Luke 22:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They said to him, "Where will you have us prepare it?"

NIV: "Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.

NASB: They said to Him, 'Where do You want us to prepare it?'

CSB: "Where do you want us to prepare it?" they asked him.

NLT: Where do you want us to prepare it?' they asked him.

KJV: And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

NKJV: So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”

It is the day before Passover. Jesus has told Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal for Himself and the disciples. They know they need to find a year-old lamb, slaughter it at the temple Court, and roast it. They also need to find oil, bitter herbs, wine, and unleavened bread. In a city that hosts the Passover celebration every year, this shouldn't be too hard to do. But they also need to find a place where thirteen people can meet, and they need to do it all by sundown.

They have seen Jesus feed two large crowds with little food (Mark 8:1–10; Luke 9:10–17). More recently, they witnessed Jesus knowing exactly where to find a donkey colt that He could ride (Luke 19:30–34). It's unclear if Jesus already set up the room or if He merely knows the room is available. Regardless, Peter and John trust that He will have an answer. The original Greek wording shows they are eager to do His bidding.

They are right to trust Him. He tells them to go into Jerusalem and look for a man carrying a jar of water; this is a task usually relegated to women. They are to follow him and inquire about a guest room in the house he enters (Luke 22:10–11). Peter and John follow Jesus' instructions and find the upper room where they and the other disciples will spend some intense time with Jesus (John 13—17).

Luke 22:7–13 is a preparation. The Sanhedrin has prepared for Jesus' arrest, and Judas is prepared for his betrayal of Christ (Luke 22:1–6). Now, Jesus sends Peter and John to prepare for the Passover dinner. The disciples have witnessed Jesus' supernatural knowledge, so of course they follow His oddly specific instructions and find a room already prepared for them. Matthew 26:17–19 and Mark 14:12–16 also record the preparations.

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.