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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 22:67 mean?

Explanation

Luke 22:67 captures a significant moment during the trial of Jesus before the Jewish religious leaders, specifically the Sanhedrin.

They are questioning Jesus about His identity, directly asking Him if He is the Messiah (the Christ), the anointed one sent by God.

Jesus responds by saying that even if He were to explicitly state that He is the Christ, they wouldn't believe Him.

This verse reflects a larger theme in the Gospel narratives of the disbelief and rejection of Jesus by many of the religious leaders of the time.

There is also a deeper meaning here: Jesus is indicating that mere words aren't sufficient for faith, especially to those whose hearts are closed or hostile to His message.

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Historical Context

At the time of this verse, Jesus has been arrested and is brought before the Sanhedrin, which was the supreme religious body in Judea.

The position of the Sanhedrin was that of a tribunal handling matters of Jewish law, and they were responsible for examining teachings and teachers to protect the integrity of the Jewish faith.

The question about Jesus' messianic status isn't just curiosity, it is a legal question with serious implications.

To claim to be the Messiah without providing the expected proof (such as political liberation from Roman rule) would be seen as blasphemous and worthy of death under Jewish law.

Theological Insights

Theological interpretations of this verse can vary.

Traditional Christian theology sees this statement as part of the divine plan of salvation; Jesus' reticence may suggest His role as the suffering servant who does not need to defend his identity.

On the other hand, some interpret Jesus' response to reflect His understanding of human nature, He knows that His identity must be revealed spiritually, not just intellectually, and thus He challenges the Sanhedrin to see beyond their expectations and biases.

Practical Applications

This verse can be seen as a call to self-examination.

It might challenge the individual to consider whether their beliefs are based on preconceptions and biases, rather than on a true understanding and open heart.

It also invites believers to trust in God's revelation, even when it does not align with their expectations, and to have faith in what may not be fully understood or seen.

Cross-References

Matthew 26:63-64: "But Jesus held his peace.

And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

John 10:24-25: "Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me."

Mark 14:61-62: "But he held his peace, and answered nothing.

Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

Language Study

In the original Greek, the word for "Christ" comes from "Χριστός" (Christos), meaning "anointed one" or "Messiah." The phrase "ye will not believe" uses the Greek word "πιστεύσετε" (pisteusete), implying to have faith or be persuaded.

The words and phrase structures Jesus uses here would have conveyed authority and a challenge, all within the context of a formal legal proceeding.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader ancient Near East, the idea of a divine or semi-divine figure being tried by religious authorities is not unique, figures in various cultures were often subjected to tests or trials.

In this context, Jesus' trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin would have been understood as a confrontation between a new religious claim (that of Jesus being the Messiah) and the established religious authority.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, this verse does not directly intersect with empirical methods or findings, as it deals with matters of religious identity, faith, and belief.

However, modern psychological understanding of belief systems and identity could provide insight into why Jesus' claim would be so challenging for the Sanhedrin and why he would assert that they "will not believe."

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians offer different perspectives on this verse.

Some suggest that Jesus is highlighting the Sanhedrin's inability to see the truth in front of them due to their rigid expectations of what the Messiah would be like.

Others focus on the legal implications of Jesus' potential claim to messiahship.

Still, others might highlight the prophetic nature of Jesus' response, as predicting that His truth will be realized later.

The unifying theme among commentaries is the recognition that Jesus is confronting a deep-seated disbelief and challenging the established religious authority to see beyond their biases and to recognize His true identity.

Luke 22

Luke 22

What does Luke 22:67 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 22:67 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?