Passover to Betrayal and Denial
Book of Luke Chapter 22
It was time for the Jewish Passover, and this Passover is tied to the death of Jesus Christ.
The annual Passover celebrated by the Jews is both memorial and symbolic:
1) As a memorial in memory of that first Passover night in Egypt.
2) Symbolic because its ultimate fulfillment was at Mount Calvary.
Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
1Co 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
1Co 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
On the tenth day of Abib (Nisan), a day set aside for the Passover Feast, each family was to select a lamb, without blemish, a male of the first year, and keep it isolated and under close observation until the fourteenth day.
If this lamb were injured or became sick within those four days, it would have been blemished and could not be used as the Passover Lamb, and they would have to select another one.
The Lord Jesus also spent four days in view of those of religion before He was crucified.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey, with multitudes crying Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,
This was a fulfillment of prophecy: Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
The Lord Jesus then went in and cleansed the Temple.
Mat 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
The Lord Jesus was under critical scrutiny for four days.
Four different groups challenged him in one day:
1) The chief priests and the elders of the Jews.
2) The Pharisees with the Herodians.
3) The Sadducees.
4) The Pharisees again who brought their lawyer.
With every test, the Lord Jesus proved to be the Messiah by the Word of God.
He had no blemishes, and He had no sin!
We know that day began at six PM and ended at six PM the following day.
The Lord Jesus and the disciples began their feast in the evening of the Passover, while most others celebrated their feast after daylight on the same day, which was the day the Lord Jesus was crucified and died between the hours of 3:00 and 6:00 PM, in accordance with prophecy.
Luk 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
Exo 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat
The Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper on the evening He was crucified.
The Lord Jesus commanded that His followers continue to observe this last meal until His return.
Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
This began the New Covenant in contrast to the Old Covenant.
To enact this New Covenant, His death was necessary because it was His death that provided the forgiveness of our sins.
1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
So, what is the meaning of the Lord's Supper?
1) It is a memorial to the death of Jesus Christ for our sins. He said, "Do this in remembrance of Me."
A) The bread symbolized the body of Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
B) The grape juice symbolized His blood for the forgiveness of sin.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
The Lord's Supper looked forward to the cross.
He finished His work of salvation when He came the first time.
His resurrection looks forward to His return.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
The Lord's Supper is also a communion of believers with each other!
1Co 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
1Co 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
Those who love the Lord Jesus Christ will also follow Him and eat and drink the same symbolic elements, focusing on our common faith in the work the Lord Jesus Christ did to provide our salvation.
*****Luk 22:14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
Luk 22:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
Luk 22:16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
Luk 22:17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
Luk 22:18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
When all prophecy is fulfilled, we will sit down again for the Lord's Supper, the difference being, He will be there with us.
This will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
It is possible that the Passover Feast has no significance as a meal of remembrance for the Jews as they have rejected the Messiah as the fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture.
Even the Church is cautioned: 1Co 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
The Lord's Supper is never to be thought of as a means of salvation.
After this meal the Lord Jesus and the eleven disciples now went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.
The Lord Jesus often prayed at Gethsemane, and Judas the betrayer knew this.
*****Luk 22:47 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
Luk 22:48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
We should understand that the religious leaders of Israel had joined the forces of darkness against the Messiah.
This will be repeated when the Lord Jesus Christ returns!
Judas had been one of the twelve, but he had now sunk so low as to desert the Lord.
How could he have done such a thing?
Luk_22:3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
Judas is separated from the crowd, but his crime is much greater than that of the crowd.
There was the kiss of love and the kiss of reverence, but this day Judas had the kiss of a traitor.
Mar 14:44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.
The kiss of Judas on this day was to put the Lord Jesus in the hands of His enemies.
Only a criminal has this kind of love!
The other eleven had love to defend the Lord, but the Lord did not need them to defend Him.
In fact, it is the Lord who does what is needed to protect these eleven true disciples.
We must also keep in mind that these Jewish leaders could have captured the Lord Jesus many times, but they were afraid of the people.
They chose the cover of darkness and broke the law themselves to capture Him.
*****Luk 22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
Luk 22:50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
Luk 22:51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.
We know that only the eleven remaining disciples were with the Lord at this time.
We know it was Peter who took the sword that he had, and it was Malchus who was the servant of the High Priest.
Peter attempted to take off the head of Malchus, but Malchus reacted quickly enough that only his ear was removed, and the Lord Jesus immediately healed him.
Many of these men were the Temple guards, but the rest were chief priests and elders of Israel.
The Lord Jesus was no robber trying to escape!
The Lord Jesus was the Lamb of God, ready to be sacrificed.
All those things of abuse that were used on Him were unnecessary.
Even the kiss of Judas was unnecessary because Jesus had stepped forward to protect those who were with Him.
Jesus told His disciples to stand back and just allow this thing to happen to protect them, and that prophecy would be fulfilled.
The use of violence was to be left to those who brought swords and clubs, and not those who followed the Lord.
The Lord Jesus was never a danger to society, but He was a danger to their positions with Rome.
To them, Jesus was no more than a thief trying to rob them of their position over the people.
The Lord Jesus was not ready to establish His earthly Kingdom at that time.
They still did not understand that our Lord Jesus was bringing eternal salvation to all those who believed in Him and the work of the Cross.
*****Luk 22:52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
Luk 22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
The greatest sin of these people, which is the only sin that cannot be forgiven, was that they were blind to the Son of God!
They just were not going to accept the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, no matter how many miracles He did.
The Lord Jesus never once acted as if He were a thief come to steal something from this world.
The Lord Jesus never preached a sermon that allowed them to live as they wished; He always preached the Word of God clearly.
Only if they changed their evil and wicked ways could they be received by the God that they said they worshipped.
They had to repent and obey the Word of God, which was the message that they received from Moses.
They knew the truth of the flood.
The Lord Jesus had to teach the truth for anyone to be saved.
God will never accept an unrighteous person.
If we want to meet the Almighty Living God, then it will only be without sin.
We must believe who God really is!
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The Word of God tells us who He is, and we must have enough faith to believe it.
Those who arrested the Lord Jesus on this day could only think of their position with Rome and not their position with the God whom they said they followed.
They were sold out to this material world that will soon come to its terrible end.
They had joined forces with the powers of darkness.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
What did the Devil know?
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
When the Light of Jesus reappears, the darkness of this world will disappear.
Peter became afraid for his life, and it caused him to sin.
*****Luk 22:54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.
Luk 22:55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.
Peter followed Jesus "afar off".
This phrase means:
1) Not walking close to Him.
2) Not standing with Him.
3) Not being identified with Him.
4) Not focusing his life on Him.
If this could happen to Peter, it could happen to any of us.
Peter became afraid for his own life, and his commitment was weak.
Peter sat down with the crowd.
The truth is God has not given us the Spirit of Fear, so if we are afraid, it came from the Devil.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,
What is apostasy?
Apostasy describes the defection of Christians, or so-called Christians, who now accompany the Antichrist.
It is written that just before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, there will be much apostasy by many in the Church.
What we see in Peter is what we will see in the Church just before the rapture of the Church.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
The Antichrist will show himself to be a superhuman and deceive many.
*****Luk 22:56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.
Luk 22:57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.
Luk 22:58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.
Luk 22:59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.
Luk 22:60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
We must never pretend that we do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.
We do not need to hang out with non-believers.
We certainly must never deny the Lord Jesus Christ.
Persecution is going to increase among Christians, and it is already terrible in many places today.
Jesus said: Mrk_8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
Matthew and Mark tell us that Peter began to curse and swear.
As Peter warms himself among the enemies of Jesus, he becomes like them.
Pro 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Pro 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Peter was from Galilee and he could not deny this.
Then the rooster crowed.
*****Luk 22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Luk 22:62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
Then Peter remembered the Lord's Words.
Then the Lord turned his head so He could see Peter and Peter could see the Lord.
The Lord Jesus had already warned Peter: Luk 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
In all this, the Lord Jesus, knowing exactly what would happen to Peter, the Lord never forgot him.
Even while the Lord Jesus was being beaten and abused, He still prayed for Peter.
He loved and cared for Peter, and He still wanted his loyalty and service.
Peter left this wicked crowd just as fast as he could.
He was a broken man, full of anguish and pain for having failed the Lord Jesus, and he wept bitterly.
Peter repented of his sin.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Amen
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