Luke 22:14-20 Meaning: Why Jesus Earnestly Desired This Passover
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus earnestly desired to share this final Passover before his suffering. Learn the meaning of his words and actions in Luke 22:14-20.
Context
The hour has finally come. For days, Jesus has spoken of this moment with weight and urgency. Now, in a large upper room, he reclines at the table with the Twelve. Every detail is deliberate: the evening hour, the roasted lamb, the bitter herbs, the cups of wine, all the ancient Passover rituals that remember Israel’s rescue from Egypt. But Jesus is doing something more than keeping tradition. He speaks of his own suffering, his body given and blood poured out. He declares that this Passover meal is about to be fulfilled. The old exodus gives way to a new one. The disciples don’t fully understand yet, but they will. Jesus is turning the familiar feast into a lasting gift for his whole church.
Key Words
When Jesus says, “With desire I have desired,” Luke uses a Hebrew way of speaking, repeating the same word in noun and verb form (epithumia epethumēsa) to show an intense, heartfelt longing. This is not a casual meal. Jesus has been waiting for this night.
The word for remembrance is anamnēsis. It does not mean simply remembering something from the past the way you recall a childhood birthday. In Greek, it carries the sense of making something present, calling it to mind before God, so that the reality of it touches you now. When Jesus says, “Do this in memory of me,” he is inviting you not just to think about him but to enter his sacrifice with fresh gratitude.
Then there is diathēkē, the word for covenant. It can mean a will or a binding agreement. In the Old Testament, God made covenants with Noah, Abraham, and Moses. But this cup is the new covenant in Jesus’ blood, a relationship sealed not by animal sacrifice but by the offering of his own life poured out for you.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions hold this passage close, while understanding Jesus’ words in different ways. Roman Catholic teaching sees the bread and wine becoming Christ’s body and blood through transubstantiation. Eastern Orthodox churches likewise affirm a real, mysterious change. Many Lutheran and Reformed traditions speak of a sacramental union or a spiritual presence of Christ in, with, and under the elements. Other Protestant traditions, following figures like Wesley, read Jesus’ words as figurative language: the bread and wine represent his body and blood, and the meal is a memorial and a channel of grace.
Despite these differences, all agree that Jesus himself instituted this supper and that it is a gift for his people, a means of grace, a proclamation of his death, and a foretaste of the heavenly feast to come.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think that “Do this in remembrance of me” means the meal is only about calling an old memory to mind. In fact, the Greek word anamnēsis carried a deeper sense for Jesus’ first hearers: to call something before God so that its power becomes active in the present. The Lord’s Supper is not a quiet funeral snack. It is a way of stepping into the reality of Christ’s sacrifice, receiving its grace again, and proclaiming his death until he returns.
Living This Out
This week, when you gather for Communion, or even when you prepare for it, let Jesus’ own desire shape how you come. He earnestly wanted this meal with his disciples, knowing what it would cost him. He wants to share it with you too. You don’t have to bring anything except an open heart. The bread and cup are his gift, not a test of your worthiness.
If you are not able to take Communion this week, you can still sit quietly with this passage. Ask yourself: Do I approach the Lord’s Table as a chore I squeeze in, or as a moment Jesus longed to give me? Let his desire awaken your own.
Main takeaway: Jesus deeply desired to share this Passover meal because through his broken body and poured-out blood, he was establishing a new covenant with us.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus had a special dinner with his twelve best friends. He took bread and said, “This is my body.” He took a cup and said, “This is my blood.” He wanted them to remember him every time they ate bread and drank from the cup.
For ages 9, 12
This meal was the Passover, the dinner where Jewish families remember how God saved them from Egypt. But Jesus gave it a new meaning: the bread stands for his body, broken for us, and the cup stands for his blood, which starts a new promise from God. That is why Christians still share this meal today. It is not just an old story, it is how Jesus says, “I am with you.”
Questions People Ask
Why did Jesus say he would not eat the Passover again until it is fulfilled in God's Kingdom?
Jesus was pointing ahead to his death and resurrection. He knew this Passover would be the last one before his suffering. The fulfillment he speaks of includes the establishment of the new covenant and the coming of God's Kingdom in its fullness after his resurrection and at the end of time.
What does 'new covenant in my blood' mean?
In the Old Testament, God made a covenant with Israel sealed by animal sacrifices. Jesus announces a new covenant sealed by his own blood, his life given for forgiveness and relationship with God. This covenant is open to all who trust in him, and it brings a new, permanent connection with God.
Why are there two cups mentioned in Luke's account?
During the Passover meal, Jewish custom included multiple cups of wine. The first cup (verse 17) was likely one of the traditional Passover cups, shared before the meal. The second cup (verse 20) came after supper and is the cup Jesus specifically identifies with the new covenant in his blood. Luke records both to show the flow of the evening.
What does 'in remembrance of me' mean when we take Communion?
The Greek word anamnēsis goes deeper than simply recalling a memory. In the Bible, remembrance often means calling something before God so that its reality touches the present. When we take Communion, we are not just thinking about Jesus; we are proclaiming his death and receiving his grace in a way that strengthens our faith and connects us to him.
Is the Lord's Supper a sacrifice all over again?
Most Christians understand that Jesus died once for all and his sacrifice is complete. The Lord's Supper is not a repeated sacrifice but a memorial and a participation in that one sacrifice. Different traditions describe this differently, some speak of a sacrament that makes Christ's presence real, others speak of a symbolic meal, but all agree his death does not need to be repeated.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study