Him as Master, as the All-Knowing One, he might fall before Him and repent. The Lord knew that Judas was incorrigible, yet He did what was His to do, just as His Father also did in the Old Testament: He knew that the Jews would not listen, yet He sent the prophets. And at the same time He teaches us this very thing, namely: that we should not take offense at the failure to reform of those who fall.
Lk. 22:49. And when they which were about Him saw what would follow, they said unto Him, Lord, shall we strike with the sword?
Lk. 22:50. And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
The disciples are inflamed with zeal and draw out swords. Where did they have them from? It was natural for them to have them, since they had just before been slaying the lamb and had come out from the table. But the fervent Peter receives a rebuke, because he used his zeal contrary to the Lord's intention. Whereas the others ask, "shall we strike?" he does not wait for approval (as everywhere he was fervent for the Teacher!), but strikes "the servant of the high priest" and cuts off his "right ear." This happened not by chance, but as a sign that the high priests of that time had all become slaves and had lost their right hearing. For if they had listened to Moses, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (John 5:46).
Lk. 22:51. Then Jesus said: Let it be, enough. And, touching his ear, He healed him.
Jesus restores the ear; for it is fitting for the great power of the Word to heal the disobedient and give them an ear for hearing. Jesus performs the miracle so that by this visible miracle upon the ear He might show His lack of malice and, at the very least, by the miracle lead them to the thought of restraining themselves from their madness.
Lk. 22:52. And Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and the elders who had come out against Him: Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to take Me?
Lk. 22:53. Every day I was with you in the temple, and you did not raise your hands against Me, but now is your time and the power of darkness.
He says "to the chief priests and captains of the temple," that is, to the overseers appointed to attend to the needs of the priests; or by captains he means those who were entrusted with matters concerning the construction and adornment of the temple. He says to them: every day I taught in the temple, and you did not wish to seize Me, but now you have come as against a robber. However, you are truly undertaking works of the night, and your authority is the authority of darkness. Therefore you have chosen precisely such a time as befits both you and the deed you are undertaking.
Lk. 22:54. Having seized Him, they led Him away and brought Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance.
Lk. 22:55. When they had kindled a fire in the midst of the court and had sat down together, Peter also sat down among them.
Lk. 22:56. A certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with Him.
Lk. 22:57. But he denied Him, saying to the woman: I do not know Him.
Lk. 22:58. And after a little while another saw him, and said: Thou also art of them. But Peter said to that man: I am not!
Lk. 22:59. About the space of one hour after, another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.
Lk. 22:60. But Peter said to that man: I do not know what you are saying. And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
Lk. 22:61. Then the Lord, turning, looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him: before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.
Peter, according to Christ's prediction, proved weak and denied the Master Christ not once, but three times, and denied Him with an oath, for Matthew says: "Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the Man" (Matt. 26:74). Perhaps such timidity seized him, and he was abandoned for a time on account of his boldness, as if for instruction, so that he might be lenient toward others as well. For he was very bold, and if he had not been chastened by this circumstance, he would have acted in many things tyrannically and without condescension. But then he fell into such terror that he would not even have noticed his fall, if the Lord, turning, had not looked upon him. O goodness! He Himself is under condemnation, yet He cares for the salvation of His disciple. And rightly so. For He was enduring the very condemnation for the sake of human salvation.
First the disciple denied, then the rooster crowed. He denied again, even up to three times, and the rooster crowed again a second time. Mark describes this so precisely and in detail (Mark 14:66–72) and conveys it as one who learned it from Peter, for he was his disciple. But Luke, since this had already been told by Mark, spoke briefly without going into detail. And Luke's words do not contradict what Mark said. For a rooster has the habit of crowing two or three times at each occasion. Thus, Peter was brought by human weakness into such forgetfulness that he did not come to his senses even from the crowing of the rooster, but even after the rooster had crowed, he denied again, and yet again, until the gracious gaze of Jesus brought him back to remembrance.
Lk. 22:62. And going out, he wept bitterly.
Mark says that Peter went out even after the first denial (Mark 14:68). Then it was natural for him to go back in again, so as not to arouse greater suspicion that he was one of Jesus' followers. But when he came to his senses again, he then goes out and weeps bitterly. And so as not to be noticed by those who were in the courtyard, he goes out secretly from them.
Some, I do not know why, compose an insane defense in favor of Peter, boldly saying that Peter did not deny, but said: I do not know this "man," that is, I know Him not as a mere man, but as God who became Man. This insane argument we shall leave to others. For they make the Lord out to be a liar, they contradict the coherence of the Gospel narrative, and they will in no way be able to reconcile the order of the account. And what would Peter have to weep about, if he did not deny?
Lk. 22:63. The men who were holding Jesus mocked Him and beat Him;
Lk. 22:64. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him: Prophesy, who is it that struck You?
Lk. 22:65. And they spoke many other blasphemies against Him.
Those who did this to Jesus were certain revilers and unrestrained men, for it was necessary that the devil should leave no form of malice untried, but should pour out all of it, so that our nature, having proved holy in all things, might conquer and trample upon him. Since the Lord assumed our nature in order to strengthen it against all the wiles of the devil and to show that Adam too would not have been conquered in the beginning had he been vigilant, therefore, when all forms of devilish malice are poured out upon Him, He endures, so that we might afterward take courage, knowing that our nature has conquered in Christ, and not shrink before anything seemingly offensive and bitter. Therefore He endures mockery and beatings, and though He is the Master of the prophets, He is mocked as a false prophet. For the words "prophesy" to us, "who is the one who struck You," were meant to mock Him as an impostor who claims for Himself the gift of prophecy.
Lk. 22:66. And when day came,
Drunken servants mocked and reviled Jesus Christ at night.
Lk. 22:66. The elders of the people, the chief priests, and the scribes gathered together and led Him into their council.
Lk. 22:67. Tell us, are You the Christ?
And by day the elders and honorable men ask: Is He the Christ?
Lk. 22:67. He said to them: if I tell you, you will not believe;
Knowing their thoughts and that, not having believed the works which are more capable of persuading, they would all the more not believe words, He says: "if I tell you, you will not believe." For if you believed My words, what need would there be for this present assembly?
Lk. 22:68. And if I also ask you, you will not answer Me, nor let Me go,
"And if I also ask, you will not answer." For they often remained silent when questioned, for example, about the baptism of John (Mark 11:30, 33), about the words: "The Lord said to my Lord" (Matt. 22:44–46), about the woman who was bent over (Luke 13:11–17). When did you listen to Me and believe? When did you not remain silent to a question put to you? Therefore I will only say that from now on it is not the time to speak to you and explain who I am (for if you had wished, you would have known Me from the signs I performed), but from now on it is the time of judgment.
Lk. 22:69. From now on, the Son of Man will sit at the right hand of the power of God.
You will see Me, the Son of Man, sitting "at the right hand of the power of God."
Lk. 22:70. And they all said: So, You are the Son of God? He answered them: You say that I am.
Lk. 22:71. They said, "What further need do we have of testimony? For we ourselves have heard from His own mouth."
At this they should have been terrified, but after such words they became even more enraged and in their frenzy ask: "Are You then the Son of God?" He, with moderation and pointing out the absurdity of their question, answers them: "You say that I am," for He despised their fury and spoke to them fearlessly. From this it is also evident that the obstinate receive no benefit from having mysteries revealed to them, but rather incur far greater condemnation. Therefore one must conceal these things from such people, for this is in fact the more compassionate thing to do.
Lk. 22:1. The feast of unleavened bread, called Passover, was drawing near,
Lk. 22:2. The chief priests and scribes sought how they might destroy Him, for they feared the people.
The scribes sought to kill Him (Jesus). Since the time of Passover was approaching, and they therefore saw danger for themselves from the gathering crowd, especially during the feast, they were searching, at last, for a way to kill Him without exposing themselves to any danger.
Lk. 22:3. Then Satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, one of the number of the twelve,
"And Satan entered into Judas," "one of the number of the twelve," that is, one of the close and sincere disciples. Let no one rely on himself, but be attentive to his life, for he has a fearsome enemy. Some understood the words "one of the number of the twelve" thus: one who merely filled out the number of the apostles, but was not a true apostle and disciple. For what kind of true disciple is one who stole what was put into the money box? (John 12:6).
Lk. 22:4. And he went and spoke with the chief priests and captains about how to betray Him to them.
Lk. 22:5. They were glad and agreed to give him money;
Lk. 22:6. And he promised, and sought a convenient time to betray Him to them in the absence of the crowd.
Thus Judas received Satan who had entered into him and agreed to betray Jesus to those seeking Him. For this is what the word "promised" means, that is, he finally concluded the terms and the agreement. And he sought a convenient time when he might find Him (Jesus) without the crowd, that is, alone, and deliver Him to them. By "captains" he here means the overseers of the temple buildings, or the supervisors of good order. For the Romans had appointed certain overseers over the people, so that they would not revolt, for they were rebellious. These are the ones he calls captains (in Church Slavonic — "voevody," i.e., military commanders). Or perhaps the military commanders were those who, belonging to the priestly order, held military positions. For, suffering from a love of preeminence, they involved themselves in such offices as well. Therefore he also called them captains of the temple, perhaps in order to reproach them more keenly.
Lk. 22:7. The day of unleavened bread came, on which the passover lamb had to be sacrificed,
That Pascha, called Phasek in Hebrew, signifies the departure from Egypt — many have spoken of this, and in general everything that was performed at that time during this feast the saints have explained. But we need to speak about which day is called the day of unleavened bread. He calls Thursday "the day of unleavened bread," on the evening of which it was necessary to slaughter the Pascha.
Lk. 22:8. And He sent Peter and John, saying: Go and prepare the Passover for us to eat.
Lk. 22:9. And they said to Him: where do You wish us to prepare?
Lk. 22:10. He said to them: behold, when you enter the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters,
So then, on Thursday, perhaps in the morning, the Lord sends the disciples Peter and John, one as the loving one, the other as the beloved one, and sends them to a "stranger's" house; for neither He Himself nor the disciples had their own, otherwise He would have celebrated the Passover at the home of one of the disciples. See what poverty! He sends them to an unknown man in order to show that He accepts His sufferings voluntarily. For if He had not wished to suffer, then, having inclined the mind of this unknown man to receive them (Himself and the disciples), He could also have produced in the Jews whatever He pleased. Some say that the Lord did not mention the name of this man nor reveal it, but leads the disciples to his house by a certain sign so that the betrayer, having learned the name, would not point out this house to the Pharisees, and they would not come to seize Him before He established the supper, before He imparted His spiritual mysteries. Therefore Christ, a little later, says: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering." That is, I took every care for us to hide from the betrayer, so as not to undergo suffering before the time, before I impart the mysteries. Whoever wishes may accept this explanation.
Lk. 22:11. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with My disciples?
Lk. 22:12. And he will show you a large upper room, furnished; there make ready.
Why then does the Lord observe the Passover? In order to prove by all His actions to His very last breath that He is not an opponent of the Law. Let us also eat this Passover with understanding; let us understand by the day of unleavened bread the entire life spent in spiritual light, having nothing of the oldness of the former disobedience in Adam. Truly leading such a life, we must be nourished by the mysteries of Jesus. These mysteries will be prepared by Peter and John — activity and contemplation, fervent zeal and peaceful meekness. For the believer must be ardent in doing good, zealous against evil, and gentle toward those who commit evil. For one must hate evil, not the one who does evil. That person must be healed, for he suffers. To do evil means precisely to be troubled by the evil one and to suffer from malice. If we have Peter and John preparing the supper, that is, a good life, which Peter represents, and true teaching, which John the Theologian represents, then with such preparers a "man" will meet them, that is, we will then find the truly human being, created in the image of the Creator, or rather, the Maker, carrying a "pitcher of water." Water signifies the grace of the Spirit, as the evangelist John teaches (John 7:38–39), and the pitcher signifies the fragility and softness of heart. For the one who receives spiritual grace is humble and contrite of heart, and to the humble the Lord gives grace (James 4:6). Recognizing himself as earth and ashes and saying with Job, "You fashioned me like clay" (Job 10:9), he will carry the grace of the Spirit in the easily broken and easily crushed vessel of his heart. Following such a disposition, we will enter the house of the mind, whose master — the mind — will show us a large furnished upper room. The "upper room" is the lofty dwelling place of the mind, that is, the divine and spiritual things among which it lives and moves with love. They are furnished, for there is nothing harsh in them, but even what is crooked becomes a straight path for such a mind, as Solomon also said: "They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge" (Prov. 8:9). You would not err in saying also that the mind, although it performs a lofty work by acting according to the power of the mind, nevertheless its knowledge is still spread out and very close to the earth. But truly lofty knowledge, and the unknowing that surpasses the mind, is above every height — when the mind no longer acts but receives action. First we must act with our own mind, and then the grace of the Lord will act in us, catching us up, as it did the prophets, and releasing us from every natural power. Truly it is said that in such-and-such a prophet there was a rapture from the Lord. Similarly here, when this upper room is furnished, Jesus comes with His disciples and performs the mysteries, coming to us Himself and manifesting His own power in us, rather than waiting for us to come to Him. The "disciples" of God the Word are all reflections upon creation. When the Word thus acts in us, then we will understand the communion of the Passover and be even more nourished by reflections upon creation, as it is said: "I consider Your heavens — the work of Your fingers" (Ps. 8:4).
Lk. 22:13. They went and found it as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
Lk. 22:14. When the hour came, He reclined at table, and the twelve Apostles with Him.
They ate the Passover standing; so how is it said of the Lord that He reclined? They say that, having eaten the lawful Passover, they then reclined afterward, according to the common custom, to eat whatever other foods there were.
Lk. 22:15. And He said to them: I have greatly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering,
The Lord says to the disciples: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering." He speaks as if to say: this is My last supper with you, therefore it is dear and longed for by Me, for in the time to come I will not eat with you. This is similar to how those about to depart on a journey conduct their last conversations with relatives and friends with greater pleasantness and love. And in another sense: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you," because in it I am to impart to you great mysteries — the mysteries of the New Covenant. By this He shows that He will suffer voluntarily. For since He knew of the coming sufferings, He could without doubt have avoided them, just as He had done in the preceding time (John 8:59).
Lk. 22:16. For I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.
Lk. 22:17. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves,
Lk. 22:18. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
The words "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes" some of the saints understood thus: until I rise again. For after the resurrection, while spending time with the disciples, He ate and drank with them, as Peter also says to Cornelius: "who ate and drank with Him after His resurrection from the dead" (Acts 10:41). That the resurrection is the Kingdom of God is evident. For the resurrection is the destruction of death. Death reigned from Adam until Christ; but from that time, having been destroyed, it yielded the victory and the kingdom to the Lord, as it is said: "O Death!... where is your victory?" (Hos. 13:14). And David says: "The Lord reigns" (Ps. 93:1), and then, in explanation of how He came to reign, adds: "He is clothed with majesty," when the body was freed from corruption and adorned with Divinity, as Isaiah says: "so majestic in His apparel, marching in the greatness of His strength" (Isa. 63:1). And the Lord Himself after the resurrection says: "All authority has been given to Me" (Matt. 28:18). Thus, when the resurrection came, which, as having destroyed death, is called the Kingdom of God, the Lord again drank with the disciples as proof that He had risen not in mere appearance.
Others understood the Kingdom of God as the future state, and the Lord's drinking with us in the age to come as His revelation of mysteries. For He, the Lover of mankind, rejoicing us, Himself rejoices, and nourishing us, is Himself nourished, and reckons our drink and food, that is, teaching, as food for Himself. So He will then drink some new drink with the worthy, always revealing to them something new and extraordinary.
Lk. 22:19. And having taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying: This is My Body, which is given for you; do this in My remembrance.
Lk. 22:20. Cup likewise after supper, saying: This cup is the new testament in My Blood, which is shed for you.
It seems that Luke mentions two cups. He speaks of one: "Take this and divide it among yourselves" (Luke 22:17), which one might call a figure of the Old Testament, and he speaks of the other after the breaking and distribution of the bread. The Lord Himself distributes it among the disciples, calls it the New Testament, and says that it is renewed in His Blood. For when the Old Law was given, the blood of irrational animals was used as a seal (Exodus 24:5–8); but now, when God the Word became Man, the New Testament is sealed for us by His Blood. By the words "which is given for you" and "which is shed for you," He does not indicate that His Body was given and His Blood was shed for the apostles alone, but for the entire human race. Therefore, when He says that it is given "for you," you should understand: for the entire human race.
The ancient Passover was celebrated for deliverance from Egyptian slavery, and the blood of the lamb was shed for the preservation of the firstborn; but the new Passover is for the remission of sins and for the preservation of thoughts dedicated and consecrated to God.
First the bread is given, and then the cup. For first comes activity that is laborious and difficult to accomplish. Sweat precedes virtue, just as bread is not only cultivated by the sweat of one's brow, but also requires labor when consumed (Gen. 3:19). Then, after the labors, comes rejoicing from the grace of God, which is signified by the cup. For whoever labors in the difficult-to-accomplish virtue is afterwards deemed worthy of gifts and experiences a good intoxication, becoming detached from this world, like Paul and David, or, to speak even more boldly, like God in the prophet Habakkuk.
Lk. 22:21. And behold, the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me on the table;
There is nothing more wretched than a soul hardened in obstinacy. For see what the Lord says: "Behold, the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me on the table," yet the madman did not come to his senses. The Lord says this not only to show that He knows what is about to happen, but also to reveal to us His goodness and the malice of the betrayer, by which the latter was not ashamed to be at His supper, and afterwards did not abandon the carrying out of his intention. The Lord also gives us by this an example, that we should strive to the end for the benefit of those who are falling.
Lk. 22:22. however, the Son of Man goes according to what has been determined,
And the Son of Man, He says, goes, not because He supposedly cannot defend Himself, but because He has destined Himself for death for the salvation of mankind.
Lk. 22:22. But woe to that man by whom He is betrayed.
Although He was destined to suffer, why did you turn out to be so wicked as to resolve to betray Him? For this reason "woe" shall be your lot—that you proved inclined to betrayal, just as the serpent too was cursed for having served as an instrument of the devil's schemes.
Lk. 22:23. And they began to question among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
Having heard this, the disciples were troubled. You will learn about this more extensively in the commentary on the Gospel of John (see ch. 13).
Lk. 22:24. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
They are now troubled not only by the suspicion of betrayal among themselves, but from this confusion they pass to a dispute, arguing about which of them is the greatest. They arrived at this dispute in a natural progression. Probably one of them was saying to another: you intend to betray, and the other replied: no, you intend to betray. From this they moved on to saying: I am better, I am greater, and the like. What then does the Lord do?
Lk. 22:25. He said to them: Kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.
Lk. 22:26. But you are not so: but he that is greater among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that serves.
He tames their agitation with two examples. First, with the example of the Gentiles, whom they considered unclean, declaring that if they think this way, they will be like the Gentiles.
Lk. 22:27. For who is greater: the one who reclines at table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
Secondly, by His own example, for having explained that He serves them, He thereby leads them to humility. It was precisely at that time that He, as it is said, distributed to them the bread and the cup. If I, Whom all the angelic and rational creation worships, serve in your midst, then how do you dare to think highly of yourselves and argue about primacy? It seems to me that He mentioned this reclining at table and serving not in passing, but to remind them that if you ate of one bread and drank of one cup, then the one table makes you friends and of one mind. Why then do you have thoughts unworthy of this? Moreover, I did not act so as to serve one and not another, but all of you equally. Therefore you also should have the same feelings toward one another. Perhaps from all of this you may also understand how the disciples were at that time still imperfect, yet afterwards shone forth so wonderfully. Let the Manichaeans be put to shame, who say that some are by nature incapable of learning, and that it is impossible for such people to change.
Lk. 22:28. But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials,
Lk. 22:29. And I bestow upon you, as My Father has bestowed upon Me, a Kingdom,
Lk. 22:30. That you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom,
Having said "woe" to the one betraying Me, and meanwhile having taught them (the disciples) that one must be humble-minded, the Lord, just as He assigns "woe" as the portion of the betrayer, so conversely He says to them: but you are those who have continued with Me in My trials; therefore I also bequeath to you a recompense, that is, I make a covenant with you, so that — just as My Father bequeathed to Me, that is, appointed a Kingdom for Me — you also may eat and drink at My table. He said "that you may eat and drink" not because there will be food there or because His Kingdom is a sensory one. For by His answer to the Sadducees He Himself taught that the life there is angelic (Luke 20:36); and Paul teaches that the Kingdom of God is not "food and drink" (Rom. 14:17). Therefore, hearing the words "that you may eat and drink at My table," let no one be scandalized, but let him understand that they were spoken in reference to those who enjoy honor from the kings of this world. For those who share the king's table are considered to have preeminence over all. So also concerning the apostles the Lord says that He will prefer them above all.
Lk. 22:30. And you shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Likewise, when you hear of sitting "on thrones," understand not thrones, but glory and honor. For of those created and born, no one will sit there. To sit is fitting for the One Holy Trinity alone, the Uncreated God and King of all, while the creature, as a servant, must stand — and even this we speak of sitting and standing in a bodily sense. "To judge," that is, to condemn those from the "twelve tribes" who will not believe. For the apostles, who are themselves Israelites yet believed, serve as no small condemnation of the Israelites who did not believe.
Lk. 22:31. And the Lord said: Simon! Simon! Behold, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat,
Since He repaid the betrayer with woe, and to them who remained in love for Him He foretold great honor in the future, lest they become proud, as though they had accomplished something great by remaining in love for Him and not betraying Him, He says: "Satan has asked to sift you," that is, to trouble, corrupt, and tempt you; but "I have prayed." Do not think, He says, that all this perfection is from yourselves. For the devil strains every effort to tear you away from My love and make you betrayers. The Lord addresses this speech to Peter, because he was both bolder than the rest, and had likely become proud from Christ's promises. Therefore, humbling him, the Lord says that Satan greatly exerted himself against them.
Lk. 22:32. But I prayed for you,
He speaks thus according to His humanity, for, as God, what need had He to pray?
Lk. 22:32. "that your faith may not fail;"
I, He says, prayed "that your faith should not fail." Although you will be shaken somewhat, the seeds of faith will be preserved in you, and although the spirit of the tempter will shake the leaves, the root is alive, and your faith will not fail.
Lk. 22:32. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.
This is convenient to understand, namely: since I first addressed My word to you, then — after you weep over your denial of Me and come to repentance — strengthen the others. For this is fitting for you who first confessed Me as the rock and foundation of the Church (Matt. 16:16–18). But these words can be applied not only to the apostles, whom Peter was to strengthen at that time, but also to all believers until the end of the age. Peter! You, having turned back, will be for all a beautiful example of repentance, and none of those who believe in Me will despair, looking at you who, being an apostle, denied Me and yet through repentance again received your former standing among all the apostles and among God's chosen ones from the whole world. Satan asked to sift you and to spoil you like pure wheat by mixing filth into it, because he, as is his custom, envies your love for Me. So he also did with Job. But I did not abandon you entirely, so that your faith would not fail completely. Although I Myself prayed for you, nevertheless do not fall, but having turned back, that is, having brought forth repentance and tears, be for the rest of the faithful as well a model of repentance and hope. And what of Peter?
Lk. 22:33. He answered Him: Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death.
Relying on his strong love, he promises what is for now impossible for him.
Lk. 22:34. But He said: I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today before you deny three times that you know Me.
But the Lord, seeing that he speaks thoughtlessly (for, having once heard from the self-existent Truth, who told him that he would undergo temptation, he should not have continued to contradict), declares to him also the form of the temptation, namely: denial. From this we learn the truth that human will is insufficient without the help of God. Peter was left alone for a short time and, it would seem, loved even ardently, yet when God left him, he was tripped up by the enemy. Equally, the help of God is insufficient without the consent of human will. Judas, although the Lord did everything for his benefit, received no benefit, for he did not have a good will. Therefore, let us shudder at the thought of the devil's schemes, how powerful they are against the negligent. Here too, although Peter was strengthened by God, yet when for particular purposes he was left alone, he came to the point of denial. What would have befallen him if he had not been guarded by God and there had not been hidden within him good seeds? For the devil's aim was to bring him too to betrayal; for the devil's "food is sumptuous," as the prophet says (Hab. 1:16). But thanks be to God, who does not abandon the saints, the righteous, and the good of heart, such as Peter was, who loved tenderly and was free from all suspicion regarding the Teacher.
Lk. 22:35. And He said to them: When I sent you without purse, and bag, and shoes, did you lack anything? And they answered: Nothing.
The Lord, at the beginning of the preaching, sending the disciples to villages and cities, commanded them not to take anything extra, not to carry with them anything even necessary, and not to worry about anything. And in this case they were to come to know His power. For He Himself, caring for them as for the weak, arranged things so that even without their concern, everything necessary flowed to them in abundance.
Lk. 22:36. Then He said to them: but now, he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a bag; and he who has none, let him sell his garment and buy a sword.
But now He commands the opposite, not contradicting Himself, however, but declaring to them that until now He had cared for them as children and did not make them worry about anything, but from now on they must consider themselves grown up and care for themselves. I, He says, your caring Father, am now departing. From now on take upon yourselves the cares of your own affairs, and do not place everything upon Me; for your affairs will not be as they were, easy and without hardship, but you will be subjected to hunger, and thirst, and many calamities. He hints at this with the words about the bag, the knapsack, and the sword. Therefore be alert, since you will hunger and be in need of food, which is hinted at by the "knapsack," and be courageous, since you will fall into many dangers, which is indicated by the "sword." He says this, of course, not so that they would carry swords with them, but so that, as I said, He might announce the wars and calamities and make them ready for everything. Lest posterity think that the apostles contributed nothing of their own toward godliness, but that everything was from God, the Lord says: no, let it not be so. For I do not wish to use My disciples as soulless instruments, but I require that they also apply what they can do of themselves. And indeed, you will find that the apostles, and especially Paul, successfully carried out many things through human skills as well (Acts 18:3, 20:34); except that the help of God was not absent from them either. At the same time, this was also beneficial for the humility of the apostles. For if they, caring for nothing themselves, expected everything from God and everything were given to them, they might have become proud, as those who had received as their lot something above human nature. Moreover, their nature would have become idle and corrupted if they had invented nothing of themselves but expected everything, as the saying goes, in ready-ground form. Therefore the Lord says to them: from now on carry "knapsacks," that is, arrange and care for yourselves as those who are about to experience hunger, and buy "swords," that is, guard yourselves as those who are about to encounter dangers and wars.
Lk. 22:37. For I say unto you, that this which is written must yet be accomplished in Me: "And He was numbered with the transgressors." For that which concerns Me is coming to an end.
Some have understood the purchase of the sword differently. By this, they say, He hints at the attack upon Him that is about to take place soon, and at the fact that He would be seized by murderous men. Since before this time they had been disputing with one another about primacy, the Lord says: now is not the time for disputes about primacy, but a time of danger and killings. For even I, your Teacher, will be led to death, and moreover to a dishonorable death. But through this, what was said will be fulfilled in Me: "and He was numbered with the transgressors" (Isa. 53:12). Thus, wishing to indicate the brigand-like attack, He mentioned the sword, and did not reveal it completely, so that they would not be disturbed by some terror, nor did He remain completely silent, so that they would not be thrown into confusion in the event of a sudden attack, and especially so that, recalling it afterwards, they would marvel at His foreknowledge and wonder how He nevertheless gave Himself over to suffering for the salvation of mankind, and therefore they themselves would not flee from any sufferings for the salvation of others.
Lk. 22:38. They said: Lord! behold, here are two swords. He said to them: it is enough.
I think that the Lord speaks thus in parables so that they might receive benefit later, when they remember and understand. Since at that time they were in such misunderstanding that they said, "Lord, behold, here are two swords," and He, seeing that they did not understand, says, "It is enough," although it was not enough. For if against those who came in a robber-like manner it were necessary to employ human help, then not even a hundred swords would have been enough. But if not human but Divine assistance were needed, then even two swords were superfluous. However, the Lord did not wish to rebuke them for their lack of understanding, but, having said "It is enough," went on His way. This is similar to how we too, when conversing with someone and seeing that he does not understand our words, say: very well, let it be — although it is not well, but so as not to offend him, we let it go. The Lord did this because He saw that the disciples did not understand what was said.
He goes forward and leaves off the discourse, allowing the understanding of what was said to the course of events, just as He once said, "Destroy this temple," and the disciples understood only afterward, after His resurrection (John 2:19–22). Some, however, say that by the word "enough" the Lord pointed out the incongruity of the words with the circumstances. The disciples said, "Look, here are two swords," and the Lord, they say, pointing out this incongruity, said: if there are two swords, then that is very much and enough for us against the crowd that will come against us.
Lk. 22:39. Going out, He went as was His custom to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples also followed Him.
After supper, the Lord does not give Himself over to idleness, pleasures, and sleep, but teaches and prays, giving us a model and example in this. Therefore, woe to those who after suppers turn to the shameful deeds of fornication. Having taught this to the disciples, the Lord ascends the Mount of Olives to pray. He loved to do this in private, and therefore withdraws even from the disciples. However, He takes disciples with Him, but not all—only those three who had seen His glory on the mountain (Luke 9:28).
Lk. 22:40. And when He came to the place, He said to them: Pray that you do not enter into temptation.
Lk. 22:41. And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and kneeling down, He prayed,
Lk. 22:42. saying: Father! oh, if Thou wouldst be pleased to carry this cup past Me! nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done.
Since He is in agony and prays, lest this appear to be a sign of cowardice, He takes with Him those who themselves saw His Divine glory and themselves heard the testimony from heaven, so that, seeing Him in agony, they would consider this an act of human nature. For to confirm that He was truly Man, He allowed this nature to act in its own way. As Man, He desires to live and prays for the cup to pass from Him, for man is a lover of life; and through this He overthrows the heresies according to which He became man only in appearance. For if even after such actions of human nature they found occasion to babble in this manner, what would they not have said if these actions had not taken place? Thus, the desire that the cup pass by belongs to human nature, while the words spoken shortly after — "nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done" — show that we too must have the same disposition and the same mindset, submitting to the will of God and not turning aside, even though our nature may pull us in the opposite direction. "Not My" human "will, but Yours be done," and this Yours is not separate from My Divine will. The one Christ, having two natures, undoubtedly also had the will or desires of each nature, Divine and human. Thus, human nature at first desired to live, for this is proper to it, but then, following the Divine will that all people be saved — a will common to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — it resolved upon death, and in this way one desire emerged: salvific death.
Lk. 22:43. An Angel appeared to Him from heaven and strengthened Him.
Lk. 22:44. And being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling upon the ground.
That the prayer was from the human nature, which by permission had the attachment to life common to all, and not from the Divinity, as the accursed Arians say, is evident from the fact that Jesus was in sweat and such agony that, as the saying goes, drops of blood fell from Him. For of those who labor greatly, it is customary to say that they sweat blood, just as of those who bitterly grieve, it is said that they weep blood. Wishing to show precisely this — that what flowed from Him was not some thin moisture appearing merely for show, but that large drops of sweat were falling — the Evangelist used drops of blood to depict the reality. From this it is clear that the nature which produced the sweat and was in agony was human, not divine. For human nature was permitted to experience such states, and it did experience them, on the one hand to show that He was not a man only in appearance, and on the other — a hidden purpose — to heal the timidity common to human nature, by exhausting it in Himself and subjecting it to the divine will.
Another may say that the sweat issuing from the body and falling to the ground signifies that, with the encouragement and strengthening of our nature in Christ, the fountains of fearfulness in us evaporate, turn into drops, and fall away from us. For if He had not had this in mind, that is, the desire to heal our human fearfulness, He would not have sweated so, even if He were very fearful and fainthearted. "And there appeared to Him an Angel from heaven, strengthening Him." This too is for our consolation, namely: that we might learn the strengthening power of prayer and, having learned it, turn to it in times of misfortune. At the same time, the prophecy of Moses spoken in the great song is also fulfilled: "and let all the sons of God be strengthened" (Deut. 32:43). Some, however, explained these words thus: that an Angel appeared to Him, glorified Him, and said: Thine, O Lord, is the strength! For Thou hast overcome death and hell and hast set free the human race. This is so.
Lk. 22:45. Rising from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow.
Lk. 22:46. And He said to them: Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you fall into temptation.
And He, finding the disciples sleeping, rebukes them and at the same time urges them to pray in temptations, so as not to be overcome by them. For not to fall into temptation means not to be swallowed up by temptation, not to come under its power. Or He also simply commands us to pray that our lot may be safe and that we not be subjected to any trouble. For to cast oneself into temptations means to be reckless and proud. How then does James (Jas. 1:2) say: "Count it all joy when you fall into various temptations"? What is this, are we not contradicting ourselves? No, for James did not say: cast yourselves in, but when you are subjected to them, do not lose heart, but have all joy, and make what was once involuntary into something voluntary. For it is better if temptations had not come, but when they have come, why grieve foolishly? Show me a place in Scripture where it is literally commanded to pray to fall into temptations. But you cannot show one.
I know that there are two kinds of temptation, and that some understand the duty of praying not to fall into temptation as referring to the temptation that conquers the soul, for example, the temptation of fornication, the temptation of anger. But one should count it all joy when we undergo bodily afflictions and temptations. For to the degree that "the outward man perishes," to that degree "the inward man is renewed" (2 Cor. 4:16). Although I know this, I prefer that which is more true and which is closer to the present purpose.
Lk. 22:47. While He was still speaking this, a crowd appeared, and one of the twelve, called Judas, was walking ahead of them, and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. For he had given them such a sign: Whomever I kiss, He is the one.
Judas set a kiss as the sign for those going against Jesus, but so that they would not make a mistake because of the night, he pointed Him out not from afar. So that Jesus would not hide, for this reason they come with lanterns and torches. What then does the Lord do?
Lk. 22:48. Jesus said to him: Judas! Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?
He admits him to Himself with this hostile kiss. And thunderbolts did not rain down upon the ungrateful and treacherous one! Thus the Savior teaches us meekness in such circumstances. He says only with reproach: "Judas! Do you betray with a kiss?" Will you not be ashamed of the very manner of the betrayal? Why do you mix betrayal, an act of enmity, with a friendly kiss? And whom do you betray? "The Son of Man," that is, the humble, the meek, the condescending One, Who became man for your sake, and moreover the true God. He says this because even to the very last He burned with love for him. Therefore He did not insult him, did not call him inhuman and utterly ungrateful, but called him by his own name: "Judas." And He would not have reproached him if even this did not serve for his improvement, should he so desire. For He did this and, it would seem, reproached him so that Judas would not think that He was hiding, but so that, at least now, recognizing Him as Master, as the All-Knowing One, he might fall before Him and repent. The Lord knew that Judas was incorrigible, yet He did what was His to do, just as His Father also did in the Old Testament: He knew that the Jews would not listen, yet He sent the prophets. And at the same time He teaches us this very thing, namely: that we should not take offense at the failure to reform of those who fall.
Lk. 22:49. And when they which were about Him saw what would follow, they said unto Him, Lord, shall we strike with the sword?
Lk. 22:50. And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
The disciples are inflamed with zeal and draw out swords. Where did they have them from? It was natural for them to have them, since they had just before been slaying the lamb and had come out from the table. But the fervent Peter receives a rebuke, because he used his zeal contrary to the Lord's intention. Whereas the others ask, "shall we strike?" he does not wait for approval (as everywhere he was fervent for the Teacher!), but strikes "the servant of the high priest" and cuts off his "right ear." This happened not by chance, but as a sign that the high priests of that time had all become slaves and had lost their right hearing. For if they had listened to Moses, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (John 5:46).
Lk. 22:51. Then Jesus said: Let it be, enough. And, touching his ear, He healed him.
Jesus restores the ear; for it is fitting for the great power of the Word to heal the disobedient and give them an ear for hearing. Jesus performs the miracle so that by this visible miracle upon the ear He might show His lack of malice and, at the very least, by the miracle lead them to the thought of restraining themselves from their madness.
Lk. 22:52. And Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and the elders who had come out against Him: Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to take Me?
Lk. 22:53. Every day I was with you in the temple, and you did not raise your hands against Me, but now is your time and the power of darkness.
He says "to the chief priests and captains of the temple," that is, to the overseers appointed to attend to the needs of the priests; or by captains he means those who were entrusted with matters concerning the construction and adornment of the temple. He says to them: every day I taught in the temple, and you did not wish to seize Me, but now you have come as against a robber. However, you are truly undertaking works of the night, and your authority is the authority of darkness. Therefore you have chosen precisely such a time as befits both you and the deed you are undertaking.
Lk. 22:54. Having seized Him, they led Him away and brought Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance.
Lk. 22:55. When they had kindled a fire in the midst of the court and had sat down together, Peter also sat down among them.
Lk. 22:56. A certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with Him.
Lk. 22:57. But he denied Him, saying to the woman: I do not know Him.
Lk. 22:58. And after a little while another saw him, and said: Thou also art of them. But Peter said to that man: I am not!
Lk. 22:59. About the space of one hour after, another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.
Lk. 22:60. But Peter said to that man: I do not know what you are saying. And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
Lk. 22:61. Then the Lord, turning, looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him: before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.
Peter, according to Christ's prediction, proved weak and denied the Master Christ not once, but three times, and denied Him with an oath, for Matthew says: "Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the Man" (Matt. 26:74). Perhaps such timidity seized him, and he was abandoned for a time on account of his boldness, as if for instruction, so that he might be lenient toward others as well. For he was very bold, and if he had not been chastened by this circumstance, he would have acted in many things tyrannically and without condescension. But then he fell into such terror that he would not even have noticed his fall, if the Lord, turning, had not looked upon him. O goodness! He Himself is under condemnation, yet He cares for the salvation of His disciple. And rightly so. For He was enduring the very condemnation for the sake of human salvation.
First the disciple denied, then the rooster crowed. He denied again, even up to three times, and the rooster crowed again a second time. Mark describes this so precisely and in detail (Mark 14:66–72) and conveys it as one who learned it from Peter, for he was his disciple. But Luke, since this had already been told by Mark, spoke briefly without going into detail. And Luke's words do not contradict what Mark said. For a rooster has the habit of crowing two or three times at each occasion. Thus, Peter was brought by human weakness into such forgetfulness that he did not come to his senses even from the crowing of the rooster, but even after the rooster had crowed, he denied again, and yet again, until the gracious gaze of Jesus brought him back to remembrance.
Lk. 22:62. And going out, he wept bitterly.
Mark says that Peter went out even after the first denial (Mark 14:68). Then it was natural for him to go back in again, so as not to arouse greater suspicion that he was one of Jesus' followers. But when he came to his senses again, he then goes out and weeps bitterly. And so as not to be noticed by those who were in the courtyard, he goes out secretly from them.
Some, I do not know why, compose an insane defense in favor of Peter, boldly saying that Peter did not deny, but said: I do not know this "man," that is, I know Him not as a mere man, but as God who became Man. This insane argument we shall leave to others. For they make the Lord out to be a liar, they contradict the coherence of the Gospel narrative, and they will in no way be able to reconcile the order of the account. And what would Peter have to weep about, if he did not deny?
Lk. 22:63. The men who were holding Jesus mocked Him and beat Him;
Lk. 22:64. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him: Prophesy, who is it that struck You?
Lk. 22:65. And they spoke many other blasphemies against Him.
Those who did this to Jesus were certain revilers and unrestrained men, for it was necessary that the devil should leave no form of malice untried, but should pour out all of it, so that our nature, having proved holy in all things, might conquer and trample upon him. Since the Lord assumed our nature in order to strengthen it against all the wiles of the devil and to show that Adam too would not have been conquered in the beginning had he been vigilant, therefore, when all forms of devilish malice are poured out upon Him, He endures, so that we might afterward take courage, knowing that our nature has conquered in Christ, and not shrink before anything seemingly offensive and bitter. Therefore He endures mockery and beatings, and though He is the Master of the prophets, He is mocked as a false prophet. For the words "prophesy" to us, "who is the one who struck You," were meant to mock Him as an impostor who claims for Himself the gift of prophecy.
Lk. 22:66. And when day came,
Drunken servants mocked and reviled Jesus Christ at night.
Lk. 22:66. The elders of the people, the chief priests, and the scribes gathered together and led Him into their council.
Lk. 22:67. Tell us, are You the Christ?
And by day the elders and honorable men ask: Is He the Christ?
Lk. 22:67. He said to them: if I tell you, you will not believe;
Knowing their thoughts and that, not having believed the works which are more capable of persuading, they would all the more not believe words, He says: "if I tell you, you will not believe." For if you believed My words, what need would there be for this present assembly?
Lk. 22:68. And if I also ask you, you will not answer Me, nor let Me go,
"And if I also ask, you will not answer." For they often remained silent when questioned, for example, about the baptism of John (Mark 11:30, 33), about the words: "The Lord said to my Lord" (Matt. 22:44–46), about the woman who was bent over (Luke 13:11–17). When did you listen to Me and believe? When did you not remain silent to a question put to you? Therefore I will only say that from now on it is not the time to speak to you and explain who I am (for if you had wished, you would have known Me from the signs I performed), but from now on it is the time of judgment.
Lk. 22:69. From now on, the Son of Man will sit at the right hand of the power of God.
You will see Me, the Son of Man, sitting "at the right hand of the power of God."
Lk. 22:70. And they all said: So, You are the Son of God? He answered them: You say that I am.
Lk. 22:71. They said, "What further need do we have of testimony? For we ourselves have heard from His own mouth."
At this they should have been terrified, but after such words they became even more enraged and in their frenzy ask: "Are You then the Son of God?" He, with moderation and pointing out the absurdity of their question, answers them: "You say that I am," for He despised their fury and spoke to them fearlessly. From this it is also evident that the obstinate receive no benefit from having mysteries revealed to them, but rather incur far greater condemnation. Therefore one must conceal these things from such people, for this is in fact the more compassionate thing to do.