Luke 22:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

NIV: For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

NASB: for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.'

CSB: For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

NLT: For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.'

KJV: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

NKJV: for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

Jesus is presenting the first cup of wine of the Passover seder to the disciples. Presumably, He has taken a drink as here He makes a distinction between His prior and future actions. Scholars suspect this is the first cup of wine, which represents sanctification, because He gave thanks for it as is tradition (Luke 22:17); during the meal, the father thanks God for the "fruit of the vine" before the first cup.

Jesus' words here can be confusing. He is given some type of wine (Luke 23:36) on the cross. Does that imply a contradiction? Luke 22:15–16 gives context. Jesus says He has been looking forward to eating the Passover and He will not eat it again until God's kingdom is fulfilled. Considering the similarities in the wording, Jesus may be saying He will not drink wine at the Passover until after His second coming. Conversely, He may be referring to a cup of wine at a meal with friends.

Beyond that, the liquids mentioned at the cross don't apply. Soldiers offered Him sour wine. This is not the "fruit of the vine" Jesus is referring to: it's vinegar. Or a vinegar-water-spice mix commonly consumed by Romans. In addition, the passage doesn't explicitly say Jesus drinks the sour wine. The argument that the Bible is unreliable because of this verse shows how important context is.

Luke 22:14–20 records the Last Supper. Bible scholars debate at what point, exactly, Judas left this gathering, raising the unanswered question of whether he, too, participated in what we now call "communion." Jesus has warned the disciples of the hardships they will face. Yet He promises they will not perish and encourages them to remain faithful (Luke 21). The Last Supper gives them the symbols to remind them their faith is not in vain: Jesus gave His life for them, ushered in the new covenant, and rose from the dead, and He will return. The disciples' fear and doubt described in the following verses are a demonstration of our need for Jesus' work on the cross (Luke 22:21–34). Parallel accounts of the Last Supper include Matthew 26:20, 26–29; Mark 14:17, 22–25; and 1 Corinthians 11:23–26.

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.