Luke 22:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover.

NIV: Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching,

NASB: Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.

CSB: The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover, was approaching.

NLT: The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching.

KJV: Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

NKJV: Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.

Luke often adds asides to provide context or material that doesn't warrant a larger exposition. Luke 21:37—22:2 is remarkably similar to Luke 19:47–48:

And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

Passover is a feast celebrating God's rescue of the Israelites from Egypt. The last plague God used to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go was the death of every firstborn son. The Israelites followed God's instruction to kill a lamb and paint their doorposts with the blood so their sons would be spared (Exodus 12:1–13, 21–32). God ordained that the Jews should repeat this meal once a year and added the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread to extend the memorial (Exodus 12:14–20). Because the two are strongly linked, both "Passover" and "Feast of Unleavened Bread" are used to refer to the entire eight-day event.

Luke says the "Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near." Mark specifies the Passover is two days away (Mark 14:1). The meeting includes the chief priests, scribes, and elders, and is held at Caiaphas's house (Matthew 26:3–5). Jesus will go to Bethany where a woman will anoint Him with oil (Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9). After Judas has seen a "waste" of money for the second time in a week (John 12:1–8), he will go to the chief priests and coordinate his betrayal of Jesus (Luke 22:3–6).

In Luke 22:1–2, the Sanhedrin prepares for Jesus' arrest. In Luke 22:3–6, Judas prepares for his betrayal. Next, Jesus will prepare for the Passover meal (Luke 22:7–13). Luke 22:1–2 is essentially a restatement of Luke 19:47–48 and a continuation of Luke 21:37–38. The leaders have lacked a secret place to capture Jesus, where crowds cannot object. Judas's betrayal is what they need. Judas will lead them to Jesus in the quiet dark of night, away from the public. Matthew and Mark also record this turn of events (Matthew 26:1–5, 14–16; Mark 14:1–2, 10–11).

Luke 22 is a long chapter which records events leading to Jesus' political trials and crucifixion. He has successfully taught crowds at the temple and proved His authority over the religious leaders (Luke 19:47—20). Meanwhile the leaders have spent the week planning to arrest Jesus and have Him killed (Luke 19:47–48). This chapter records the Last Supper, the arrest on the Mount of Olives, and the trials before the Jewish religious leaders. Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 18 cover much of the same information.

Luke 23 continues Jesus' trials before Pilate and Herod Antipas. He is then led to the cross where He forgives His murderers and saves a thief before He dies. In Luke 24, Jesus rises from the dead, meets two disciples while they travel, and explains to them how the Old Testament prophesied the death of the Messiah. In the final scene of the gospel, Jesus is reunited with His disciples, blesses them, and ascends into heaven.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.