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Luke 22

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

And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

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

And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

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

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

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.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

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.

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

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?

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.

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

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.

And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

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.

And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

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.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,

Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.

Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

What does Luke 22:53 mean?

Explanation

Luke 22:53 speaks to a moment of profound confrontation as Jesus addresses the cohort of temple guards and elders who have come to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Earlier, He has been teaching daily in the temple without being seized by these leaders, despite their opposition to His teachings.

Jesus highlights the irony that, while He was in the temple, no one attempted to arrest Him.

He suggests that the reason they're acting now, under the cloak of night, is because this time, His impending arrest, suffering, and crucifixion, is under the control of those forces opposed to light and goodness, which He terms “the power of darkness.” This points to a broader spiritual battle between good and evil, light and darkness.

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Historical Context

Luke 22:53 should be viewed in the context of the ongoing conflict between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders of His time.

The Pharisees and scribes had been looking for ways to trap Jesus and accuse Him.

The events in this verse occur shortly after the Last Supper and are part of the passion narrative leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.

It was during the Jewish festival of Passover, a time when Jerusalem was crowded with pilgrims, that Jesus was arrested at night, away from public eye, highlighting the secrecy and urgency among the religious leaders to halt Jesus’ growing influence.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, the "power of darkness" Jesus refers to can be understood as the realm of sin and evil, which is temporarily being allowed to proceed against Jesus.

This acknowledges that God is permitting these events for a purpose, part of the divine plan for redemption through the crucifixion and resurrection.

The "hour" mentioned by Jesus has been interpreted by Christians as the designated time for Christ's sacrificial death.

The verse underscores the Christian belief in Jesus's awareness of His role and the prophetic nature of His mission.

Practical Applications

The verse serves as a reminder that followers of Christ may encounter periods when it seems that darkness prevails.

It is an encouragement to believers to endure difficult times with the understanding that these circumstances are temporary and that God's ultimate purpose will triumph.

The verse can also be a call to recognize that real struggles not only occur in the physical realm but also in the spiritual, demanding faith and trust in God's sovereignty and plan.

Cross-References

John 12:27 - "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour."
John 1:5 - "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
Ephesians 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."
John 18:20 - "Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing."

Language Study

The phrase "power of darkness" from the original Greek text is “ἐξουσία τοῦ σκότους” (exousia tou skotous).

“ἐξουσία” (exousia) means "authority" or "power," and “σκότους” (skotous) signifies "darkness." When analyzing the term "darkness" in this context, it carries connotations of ignorance, evil, and opposition to God.

This language study reveals how the verse conveys a sense of dominion that evil seems to have, but it is temporary and allowed by God for His purposes.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient myths, narratives often depicted struggles between personified forces of light and darkness, order and chaos.

Analogously, in the Zoroastrian religious system, there was a cosmic battle between Ahura Mazda (the spirit of light) and Angra Mainyu (the spirit of darkness).

The Christian narrative, however, is unique in its assertion that though darkness seems to have its moment, it is ultimately subjected to the sovereignty of God and His plan for salvation.

Scientific Perspectives

While the verse is speaking in spiritual and metaphorical terms, scientific understanding can be seen to parallel the concepts of light and darkness in its study of actual physical phenomena. Physics, for example, examines light as an essential form of energy and its absence as darkness.

However, when it comes to the metaphorical use of light and darkness in religious texts, it traverses into the realm of the metaphorical, symbolic, and subjective, which lies outside the purview of empirical science.

Commentaries

Commentators emphasize various aspects of this verse.

Some point to Jesus' acknowledgment of His fate as part of the divine plan, illustrating His obedience to the will of the Father. Others may focus on the irony of the religious leaders' actions, who were so keen to uphold the law, yet they broke it by arresting Jesus in secret at night.

It is also noted that Jesus' calm reaction to the arrest contrasts with the violence of His captors, highlighting the peace and assurance He had in knowing His mission's divine nature.

Traditional exegesis commonly views the “power of darkness” as symbolic of evil forces at work in opposition to Jesus and the establishment of God’s kingdom.

Luke 22

Luke 22

What does Luke 22:53 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 22:53 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?