Luke 22:7-13 · Bible study

Luke 22:7-13 Commentary: Preparing the Passover, Timing Debated

Greek · 9 what the commentators say

Meaning in one sentence

Jesus sends Peter and John to prepare the Passover. This passage raises the question: did He eat it on the correct day? Explore the text and its significance.

Research Summary

Meaning: Jesus arranges the Passover preparation, demonstrating divine foreknowledge and setting the stage for His final meal.
Key words: πάσχα (pascha), Passover lamb; κατάλυμα (kataluma), guest room; ἀνώγεον (anagaion), upper room.
Main debate: Whether the Last Supper was the official Passover on Nisan 14 or an anticipatory meal, affecting Gospel chronology.
Theological theme: Jesus as the new Passover lamb, whose sacrifice fulfills the old covenant.
Best use: Lent, Holy Week, Communion preparation, teaching on God's guidance in details.

Translation Comparison

BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020

⁷Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed.

⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare for us to eat the Passover.”

⁹“Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked.

¹⁰He answered, “When you enter the city, a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters,

¹¹and say to the owner of that house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’

¹²And he will show you a large upper room, already furnished. Make preparations there.”

¹³So they went and found it just as Jesus had told them. And they prepared the Passover.

WEB World English Bible 2000

⁷The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed.

⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

⁹They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?”

¹⁰He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him into the house which he enters.

¹¹Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’

¹²He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.”

¹³They went, found things as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

KJV King James Version 1769

⁷Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

⁹And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

¹⁰And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

¹¹And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

¹²And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

¹³And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

ASV American Standard Version 1901

⁷And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the passover must be sacrificed.

⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and make ready for us the passover, that we may eat.

⁹And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we make ready?

¹⁰And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house whereinto he goeth.

¹¹And ye shall say unto the master of the house, The Teacher saith unto thee, Where is the guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

¹²And he will show you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

¹³And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898

⁷And the day of the unleavened food came, in which it was behoving the passover to be sacrificed,

⁸and he sent Peter and John, saying, `Having gone on, prepare to us the passover, that we may eat;'

⁹and they said to him, `Where wilt thou that we might prepare?'

¹⁰And he said to them, `Lo, in your entering into the city, there shall meet you a man, bearing a pitcher of water, follow him to the house where he doth go in,

¹¹and ye shall say to the master of the house, The Teacher saith to thee, Where is the guest-chamber where the passover with my disciples I may eat?

¹²and he shall show you a large upper room furnished, there make ready;'

¹³and they, having gone away, found as he hath said to them, and they made ready the passover.

Darby Darby Bible 1890

⁷And the day of unleavened bread came, in which the passover was to be killed.

⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare the passover for us, that we may eat [it].

⁹But they said to him, Where wilt thou that we prepare [it]?

¹⁰And he said to them, Behold, as ye enter into the city a man will meet you, carrying an earthen pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he goes in;

¹¹and ye shall say to the master of the house, The Teacher says to thee, Where is the guest-chamber where I may eat the passover with my disciples?

¹²And he will shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

¹³And having gone they found it as he had said to them; and they prepared the passover.

Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899

⁷And the day of the unleavened bread came, on which it was necessary that the pasch should be killed.

⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying: Go, and prepare for us the pasch, that we may eat.

⁹But they said: Where wilt thou that we prepare?

¹⁰And he said to them: Behold, as you go into the city, there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water: follow him into the house where he entereth in.

¹¹And you shall say to the goodman of the house: The master saith to thee: Where is the guest chamber, where I may eat the pasch with my disciples?

¹²And he will shew you a large dining room, furnished. And there prepare.

¹³And they going, found as he had said to them and made ready the pasch.

Verse in Context

5 They were glad, and agreed to give him money.

6 He consented and sought an opportunity to deliver him to them in the absence of the multitude.

7 The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed.

8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

9 They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?”

10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him into the house which he enters.

11 Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’

12 He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.”

13 They went, found things as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

14 When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles.

15 He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,

Original Language (Koine Greek)

New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 22:7

Ἦλθεν Ēlthen G2064 Came

δὲ de G1161 then

ἡ hē G3588 the

ἡμέρα hēmera G2250 day

τῶν tōn G3588 <the>

ἀζύμων azumōn G0106 of Unleavened [Bread]

ἐν en G1722 on

ᾗ hē G3739 which

ἔδει edei G1163 it was necessary for

θύεσθαι thuesthai G2380 to be sacrificed

τὸ to G3588 the

πάσχα. pascha G3957 Passover lamb.

Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.

Scholars' Consensus

Commentators across traditions agree on the narrative shape of this passage. Jesus sends Peter and John to Jerusalem to prepare the Passover. He gives them a specific sign: they will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. In a culture where women normally drew water, this is a deliberate clue (Cambridge Bible). They follow him to a house, speak to the owner, and are shown a large, furnished upper room. The disciples find everything exactly as Jesus had told them.

Where interpreters diverge is the calendar. The Cambridge Bible flags the "difficult question whether the Last Supper was the actual Paschal meal or an anticipatory Passover." Gill holds that it was the fourteenth of Nisan, the day of the official sacrifice. Lange implies the disciples understood they would eat on the prescribed day. Others, noting John's chronology, argue Jesus ate a day early. All agree that Jesus orchestrated the details with purpose, pointing to His identity and His coming sacrifice.

How settled is the interpretation?

Interpretive difficulty: Medium

Main views:

Official day view: The Synoptic Gospels, supported by Gill and Lange, identify Nisan 14 as the day of the Passover sacrifice.
Anticipatory view: The Cambridge Bible references an Excursus arguing the Last Supper was not the actual Passover, harmonizing with John's chronology.
Essene calendar view: Some scholars propose Jesus followed the Essene solar calendar, explaining the discrepancy with the Temple calendar.

What is clear: Jesus intentionally shared a meal with His disciples that He understood as a Passover, and He used it to institute the new covenant in His blood.

What Scholars Agree and Debate

Topic	Agreed	Debated
Timing of the Passover meal	This passage describes the preparation for a Passover meal that Jesus intends to eat with His disciples.	Whether this was the official Jewish Passover on Nisan 14 (Gill, Lange) or an anticipatory meal on a different date (Cambridge Bible notes reasons for the view it was not the actual Passover).
Identity of the man with the pitcher	He serves as a prearranged sign pointing to a specific house.	Was he a slave, the master of the house, or a secret disciple? The Cambridge Bible suggests he may have been the master drawing water for the unleavened bread.
The upper room's significance	The room was large, furnished, and used for a sacred meal.	Some see it as the same room where Pentecost occurred (Cambridge), others note uncertainty.
Jesus' foreknowledge	Jesus demonstrates supernatural knowledge of the circumstances.	Whether this indicates divine omniscience or a prearranged plan with the householder. Commentators generally affirm the former.

Historical & Cultural Context

The phrase "day of unleavened bread" (v.7) can cause confusion. The Feast of Unleavened Bread ran from Nisan 15 to 21, but the day when the Passover lamb was killed was Nisan 14, which here is called "the day of unleavened bread" (Cambridge Bible; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). All leaven was removed from homes on the afternoon of Nisan 13 (Cambridge). The lamb was sacrificed at the Temple between the evenings of Nisan 14.

Jerusalem at Passover was packed with pilgrims. Finding a room was not easy. The disciples' question "Where do you want us to prepare?" reflects a practical problem. Jesus' answer shows remarkable foreknowledge. A man carrying a pitcher of water was an unusual sight because water-carrying was normally women's work (Cambridge). This man may have been a slave or the master of the house, perhaps a secret disciple. The Cambridge Bible suggests this might even be a reference to the master himself drawing water for kneading unleavened bread.

The "guest room" (kataluma) is the same word used for the inn at Bethlehem (Luke 2:7). Here it means a furnished dining room. The "upper room" (anagaion) was typically a large, airy space on the roof used for gatherings. The room was already "furnished" (estrōmenon), spread with couches and cushions. The venue may have been the same room where Jesus later appeared to the disciples and where the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost (Cambridge).

The passage sets the stage for the Last Supper. Jesus deliberately prepares for this meal in secret, avoiding interference from Judas or the authorities. The timing, whether on the official Passover or a day early, remains one of the most debated issues in Gospel chronology.

Textual Notes

The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Luke 22:7-13. The passage is stable across Greek manuscripts, with minor differences in wording (e.g., the presence or absence of the article before "Passover" in some verses) that do not affect meaning. The main interpretive question concerns chronology, not textual uncertainty.

Reception History

Early Christian writers saw this passage as the foundation for the Eucharist, focusing on Jesus' intentional preparation. Augustine and Chrysostom emphasized the divine knowledge shown in the sign. Medieval liturgy connected the upper room to the institution of the Mass. During the Reformation, the timing debate sharpened: Lutherans and Calvinists generally accepted the Synoptic chronology, while some Anabaptists questioned the calendar. Modern scholarship continues to wrestle with the relationship between the Synoptics and John. Across all eras, the passage has been read as a demonstration of Jesus' sovereign control over the events leading to His death.

Preaching This Verse

Three-point outline

Jesus takes the initiative in preparation. He sends Peter and John, not the whole group. He gives specific instructions. He is not passive but actively orchestrates the setting for His final meal.
God works through ordinary details. A man carrying a jug of water, a prepared upper room, a willing householder. Jesus uses everyday circumstances to accomplish His purposes.
Obedience leads to confirmation. The disciples go, find it as He said, and their faith is strengthened. They prepare the Passover, ready for what comes next.

Five-point outline

The Day Arrives (v.7), The appointed time for the Passover sacrifice.
The Assignment (v.8), Jesus sends Peter and John with a command to prepare.
The Direction (vv.9-10), They ask where; Jesus gives a supernatural sign.
The Approach (vv.11-12), They speak to the householder and receive the space.
The Accomplishment (v.13), They find it as promised and make ready.

Illustration hooks

GPS coordinates. Jesus gave Peter and John directions more reliable than any map, a man with a water jar, a house, a question. Sometimes God's guidance is that specific, and we only see it in the following.
Secret Service advance team. The disciples act like an advance team, scouting a secure location for a critical meeting. Jesus prepares the ground ahead of time; our task is to walk the path He has already cleared.
The wedding reception coordinator. The householder had already furnished the room. Someone had prepared for an event they didn't fully understand. Behind every divine appointment, there are often unseen hands making room.

Questions your congregation is asking

How can I discern God's specific guidance in my life? Jesus gave a sign that could only be recognized in the moment. How do we watch for such signs?
Does the exact day of the Last Supper matter for my faith today? Christians disagree; what is certain is that Jesus intentionally shared this meal and that it points to His sacrifice.
What does it mean to "prepare" for Communion or for Easter? The disciples physically prepared the room and the meal. How do we prepare our hearts?

Leading a Discussion

In this passage, Jesus shows His sovereignty over details, a water jar, a house, an upper room. As you discuss, consider how God might be preparing circumstances you don't yet see. The disciples' simple obedience opened the door to the Last Supper, the cross, and the empty tomb.

Discussion questions

What do you notice about how Jesus prepares for this meal? Why do you think He sends only Peter and John?
The man with the pitcher of water is a small detail. Why might Luke include this? What does it tell us about Jesus?
Read verse 13 slowly. How does the disciples' experience here connect to times when you have seen God's guidance in hindsight?
The timing of the Passover is debated. Does this uncertainty affect your view of the Last Supper? Why or why not?
How does Jesus' statement in Luke 22:15, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you", change how you read this passage?
In what ways is your life being "prepared" for something you don't yet understand?
How can this story help you approach Communion (or the Lord's Supper) with greater awareness?

What the Commentators Say

7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.

Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826

Clarke notes a possible distinction in how the word "pascha" is used here. It may refer to the Passover festival as a whole, or specifically to the sacrificed lamb that was eaten at the feast. He points readers to his fuller treatment of this question in the parallel Gospel accounts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832

Barnes does not provide fresh commentary on this passage. He simply directs readers to his notes on parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark, where the event is explained more fully.

Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748

Gill highlights the sign of the man carrying a water pitcher as a deliberate test of the disciples' faith and obedience. For Gill, the specific prediction and its exact fulfillment prove Christ's omniscience and confirm His deity, showing that even the location of the Passover meal was under His sovereign direction.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871

JFB clarifies that the phrase "the day of unleavened bread" here refers to the fourteenth of Nisan (Thursday) rather than the strict fifteenth. He also notes that Jesus probably stayed at Bethany during that day and refers to the earlier account about the man carrying the water pot.

Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857

Lange insists that Jesus ate the Passover on the legally appointed day, 14th Nisan, at the same time as all other Jews, rejecting the idea of an early meal. He carefully weighs five possible explanations for the man with the water pitcher and leans toward supernatural knowledge, seeing the mysterious command as a training in faith and obedience for Peter and John.

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

And he [ κακεινος] . See on Mr 14:15 . Furnished. See on Mr 14:15 . Wyc., strewed. 14 - 18; 24 - 30. Compare Mt 26:20 ; Mr 14:17 .

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.

ἄζυμος azumos unleavened G0106 · Greek → δέ de then G1161 · Greek → δεῖ dei be necessary G1163 · Greek → ἐν en in/on/among G1722 · Greek → ἔρχομαι erchomai to come/go G2064 · Greek → ἡμέρα hēmera day G2250 · Greek → θύω thuō to sacrifice G2380 · Greek → ὁ ho the/this/who G3588 · Greek → ὅς hos, hē which G3739 · Greek → πάσχα pascha Passover lamb G3957 · Greek →

Cross-References

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)

Exodus 12:6	You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening.
Exodus 12:18	In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty first day of the month at evening.
Matthew 26:17	Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
Matthew 26:19	The disciples did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.
Mark 14:12	On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?”
Mark 14:16	His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
Luke 22:1	Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.
I Corinthians 5:7	Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.

Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.

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