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Writer's pictureroberttippett97

Luke 22:14-23 - The last Seder meal of Jesus

When the hour for the Passover meal came, Jesus took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!" Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this.


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In this selection of ten verses, there are nine uses of “kai,” with four of those capitalized. Each capitalized “Kai” begins a verse; but that is not because of that, since verse fifteen follows a period mark ending verse fourteen with a lower-case “kai,” with verse twenty follows a comma mark at the end of verse nineteen, beginning with a lower-case “kai.” The capitalization says verses fourteen, seventeen, nineteen and twenty-three hold most important information, which should be paid close attention to.


In that regard, verse fourteen means it is most important to consider that which states: “when had come this hour”. This places great importance of timing, where “this hour” is more than simply the official start time for a Passover Seder meal. Such an “hour” would begin at 6:00 P.M., when day turns to night and an official date changes to the next date. Because HELPS Word-studies explains the “figurative” meaning for “hṓra” is: “a finite "season"; limited time or opportunity to reach a goal (fulfill a purpose); a divinely pre-set time-period,” the great importance says Luke was identifying the beginning to Jesus’ purpose on earth being fulfilled. This “hour” has very little to do with a Passover Seder meal and quite a lot to do with the sacrificial lamb being loaded on the cart, beginning its trip to be inspected; and, once found blemish-free it would be slaughtered and offered up to Yahweh by the Temple priests.


Following a comma mark after “hour” is written a one-word statement, which says “he reclined” (“anepesen”). Westerners who routinely sit in chairs at tables, and have all seen the Leonardo da Vinci “Last Supper” painting, do not realize that reclining on pillows is a key element of the Seder meal ritual. Any place where dining and reclining are combine in Scripture says the meal was a Seder (there are two each Passover). However, because verse fourteen is begun by a capitalized “Kai,” this says the great importance of Jesus’ “hour” was it being when “he reclined.” This becomes metaphor for Isaiah’s songs about “the lion and the lamb lying down together,” where that symbolism says the lion is the resurrected Jesus, with the lamb the sacrificial Jesus. Therefore, the importance of the “hour” was Jesus was offering himself up as the paschal lamb.


After the one-word statement comes a comma, which is followed by one of the lower-case uses of “kai,” which is adding another important element of this sacrificial lamb timing. The words that follow importantly are: “these apostles together with himself.” Here, it is important because in Luke 22:11 (not part of the reading) the word “disciples” was used (“mathētōn”), but now they are referred to as “apostles” (“apostoloi”). Whereas a “disciple” means a “student, learner, pupil,” an “apostle” means “a messenger sent on a mission.” This importantly states the implication of a change in the close followers of Jesus, as they would be “envoys, delegates, or those commissioned by Jesus to represent him in some way.” While it is easy to read “together with him” and think a bunch of guys crowded around a dinner table with Jesus, the deeper importance says the disciples would become “apostles” after Jesus had been sacrificed, beginning their “hour,” when they would be “sent on a mission by Jesus,” with his soul “together” with theirs. In this, the Greek word “autō” must be seen as equally translating as “himself,” where a “self” is a “soul.” This then says verse fourteen is prophesying the change from disciples to apostles would be through the soul of Jesus being “together with” each of their own souls.


Verse fifteen then also begins with a “kai,” showing more importance should be noted in the following, which says, “he said towards them.” This says Jesus spoke importantly to his disciples-apostle. That importance is then emphasized after a comma mark, where the capitalized word “Epithymia” is written. All capitalized words bring on a divine elevation in meaning, such that the ordinary use of the word “epithymia” would mean “desire, passionate longing, lust,” the capitalization says Jesus spoke of his soul being “Eager” to join with the souls of his devoted followers. Thus, that said is: “Passionately I have had my heart set on this passover to consume after of your souls before of this mine had to suffer.” Here, the word “pascha” is not capitalized, like it is in Luke 22:1. In the subsequent five spelling after that first, all are written in the lower-case, which goes to the root meaning, rather that be a statement of a festival’s name. As a “passover” the meaning becomes a statement of transference, where the soul of Jesus would be “passed over” to his “apostles. Thus, in this “passing over” of his divinity, the “Eagerness” of Jesus’ soul (his “heart”) was “to devour the souls” of his disciples, making them “apostles;” but first Jesus “had to suffer” in the release of his soul, so that transference could take place.


Verse sixteen then literally has Jesus continue, as “I say indeed to yourselves that <no longer> not lest will I consume yours , until of which it is complete within this kingdom of this of God .” Here, the Greek word “ouketi,” meaning “no more, no longer,” is surrounded by bracket makes (“< >”). The brackets act as an aside or a whisper (silent statement). This takes “yourselves” and again transforms that to say “your souls,” where the “you” part that controls their bodies of flesh will be “no longer” that in charge. This disappearance or whisper of “self” is then explained as “not” in control, “lest will I consume yours”. That prophesies that Jesus would join with the souls of his disciples, transforming them into “apostles,” which would carry out his messages, sent by his soul being within theirs. That presence would “complete” them, with his soul “within” being the promise of “this kingdom of God.” The possessive (Genitive case) that says “of this of God” says their souls will have become the divine possession “of God,” who with them bring about Jesus “within” – or “of this.”


Verse seventeen then literally says, “Kai having received wine cup , having given thanks , he said , Take hold of this , kai share unto yourselves .” In the Seder ritual, there are four cups of wine that are part of the Seder meal [a fifth is afterwards]. According to a Jewish website: “The four cups are drunk in the following order: (1) the Kiddush at the start of the seder; (2) at the conclusion of the main part of the Haggadah which ends with the Ge'ullah ("Redemption") benediction; (3) at the end of the Grace after Meals; and (4) at the conclusion of the Nishmat hymn ("Birkat ha-Shir").” From this, one should assume this is the first cup of wine that Jesus most importantly “received” or “took up.” This ritual first cup of wine comes with a “sanctification” [“Kiddush”] that is a “blessing recited” before drinking this wine [each dinner guest has his or her own cup of wine]. The symbolism of the first cup of wine is Yahweh telling His people, “I will bring you out.” Thus, the capitalized word “Labete” (“Take hold of”) is divinely elevated in meaning, so Jesus is speaking as the Father to the people, telling them to firmly “Grasp” this promise of freedom from slavery (to a body of flesh). In turn, once the “apostles” had “Taken hold” as Jesus reborn, they would then “share unto their souls” (“yourselves” as “your souls”), so they would do as Jesus had done for them … to others.


Verse eighteen then literally states, “I say indeed to yourselves , [that] not lest will I drink from of this at this instant away from of this fruit of this vine , until who this kingdom of this of God shall come .” Here, the confusion comes from assuming that Jesus was talking about drinking wine, where he begins this statement by “verily” (“indeed”) “speaking” to “the souls” of his disciples. The brackets now surrounding “that” is a whisper back to them “no longer” being souls in control of their own flesh. Thus, where Jesus had prior stated he would not “consume” their flesh, he was now saying he would not “drink” of their souls “at that time,” when they had yet to be prepared to receive his soul. Again, this merger would wait “until” they had each entered into marriage with Yahweh, so their souls had entered “this kingdom of God,” which came with Jesus – “of this” – “drinking” their souls. The reference to “this fruit of this vine” is the “apostles” becoming the “fruit” of Jesus, with his soul being their “vine.”


Verse nineteen then literally translates to say, “Kai having taken bread , having given thanks , he broke kai offered to themselves , saying , This exists this body of me , this on behalf of yourselves is placed ; this make upon this mine recalling ,” This ends with a comma mark, not a period. It begins with a capitalized “Kai,” which makes this verse most important to grasp. This is difficult for Western Christians, who know nothing of the Passover Seder meal rituals. One symbolic breaking of bread (matzah) has nothing to do with part of the eating of bitter herbs (et al). It is a ritual known as the “afikomen,” which means “that which comes after,” implying “dessert.”


According to a Jewish website: “Relatively early in the Seder, the afikomen is broken in two pieces; the bigger piece is then wrapped in a napkin and hidden somewhere in the house. … For any kids at the table, though, it’s a game: after the meal, they’re sent running to hunt for the hidden afikomen. It’s sort of like hide-and-seek, but with religious significance. The kids bring it back to the table and everyone shares a bite — sometimes after giving the child who found it a small reward, like a piece of candy.”


This says the broken matzah was hidden from the disciples, not any children present (such as John, who laid his head in Jesus’ lap, as his son). The afikomen was not to be hunted after dinner, but after Jesus died and resurrected, before ascending. To say “This” (where “Touto” is capitalized, therefore divinely elevated to refer to their souls’ hunt for Jesus) “existed” (from “estin” meaning, “I am, I exist”) as symbolic of the “body of Jesus,” the “body of Jesus” was to be his disciples-apostles , after they entered into the “kingdom of God.” It is a ‘game’ played by Yahweh, through His Son, “on behalf of their souls” (“yourselves” again reflecting “souls”). When the disciples knew the truth of what Jesus was saying, then they would understand how “this make upon this mine” would come back into their minds, then “recalling” what Jesus had said.


Verse twenty then literally says, “kai this wine cup in like manner after this having dined , saying , Here this wine cup new covenant within this blood of me , this on behalf of yourselves in being poured out .” Again, this verse begins with a lower-case “kai,” which says importance must be found in the symbolism of the cup of wine that comes after the dinner of bitter herbs and lamb bone, with relish. This is the third cup of wine, which is poured “for redemption,” and “the Jews used this cup to symbolize the blood of the Passover Lamb.” The second cup is blessed and drunk from before the official meal is eaten. When Jesus said the symbolism was “within” those in a “new covenant” of marriage to Yahweh [their divine marriage vows], the “blood of redemption” would be poured out as a Spiritual Baptism. To be cleansed of sins would make the disciples be as pure as Jesus (“this blood of me”); so, the third ceremonial cup of wine was part of the Seder “on behalf of their souls” (“yourselves”) having submitted to Yahweh, themselves sacrificing their self-egos, as Jesus will have sacrificed his life (as the sacrificial lamb).


Verse twenty-one then literally states, “Except , behold , this hand of this of betraying myself among mine at of this table .” In this, the first word is capitalize (“Plēn”), which becomes a divinely elevated word that says there was an “Exception” to all this that Jesus had said. Here Jesus indicated that one of those who were all “hands” in Jesus’ ministry was known (divinely) to be “betraying” Jesus. One “among mine” was Judas Iscariot; and, he was seated (on a pillow) at the table with Jesus and the others.


Verse twenty-two then literally translates to say, “because this Son verily of this of human , according to this having been determined goes , except woe to this human that one on account of whom he is betrayed .” Here, the capitalized “Huios” (“Son”) speaks loudly alone, saying Jesus is the “Son” of Yahweh. Since Yahweh is non-physical, Jesus’ soul is that “Son.” When Jesus the added “verily of this of human,” that becomes a statement that Jesus is still a “man,” although his soul is most divine. Jesus then said his being in a “human” body was “according to this having been determined” by Yahweh. The result of Jesus dying is how that plan “goes.” Still, the “exception” is placed upon whoever plays a role in destroying the flesh of Jesus, releasing his soul. There will be “woe” placed upon “this human,” “on account of whom he is betrayed.” Judas will be “betraying” his own soul.


The twenty-third verse then begins with another capitalized “Kai,” showing this is another most important verse to grasp. It literally says, “Kai their selves began to examine together with themselves this who therefore it might be from out of themselves this here is intending to do .” Because of the capitalized “Kai,” this is more than the eyes of all the disciples beginning to look at the other disciples, while mulling in their brains, “What signs would a traitor show?” The key is the repetition of “selves,” where “souls” needs to be recognized as the intended replacement. The capitalization says each and every person in that room felt some sense of guilt, knowing each had in some way said something or done something behind Jesus’ back. Because they all felt guilty, they all were afraid Jesus was talking about each one, individually. Still, all but Judas Iscariot was begging Yahweh to forgive them and not to let Jesus think he was a traitor-betrayer. It would only be after they had become as Jesus said that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John would write asides about Judas; but nobody knew it was him, except Jesus. Judas Iscariot was the necessary evil that had to be welcomed into the group, so he could do as Yahweh planned, with his soul known to be condemned.

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