Luke 22:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.

NIV: After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, 'Take this and divide it among you.

NASB: And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, 'Take this and share it among yourselves;

CSB: Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, "Take this and share it among yourselves.

NLT: Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, 'Take this and share it among yourselves.

KJV: And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

NKJV: Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves;

Jesus is leading the Passover meal with the disciples. It is the evening before His crucifixion. On the cross, He will be the perfect sacrifice that will bring life to those who ask for it (Hebrews 9:28). This is in fulfillment of the symbol of the lambs that died to protect the Israelites as they awaited liberation from their Egyptian slavery (Exodus 12).

The Passover seder includes four cups of wine to represent sanctification, judgment, redemption, and praise. This is the first cup. Before the first cup of wine in a Passover meal, the patriarch of the family blesses God for creating the fruit of the vine. This is the "thanks" Jesus gives. The cup Jesus uses during the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:20) is the third cup.

Although Jesus distributes the cup to the disciples, there's no reason to suggest He doesn't also drink this first cup. It is the third cup where the distinction comes in, where He says He will "from now on…not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes" (Luke 22:18).

Some people insist that Jesus never drank alcohol: they presume alcohol is inherently sinful, therefore Jesus could never have consumed it. In truth, wine is common in Jesus' culture; most water isn't healthy to drink (1 Timothy 5:23). Wine is especially used in celebrations (John 2:1–11). The wine Jesus drinks may be watered down, but there's no biblical reason to insist Jesus never drinks it. There are good reasons to avoid alcohol (1 Corinthians 6:12; 8:9–13), and people are welcome to refrain from alcohol as they feel convicted, but there's no reason to insist drinking alcohol is always a sin (Romans 14:1–4).

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.