This week we
will continue to study the Gospel of Luke.
(1) Why were the chief priest and the teachers of the law so determined to get rid of Jesus? What alternatives might they have?
(2) The need to avoid a public confrontation (when no crowd was present) is explained in vv. 1-2. Would the chief priests and the teachers of the law ever expect that an “insider” would help them and turn against Jesus?
(3) Imagine yourself being Judas:
a. What might be the reason that you followed Jesus some three years ago?
b. What have you seen and heard in the three years?
c. You have had the chance to live, eat, walk and sleep with Jesus, and discovered that He was really without sin. Who is Jesus, as far as you are concerned?
d. Money has always been important to you and, since you were entrusted with the money bag of the group, you “used to help yourself to what was put into it” (Jn. 12:6). Now knowing that the religious leaders are plotting to put Jesus to death, what options do you have? What are the “pros” and what are the “cons” of your decision? Why would you not only take the option of betraying Jesus, but also take the initiative to approach the chief priests?
(4) What is the implication that “Satan entered Judas”?
(5) Do you think Satan had also entered the hearts of the chief priests and the teachers of the law? Why or why not?
(6) Why does Luke add that Judas was “one of the Twelve”?
(7) Luke is explaining to his readers about the preparation of the Last Supper, and he highlights that it was “the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed”. How significant was the timing being mentioned?
(8) Jesus arranged to eat His last Passover feast in a place unknown even to the disciples, so that Judas could only find out the place later. He then had to sneak out during dinner to inform the chief priests. Since this was the last Passover meal that Jesus would eat on earth, can you imagine how Jesus felt as He presided over the meal, the full meaning of which He was going to fulfill almost immediately?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) What was the explanation given by Jesus for saying that He had eagerly desired to eat that Passover meal with His disciples before He suffered?
(2) In v. 16 and v. 18, Jesus emphasized that He “will not” eat or drink it (the Passover bread and cup) until the Kingdom of God. Why did He make such an emphasis?
(3) What is meant by its “fulfillment” in the kingdom of God?
(4) Luke’s account of the Last Supper contains some information unique to his gospel. Lightfoot says of the “taking the cup” in v.17: “the paschal supper began with a cup of wine…(giving) thanks, first for the day, and then for the wine (or the fruit of the vine)” (Lightfoot, Vol. 2, 346). In any case, whether it was the first or final cup of the feast, Jesus gave thanks as He did for the bread:
a. What might Jesus be giving thanks for, apart from the traditional blessings?
b. In the case of v.17, what might be the importance of to “divide it among you”?
c. He emphasized that He “will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes”. What does that have to do with the “fulfillment” of the kingdom of God? (v. 18)
(5) The breaking of the bread conveys to us at least two spiritual aspects: The sharing of the bread by the disciples, and the way He would give His body for us.
a. How does it speak to us as a body of Christ in the sharing of the bread?
b. How does it speak of His death in the giving of His body for us?
c. Before breaking the bread, what might He be thinking as He gave thanks for it?
(6) It is generally believed that v.20 depicts the last cup at a Passover meal which brought the supper to its conclusion:
a. What is that “new” covenant? In what way(s) is it new?
b. How different is it from the “old”?
c. Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood'. (Italics, mine) What does He mean?
(7) Did Jesus ask us to do this in remembrance of His act of sacrifice or to remember “Him”? Is there a difference between the two? If so, what is it?
(8) How then can you observe the Lord’s Supper in order to meaningfully remember “Him”?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Jesus pointed out that the one who would betray Him would be one of the Twelve and that “the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table” (22:21), or as Mark clarifies, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me” (Mark 14:20). For the disciples' question as to which one among them Jesus was referring to, Jesus was perhaps using an idiom to illustrate the gravity of the sin of Judas:
a. How grave would you say Judas' sin was?
b. The gravity of it caused Him to say, “Woe to that man who betrays me”, or as Matthew adds, “It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matt. 26:24) While this was Jesus’ comment on the life of Judas, what might His comment be on yours?
(2) Why did the eleven respond by asking questions among themselves? Did they not know that they were not the one? And when Judas asked the same (see Matt. 26:25), what was he thinking?
(3) Luke puts the dispute among the Twelve as to which of them might be the greatest right after the supper. What does this tell you about these disciples?
(4) If you were Jesus, what tone of voice would you use to talk to the disciples?
(5) What about Jesus? Read His response and describe His attitude towards their dispute, especially at a time like this.
(6) According to Jesus, what are the marks of a ruler in a human kingdom?
(7) Is calling oneself, “Benefactor” right or wrong?
(8) Who is the “Greatest” in God’s Kingdom? What is His mark? (v. 27)
(9) As servants of the Lord, why do we all have this tendency of wanting to be greater than others?
(10) What was Jesus trying to say in vv. 28-30 in reply to their dispute?
(11) Honestly, does Jesus’ answer have any effect on you? Why or why not?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
22:31-34—Predicting Peter’s Denial
— Obviously, Jesus’
words were not so much a warning, but were said to help Peter rebound from his
failure.
(1) Peter was the name given to Simon by Jesus (see Jn.1:42). Why did Jesus call him by his old name in foretelling his failure?
(2) In trying to sift Peter like wheat, why did Satan have to ask for permission? (See Job 1:12)
(3) How does the picture of wheat being sifted tell us about our vulnerability to trials and temptations?
(4) Are we then hopelessly vulnerable? Was Peter?
(5) What does it mean to have Jesus pray for us?
(6) What should Peter do after his failure? What is the message for us today?
(7) How does 1 Corinthians 10:12 speak to Peter’s answer to Jesus?
22:35-38—Warning of Imminent Trial
(8) How did the disciples answer Jesus’ question in v. 35?
(9) What is your answer to this question?
(10) Why was it so different “now”? What did “now” refer to?
a. The imminent arrest, trial and death of Jesus
b. The post-resurrection era
(11) In talking about “now”, which OT prophecy did Jesus refer to? Why?
(12) Did the apostles lack anything in the post-resurrection era?
(13) What then was the warning about?
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Luke portrays the going to the Mount of Olives to pray as a habit of Jesus, but this time was obviously different. Jesus asked the disciples to pray as well.
a. What temptation was Jesus referring to?
b. Had the disciples listened and prayed, how differently might they have handled the imminent temptation (which is the same word for “trial” in the original language)?
c. How then does it speak to the significance of prayer in your life?
(2) Why did Jesus choose to pray by Himself, and not together with the disciples at this point of time?
(3) We understand from the other Synoptic gospels that Jesus prayed three times, each time praying “the same thing” — that the cup be taken away from Him:
a. What was the cup that Jesus had to drink?
b. Why did He pray that it might be taken away?
c. Was He “right” in so praying?
d. How did He end this prayer?
(4) Luke gives us a bit more description of how Jesus prayed:
a. An angel from heaven appeared to strengthen Him. What does this say about how draining prayers can become and how we too can be helped by angels in our prayers?
b. Jesus was in anguish as He prayed and He prayed more earnestly each time. What might be causing His anguish?
c. As He prayed, His sweat became like blood dropping to the ground. What mental and physical condition of Jesus does Luke depict?
d. How did all this speak to the horror of the cross that Jesus was about to face? What was the most horrific part of the cross?
- The physical pain and suffering He would face
- The bearing of the sins of all humankind by the one who knew no sin at all
- The taking of the wrath of God (Isa. 53:10)
- All of the above and more
(5) Why did the disciples not listen to Jesus?
a. Were they not just warned of the impending danger and trial?
b. Did they not notice how Jesus struggled in His prayer? (He was only a stone's-throw away.)
c. Why then would sorrow cause them to fall asleep in such an important time?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Of all betrayals, what do you think of (or what have you experienced) as the most base and hurtful of all betrayals?
(2) How might Hebrews 2:17 help us understand why Jesus had to be betrayed with a kiss?
(3) We understand from John 18:10 that the one who drew the sword was Peter. Why was he carrying a sword? What did he expect Jesus to do while he defended him? Was Jesus forced to use His miraculous power because of Peter? Why didn’t He?
(4) Jesus stopped Peter from using violence and said, “No more of this”; He healed the ear of the high priest’s servant; and He asked those who had come for Him, “Am I leading a rebellion?”.
a. What does this say about the way and mission of Jesus?
b. How may we imitate Him?
(5) As Jesus challenged them for arresting Him in such a secretive way, He ended with the words, “But this is your hour — when darkness reigns”.
a. How would you describe the way Jesus was facing the arrest?
b. How should it impact (i) the crowds, and (ii) the fleeing disciples?
c. Why would He allow darkness to reign?
d. Did darkness really reign at the time?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Can you choose one word to describe the atmosphere of the night?
(2) What was Peter’s intention in being there, taking enormous risks?
(3) Would he not expect that people might recognize him? Was he prepared for such a confrontation?
(4) Whether he was prepared or not, he was recognized and confronted. What might be the significance of the progressing events?
a. The progressing confrontation (according to Mark, twice by the servant girls, then by the bystanders)?
b. The progression of Peter’s response as well.
c. The progression of the rooster’s crow? (See Mk. 14:72.)
(5) Why did Jesus forewarn Peter of his denial?
(6) What impact might this denial have on Peter, both on a short and a long-term basis?
(7) Did you have any similar experience as that of Peter?
(8) What have you learned today about following Christ?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?