Luke 22:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

There is a need to clarify what this means in terms of our journey, the destination we are heading toward, and the manner of our passage. Just as Israel was liberated from the oppression of the Egyptians and escaped the bondage of slavery, crossing the sea in an extraordinary manner to reach the promised land, we, who have found salvation in Christ, must not linger in our past shortcomings or persist in sinful ways. Instead, we are called to bravely navigate through the turbulent waters of worldly distractions and challenges. We transition from carnal desires to self-control, from ignorance to true understanding of God, from immorality to moral excellence, and, with hope, from sin's burden to the splendor of righteousness, and from death to everlasting life. Thus, the feast where Emmanuel endured the saving cross for us is celebrated as Easter. Let us also observe how He, who embodies Truth, honors the archetypes and preserves the significance of their shadows. "For when the day came on which the passover was to be offered, He sent two men into the city, chosen from among the holy apostles, Peter and John…"

The following day heralded the beginning of the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, during which, alongside the Passover and its eve, Israelites were mandated to abstain from all leavened bread, under penalty of death (Ex. 12:15).

The importance of the Passover was paramount, with its observance governed by stringent laws; the ritual was deeply meaningful and educational, intertwined with many comforting memories from the past and hopeful aspirations for the future. This led the Passover to be regarded as the pinnacle of Jewish festivals, the essence of the ceremonial law, a defining feature of Jewish identity, the very heart of their faith, and a vivid symbol of their hope. For these reasons, Jesus Christ was committed to celebrating the Passover at the time decreed by the law, meticulously observing all the rites that had been sanctified over centuries, following the traditions of His ancestors and prophets. A significant aspect of Jesus' mission was to uphold every beneficial institution, ensuring that none of Moses' laws were overlooked unless absolutely necessary, while also nurturing and spreading all that could strengthen faith.

Furthermore, the Passover held a special significance for Jesus that went beyond its importance to His fellow Israelites. The Passover lamb, representing a symbol of past grace, also foreshadowed His own identity and mission (John 19:36). The sacrifice of the lamb and its atoning blood, which once spared the firstborn of the Jews from destruction, was a prophetic symbol of the future crucifixion of the true Lamb of God, who bears the sins of all humanity. The joyful departure of the Israelites from Egypt post-Passover served as a foreshadowing of the gracious redemption of humankind from the dreadful bondage of sin, death, and the devil through the ultimate sacrifice on Calvary.

In this context, the Passover's meaning and significance must have been profoundly sacred to the God-Man. In observing this feast, it could be said that He celebrated His imminent death at each occasion. As the time approached for His actions to align with the prophecy — substituting the blood of the Passover lamb with His own — this upcoming Passover became increasingly precious to Him. Despite the formidable obstacles posed by His enemies, He longed to fulfill it in a remarkable manner, guided by His divine nature (Luke 22:15). This last Passover Supper would signify not only the culmination of the Old Covenant but also the inauguration and full revelation of the New Covenant, serving as a testament to His obedience to His Father’s will and His boundless love for humanity, a symbol of both the external and internal unity among His followers (John 13:1-4; 17:26).

Judas presented the primary obstruction to the observance of the Passover. Aware of the designated location for the celebration, the treacherous disciple made sure to notify the chief priests (Matthew 26:16), who could have subsequently surrounded the setting and apprehended those in attendance. Such a disruption would have shattered the sacredness of the moment, denying the Master the opportunity to bid farewell to His beloved disciples in a fitting, memorable manner. He would not have been able to fortify them against the impending trials, impart His final emotions, or nourish them spiritually with the pure essence of His Body and Blood. However, it was difficult for Jesus to expel a traitor from His presence to avoid this danger; He desired to regard Judas as a friend, guide, and father until the very end.

Thus, the Last Supper, overflowing with profound love and kindness, and marked by immense humility, should have served as the last invitation to repentance for the wayward apostle or as the final testament to his unrepentant nature. In His wise love, Jesus found another way to mitigate the peril surrounding the Passover meal without casting out the betraying disciple; He concealed from Judas the true location of the celebration. Throughout the day, the disciples were preoccupied with thoughts of the Passover. Not observing any directive from the Master for its observance, some felt compelled to remind Him of it (Matthew 26:17). While tradition dictated that every resident of Jerusalem was obliged to provide accommodations for visiting Jews if they were able, prearrangement was essential to prevent confusion, especially for Jesus and His holy company, who typically stayed with particular trusted individuals in Jerusalem, especially given the threats that surrounded them.

The Gospel account begins with the disciples preparing for the Passover. On the first day of unleavened bread, they approached Jesus asking, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover for you?” This day marked the beginning of the Passover celebration. As noted by St. Mark, this was the designated time for eating the Passover (Mark 14:12), and St. Luke further clarifies that it was the day on which it was appropriate to partake of the Passover meal. According to Mosaic law, the counting of days commenced at evening, meaning that the Passover celebration began at twilight on the 14th of Nisan. However, Jewish tradition designated the day of preparation as part of the feast, leading them to recognize eight days of unleavened bread instead of seven.

This practice arose out of necessity, as numerous pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover. Many, particularly among the less fortunate, lacked the means to celebrate at the prescribed time. Consequently, a significant number, especially the impoverished, made arrangements and consumed the Passover lamb on the evening before the Passover, on the 13th of Nisan. This day roughly corresponds to mid-March to early April. Those who adhered to this custom believed their understanding of commencing Nisan from the new moon's conjunction with the sun justified their practices, in contrast to intellectuals who began their reckoning from the first quarter of the moon, effectively observing the festival a day later.

As recounted by the Evangelist John, the Jewish leaders, on the morning after the Savior’s Passover observance, avoided entering the Praetorium to prevent ritual defilement, opting instead to partake in the Passover (John 18:28). These influential individuals possessed ample resources to celebrate the Passover meal according to the law on the 14th of Nisan and aimed to uphold an image of strict legal adherence. On that morning, while the Savior faced condemnation, preparations for the Passover meal were still underway (John 19:14). In contrast, the poor, constrained by their circumstances, prioritized the spirit rather than the letter of the law. Similarly, the disciples initiated the preparations to fulfill the legal requirements regarding the Passover lamb the evening preceding the feast.

In entrusting this task to His two most devoted followers, He refrained from revealing the owner's name, likely to prevent Judas from identifying it and relaying the information to the chief priests. It was important for the Lord that this Supper take place in an atmosphere of calm.

The Gospels of the first three Evangelists (Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7) reveal that Jesus shared the Passover meal with His Apostles on the eve of His crucifixion, specifically on Thursday. Furthermore, John's Gospel informs us that the members of the Sanhedrin, upon bringing Jesus to Pilate on Friday morning, did not enter Pilate’s palace to avoid ritual defilement, allowing them to partake in the Passover (John 18:28); thus, they, along with all the Jews, celebrated the Passover on Friday evening after Jesus had been laid in the tomb.

It stands to reason that if Jesus deemed it crucial to observe the Old Testament Passover for the final time, He would have done so precisely on the evening designated for it, the 14th of Nisan. It's important to note that for the Jews, the day began at sunset; thus, the 14th of Nisan commenced at sunset on our Thursday, appearing to the Jews as the beginning of Friday. Therefore, the Last Supper is to be considered as having occurred at the very start of Friday by Jewish reckoning, and at the conclusion of Thursday according to our calendar after sunset. On that Friday, the 14th of Nisan, Jesus was crucified at nine o'clock our time, or three o'clock by Jewish time.

That particular year, all Jews partook of the Passover on Friday evening, after the burial of Jesus, which by Jewish timing would equivalate to the very beginning of Saturday, the 15th of Nisan. It is understood that the public observance of Passover that year was delayed until the 15th to prevent the first day of Unleavened Bread from occurring on the eve of the Sabbath. The accuracy of this last assumption is not essential for our purposes; what remains significant is the knowledge that Jesus and His Apostles celebrated the Passover on the 14th of Nisan, while the rest of the Jewish people observed it on the 15th of Nisan.

It is likely that the lamb was slaughtered shortly after the evening sacrifice, around the ninth hour, ensuring that all preparations were completed in time for the Passover meal to be celebrated at the customary supper hour, all within the parameters of the 14th of Nisan. This day was marked by significant activity and commotion in Jerusalem and its vicinity, as both local residents and countless pilgrims were preoccupied with the procurement and sacrifice of the lamb, often resulting in more than two hundred thousand lambs being slain. The disciples were also involved in these preparations, and on Thursday morning, the 13th of Nisan, they inquired of their Master where He wished to observe the Passover.

This shift in timing for the Passover likely aimed to enhance the solemnity of the feast by coinciding it with the weekly Sabbath celebration. Nevertheless, Christ adhered to the law and shared the Passover meal with His disciples on Thursday evening, the 13th of Nisan.