As Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure, he gives us insight into his role, not only as our savior, but as our intercessor. Jesus prays for Peter, but not the kind of religious prayer we might first think of, Jesus is Peter’s defender, Jesus is Peter’s advocate against the accuser, the devil. Jesus goes on though and teaches his disciples to prat specifically for themselves in Luke 22:40 “Pray that you will not enter into temptation”. In the last few verses here, Jesus corrects his disciples who react physically against the crowd that has come to take Jesus. Our battle is not with flesh and blood as we know from Ephesians 6:12 “our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” and we win this battle in prayer.
Do This in Remembrance of Me
Luke 22:14-23
Who Is the Greatest
I Have Prayed for You
Luke 22:31-38
There are a few instances where we find direct accusations made by the devil, Jesus gives us one of them here in
Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat”.
We may not understand the court of heaven, but it is clear that there is a place for the devil, Satan, to make accusation as “Satan stood to accuse the high priest (Zech. 3:1); the accuser of the brethren, who accuses them day and night (Rev. 12:10)1 and we also see this in
Job 1:9 “Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing?’”
Jesus though, tells Peter in
Luke 22:32 “but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
There are times when temptation comes our way, even as it came to Jesus. Jesus was able to resist the temptation and the devil fled. Peter yielded to the temptation momentarily denying Christ three times before recognizing his error. It is important for us to recognize that Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father, now intercedes for us, Jesus is our first defender in
Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore also he is able to save completely those who draw near to God through him, because he always lives in order to intercede on their behalf.”
and we have the Holy Spirit to help us in
Romans 8:26 “And likewise also, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unexpressed groanings.”
and there is no one that can bring any charge against us because in
Romans 8:34 “Who is the one who condemns? Christ is the one who died, and more than that, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”
Pray That You Will Not Enter Into Temptation
Luke 22:39-46
As they go, in Luke 22:39 “to the Mount of Olives” Jesus tells his disciples how to pray. This isn’t what we call the Lord’s prayer, “the name given to the only form of prayer Christ taught his disciples (Matt. 6:9–13) … Luke (11:2–4) … the comprehensive type of the simplest and most universal prayer.”2 which includes these words for deliverance in
Matthew 6:13 “And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”.
and these words to avoid temptation in
Luke 11:4 “And do not lead us into temptation.”
It is though, an admonition for them to pray for themselves in
Luke 22:40 “Pray that you will not enter into temptation.”
It is clear through Jesus instructions to his disciples, that we have a part to play in avoiding temptation. Our will is involved and Jesus taught that we are to be actively engaged in prayer for ourselves praying “that you will not enter temptation”.
Stop! No More of This!
Luke 22:47-53
As they came to arrest Jesus in Luke 22:47-48, Jesus disciples reacted to the crowd and to “Judas, one of the twelve, leading them”. Some of the disciples asked, in
Luke 22:49–50 “Lord, should we strike with the sword?”
but before Jesus could answer, in
Luke 22:50 “a certain one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.”
These disciple had been with Jesus for three years. They had heard his rebuke of James and John when he was rejected in Samaria and they reacted in
Luke 9:54 “Now when the disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
Now, Jesus reacts to the behavior of his disciples who respond with physical force in
Luke 22:51 “Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this!”.
Physical force is not the way to advance the kingdom of God. It is only advanced by the word of God confirmed by signs following. The kingdom of God id advanced when the world sees our love one for another.
Study Verses
- Luke 22:31-38 I Have Prayed for You
- Luke 22:39-46 Pray That You Will Not Enter Into Temptation
- Luke 22:47-53 Stop! No More of This!
Today’s Reading
- Luke 22:14-53
References
- 1. Day, A. C. (2009). Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
- 2. Easton, M. G. (1893). In Easton’s Bible dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers.
