The Suffering, Serving King

Jesus greatly desired to celebrate Passover with his disciples before he died. He used the occasion to announce that they will receive a kingdom.

Luke 22:14-16; 24-30

• Jesus sat at Passover with all 12 of the apostles, including the traitor Judas (v. 14).
• Introducing the meal, Jesus declared how much he wanted to enjoy this, his last meal before his suffering, with his disciples (v. 15).
• Further, he declares it to be his last until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God (v. 16). Was not Passover fulfilled with the death and resurrection of Christ? Does this say anything about the meaning of “kingdom of God”?
• Once again the disciples argue about who will be the greatest among them (v. 24). He they not learned the lesson of Matthew 18?
• Jesus points out that they are desiring to behave like Gentiles (heathen) (v. 25).
• Greatness will be assigned to him who serves most, not to him who is served most (v. 26-27).
• They have been with Jesus. They have seen him handle temptations. They have seen his lowly, humble kingdom (v. 28-29). That’s the kind of kingdom that he bequeaths to them—a lowly, temptation-filled  kingdom.
• Therein will they eat and drink at his table (v. 30).

Meditation Points:

1. If Judas agreed to be a traitor because he was disappointed that he didn’t see any grand kingdom in his future, then this announcement by Jesus would have cemented the decision.
2. To be like Jesus is to be a servant, to suffer temptations.
3. What table does Jesus mean? Is it “the Lord’s table” of communion which the church on earth enjoys? Or is the “marriage supper of the Lamb” which the church in glory enjoys? Does the statement that the apostles will judge the twelve tribes of Israel at that time help us to understand?

[print_link]