Luke 22:14-20 · Bible study
Luke 22:14-20 Commentary: The Last Passover Transformed
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus reclines with the twelve at the Passover hour, transforms the meal into the Lord's Supper, declaring his body given and blood poured out for the
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus transforms the final Passover meal into the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, establishing a new covenant in his blood.
- Key words: Passover (pascha), body (sōma), cup (potērion), covenant (diathēkē), remembrance (anamnēsis).
- Main debate: Whether the bread and wine are literally Christ’s body and blood (Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran) or symbolic memorials (most Protestant traditions).
- Theological theme: Jesus's sacrificial death as the fulfillment of the Passover and the inauguration of the new covenant.
- Best use: Teaching the institution of Communion, connecting Old and New Testaments, and preparing for worship at the Lord's Table.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
14When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles.
15And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.
16For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves.
18For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”
19And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
14When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles.
15He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
16for I tell you, I will no longer by any means eat of it until it is fulfilled in God’s Kingdom.”
17He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves,
18for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until God’s Kingdom comes.”
19He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”
20Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
KJV King James Version 1769
14And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
15And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
16For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19And 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.
20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
14And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the apostles with him.
15And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
16for I say unto you, I shall not eat it, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18for I say unto you, I shall not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
14And when the hour come, he reclined (at meat), and the twelve apostles with him,
15and he said unto them, `With desire I did desire to eat this passover with you before my suffering,
16for I say to you, that no more may I eat of it till it may be fulfilled in the reign of God.'
17And having taken a cup, having given thanks, he said, `Take this and divide to yourselves,
18for I say to you that I may not drink of the produce of the vine till the reign of God may come.'
19And having taken bread, having given thanks, he brake and gave to them, saying, `This is my body, that for you is being given, this do ye--to remembrance of me.'
20In like manner, also, the cup after the supping, saying, `This cup is the new covenant in my blood, that for you is being poured forth.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
14And when the hour was come, he placed himself at table, and the [twelve] apostles with him.
15And he said to them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.
16For I say unto you, that I will not eat any more at all of it until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17And having received a cup, when he had given thanks he said, Take this and divide it among yourselves.
18For I say unto you, that I will not drink at all of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God come.
19And having taken a loaf, when he had given thanks, he broke [it], and gave [it] to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20In like manner also the cup, after having supped, saying, This cup [is] the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
14And when the hour was come, he sat down: and the twelve apostles with him.
15And he said to them: With desire I have desired to eat this pasch with you, before I suffer.
16For I say to you that from this time I will not eat it, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17And having taken the chalice, he gave thanks and said: Take and divide it among you.
18For I say to you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, till the kingdom of God come.
19And taking bread, he gave thanks and brake and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me.
20In like manner, the chalice also, after he had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 22:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage records the final Passover meal Jesus shares with his disciples, which he then transforms into the institution of the Lord's Supper. The hour is the appointed time for eating the Passover, evening after sunset (Clarke, Barnes). Jesus opens with an intense expression of desire using a Hebrew double form, "With desire I have desired" (Barnes, Cambridge). This reflects his longing to share this meal before his suffering, which he sees as the fulfillment of Passover typology (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). After the first cup and the announcement of his impending death, Jesus takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and says, "This is my body which is given for you." He then takes the cup after supper, declaring, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood." Calvin notes that the phrase "given for you" connects the bread to the sacrifice on the cross. The command "Do this in memory of me" establishes a perpetual memorial (Vincent, Wesley).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal presence: Jesus says 'This is my body' and 'This is ... my blood'; traditions emphasize the power of Christ's words to change the elements.
- Symbolic memorial: Jesus often used figurative language ('I am the door'); the Passover context shows that the bread and wine represent his body and blood without physical change.
- Chronological harmonization: Luke's account may be arranged thematically rather than strictly chronologically; other Gospels provide the full sequence of the Passover meal.
What is clear: All Christians agree that Jesus used the Passover elements to institute a new memorial meal, commanding his disciples to continue it in remembrance of his sacrificial death that establishes the new covenant.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Luke's chronological sequence | All accounts describe the same Last Supper in which Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper. | Some scholars (Lange) suggest Luke's order of events may not be strictly sequential, while others harmonize his account with the Synoptics and Paul. |
| Meaning of 'This is my body' | Jesus identifies the bread with his body given for the salvation of his people. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions hold that the bread becomes Christ's body through consecration; most Protestant traditions see it as a symbolic representation, analogous to 'I am the door' (John 10:7). |
| The two cups | The first cup (v17) is part of the Passover ritual, the second cup (v20) is the institution of the new covenant. | Calvin and others see the first cup as a standard Passover cup; some question whether the second cup is a separate event or a continuation of the same meal. |
| Timing relative to the Jewish Passover | Jesus' meal took place at the beginning of the Passover festival. | Some argue it was the actual Passover meal (Thursday evening); others propose it was a preparatory meal a day early, based on contradictions with John's chronology. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Passover was the central feast of the Jewish year, commemorating the night when God delivered Israel from Egypt (Exodus 12). The lamb was killed "between the two evenings" (Exodus 12:6), interpreted by Jews as between 3 PM and sunset (Cambridge, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). By the first century, the meal included four cups of wine, unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and the lamb. The first cup, over which a blessing was pronounced, initiated the meal (Gill, Barnes). Reclining at the table was a sign of freedom, recalling Israel's liberation from slavery (Poole).
Jesus and his disciples prepared the Passover in a large upper room in Jerusalem (Luke 22:7-13). At the appointed evening hour, Jesus reclined with the twelve (v14). He then took the first cup, gave thanks (eucharisteō, the term behind "Eucharist"), and asked them to share it, stating he would not drink again until the kingdom of God comes (v17-18). This set the stage for a dramatic shift: Jesus would replace the Passover with a new ordinance. After the meal, he took bread, broke it, and identified it with his body about to be given. Then he took a second cup, now linked to his blood as the new covenant (v19-20). The Jewish concept of covenant (berith / diathēkē) carried the idea of a binding agreement sealed in blood (Jeremiah 31:31). By reinterpreting the Passover symbols, Jesus inaugurated a new deliverance, not from Egypt but from sin and death.
The historical context shows that Jesus did not merely observe the Passover; he intentionally fulfilled and superseded it. The Passover looked forward to a greater redemption; Jesus declared that redemption accomplished in himself.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants that affect the meaning of the passage. The Cambridge Bible observes that the true reading in v16 is likely "I will not eat it" rather than "I will not any more eat thereof," though the sense is the same. Minor differences between Greek manuscripts in v20 (the phrase "which is poured out for you") are stable across traditions. The text of Luke 22:14-20 is well attested and accepted by all major textual editions.
Reception History
This passage has been central to Christian worship from the earliest centuries. The Didache (late first/early second century) and Justin Martyr (mid-second century) refer to the Eucharist as a memorial of Christ's death. The term "Eucharist" itself derives from the Greek eucharisteō, "gave thanks," used in v17 and v19. During the Reformation, the passage was pivotal in debates between Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin regarding the nature of Christ's presence in the elements. Catholics and Orthodox have read it as instituting a sacramental sacrifice, while Protestants have emphasized the memorial and covenantal aspects. Across traditions, v19-20 are recited in every Communion service as the words of institution.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Appointed Hour. Jesus reclines at the table when the hour comes. God's timing is precise. This is the last Passover under the old covenant, and Jesus knows his hour of suffering has arrived.
- The Earnest Desire. Jesus says, "With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." He longs to share this moment, not for the meal itself but for what it means: the transition from sacrifice to sacrament, from type to reality.
- The Passover Made New. Jesus takes bread and cup, identifies them as his body and blood, and commands, "Do this in memory of me." The old Passover gives way to the new covenant meal, a perpetual memorial of his death until he comes.
Five-point outline
- The hour has come. Jesus and the twelve recline at the Passover table (v14).
- The desire before suffering. Jesus expresses his longing and announces he will not eat or drink again until the kingdom comes (v15-18).
- The bread as body given. Jesus gives thanks, breaks bread, and says, "This is my body which is given for you" (v19).
- The cup as new covenant in blood. After supper, he takes the cup and declares it the new covenant sealed in his blood (v20).
- The command to remember. "Do this in memory of me" establishes the Lord's Supper as the church's continuing act of worship.
Illustration hooks
- A family's final meal before a loved one leaves for a long journey or enters hospice care, every word and gesture carries extra weight. Jesus makes this last meal a gift that lasts.
- A signature on a legal document that seals a new contract. The cup is described as a new covenant, written in blood rather than ink, and it cannot be broken.
- A grandfather's dying wish that his children gather every year to remember him. Jesus does not just ask for remembrance; he provides the means, bread and wine that speak of his presence.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does Luke mention two cups? Is one the Passover cup and the other the Communion cup? (Commentators see v17 as the first Passover cup, v20 as the cup of the new covenant after supper.)
- What does it mean that Jesus earnestly desired this meal? Does that relate to his love for the disciples or his anticipation of the cross?
- How does the Lord's Supper relate to the Old Testament Passover? Should Christians see Communion as a replacement or a fulfillment?
Leading a Discussion
This passage is the foundation for the Lord's Supper, celebrated by Christians of all traditions. It sits at the hinge between the old covenant and the new, between Jesus's public ministry and his passion. As your group reads the passage together, pay close attention to what Jesus says, what he does, and what he asks his disciples to do in return.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 14-15. Why does Jesus say he has "earnestly desired" to eat this Passover? What does that reveal about his heart for his disciples and for his mission?
- In verses 16-18, Jesus says he will not eat or drink of the Passover until the kingdom of God comes. What does he mean by "fulfilled" and "comes"? How does this connect to his death and resurrection?
- Compare the two cups in verses 17 and 20. Why do you think Luke includes both? What does each cup teach about what Jesus is doing?
- Jesus says of the bread, "This is my body which is given for you." What does "given" imply about how we should understand his death?
- The cup is called "the new covenant in my blood." What does the word "covenant" mean to you? How is this covenant different from the old one made at Sinai?
- Jesus commands, "Do this in memory of me." What does it mean to remember someone this way? How does sharing bread and wine make that remembrance real for the church today?
- How does reading this passage change your understanding of the Lord's Supper? Is there an aspect of it you want to focus on more?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 16:6 | but at the place which Yahweh your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came out of Egypt. |
| Deuteronomy 16:7 | You shall roast and eat it in the place which Yahweh your God chooses. In the morning you shall return to your tents. |
| Matthew 26:20 | Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. |
| Mark 6:30 | The apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus, and they told him all things, whatever they had done, and whatever they had taught. |
| Mark 14:17 | When it was evening he came with the twelve. |
| Luke 12:50 | But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! |
| John 4:34 | Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. |
| John 13:1 | Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke emphasizes Christ's intense longing to offer himself as the sacrificial victim, so that the Passover's typology would be fulfilled in his death. He also notes the Jewish tradition that the hymn sung after the paschal meal explicitly included the sufferings of the Messiah, showing Christ's death was always central to the feast.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that the Hebrew phrase "with desire I have desired" shows Jesus intensely longed for this Passover, not just as a ritual but as a human act of fellowship and preparation. He sees Jesus valuing religious contact as both man and God, wanting to
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that Christ's double mention of the cup in Luke follows the ancient custom of tasting it during the holy feast before instituting the new sacrament. He also insists that the phrase "which is given for you" is essential: the flesh of Christ nourishes us only when we see it as once sacrificed for our salvation.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary suggests Jesus intentionally held a meal that was not the actual Jewish Passover but a new one meant to supersede it. It also cautions that the fierce debates over the words “this is my body
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that Christ's intense longing to eat this Passover was not for the meal itself but for personal fellowship with his disciples. The emphasis falls on "with you," showing his desire for their company even as Judas sat among them. This was his final Passover before suffering.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that this was the moment of transition between two economies. Jesus earnestly desired this Passover because it was his last before suffering, when he would become the true Passover sacrifice, fulfilling the old ordinance and opening the Kingdom of God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that Christ set aside promising public preaching to enter the work of suffering, but he insists these were not wasted days. For Henry, Christ's suffering days accomplish even more good than his teaching, because neither Christ nor his church have idle or empty days in their trials.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the intense desire behind Christ's words by noting the Hebrew idiom "with desire I have desired," which expresses deep longing. He also observes that Luke uses "apostles" where Matthew and Mark write "the twelve," and suggests "loaf" as a better translation for the bread.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses the figurative language Jesus uses at the Last Supper. Just as the Passover lamb was called the passover without being the literal event, so the bread is called Christ's body and the cup the New Testament as a seal and sign of his blood, not the reality itself.