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- Luke Chapter 22 (part 2)
Good morning! ☀️
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
Read Chapter 22, before reading my notes. They’ll make more sense.
Access previous notes on Luke by signing into your account. Click 'Read Online' at the top right of this post and scroll down to find them waiting for you.
It’s so good to be back!
Cuba was life-changing. If you’d like to learn more, I’ll host a Zoom on May 22nd—link and details to come.
Whenever I sit down to study and research the Bible, I ALWAYS feel like the words won’t come out. I wonder if I’ll be able to express what I’m learning in a way you can understand.
Please be patient.
Let’s go!
Here’s a quick recap of Chapter 22:
It’s just hours away from Jesus’ death.
The religious elite conspired to kill Jesus but hesitated due to fear of the people's reaction.
He just told the disciples this would be the last supper with them.
He just told them they're going to take Him away.
He announced that one of them was going to betray Him.
Jesus just told the disciples He was going to die.
And they're arguing about who would be the greatest?
The disciples were probably arguing about who would be the greatest because they still thought He would establish a kingdom on Earth with them in charge.
They were still focused on gaining power and recognition.
“The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.”
Benefactors are people who help others by giving things or doing good deeds, often expecting something in return like gratitude or loyalty.
Rulers like Caesar expected their subjects to serve them. This reflected a system where those in power held authority over others, and in return for their service, subjects were often expected to show respect and loyalty to their rulers.
But not so with you.
In the Gospel of John, Chapter 13:1-17 we read that Jesus washed the disciples’ feet during the Last Supper, not just teaching but modeling the role of the servant.
This had to be SO IMPACTFUL.
I wonder what they thought as they looked back on this moment after Jesus was gone.
Jesus wanted the disciples to see this, and He wants you and me to see this: We are called to serve.
If the King of Kings can do the work of a servant, if the Creator of the universe—the One who set the stars in the sky—can do servant work, we should never feel that serving is beneath us.
But I am among you as the one who serves.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,”
Simon and Peter are actually the same person, but the name change signifies a significant transformation in his life. Simon was one of Jesus' disciples, and his name was Simon bar Jonah (Simon, son of Jonah). In the Gospel of Matthew there's a pivotal moment where Jesus renames Simon:
"Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.'"
In this passage, Jesus gives Simon the name Peter, which means "rock" in Greek. It signifies Peter's foundational role in the early Christian church. This renaming symbolizes Peter's transformation from an ordinary fisherman to a leader among the disciples and one of the key figures in establishing the Christian faith.
Why did Jesus say Peter’s name twice?
The repetition of Peter's name can be interpreted as a term of affection or emphasis. It's like when you're trying to get someone's attention or when you want to convey a deep sense of care and concern.
Jesus is trying to convey the seriousness of the situation and His personal concern for Peter's well-being, especially in the face of the trials and tribulations Peter is about to face.
I probably spent too much time trying to understand the end of that verse, but I’m glad I did. I had a ‘general’ understanding, but I wanted a clearer picture.
Here it is again:
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
A sieve sifting flour
John Piper had the best explanation I could find.
We can imagine a picture like this:
Satan has a big sieve with jagged-edged wires forming a mesh with holes shaped like faithless men and women.
What he aims to do is throw people into this sieve and shake them around over these jagged edges until they are so torn and weak and desperate that they let go of their faith and fall through the sieve as faithless people, right into Satan's company.
Faith cannot fall through the mesh. It's the wrong shape. And so as long as the disciples hold to their faith, trusting the power and goodness of God for their hope, then they will not fall through the mesh into Satan's hands.
And then Jesus speaks some of my favorite words in the Bible ❤️
“but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus • Prays • For • Us
Soak in that.
When you cry out, He listens.
When you doubt, He reassures.
When you fear, He offers peace.
When you feel alone, you are not.
When you stumble, He lifts you up.
When you seek, He reveals Himself.
When you are weary, He provides rest.
When you are weak, He gives you strength.
When you are broken, He heals your wounds.
In John 17, we can read the words of Jesus, who is talking to the Father… praying for us.
"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."
I want to encourage (beg) you to read John 17.
Pray over it.
Meditate on it.
Print it and put it in your pocket.
Jesus is praying for you.
I’ve read verses 35-38 many, many times, dozens at least. It’s never sat right with me. Something about it. So, I just read it and moved on.
Not today.
And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”
So far, so good. But then…
He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”
Jesus taught forgiveness.
Jesus taught non-violence.
Jesus taught love for enemies.
It doesn’t fit His character to tell His disciples to buy swords.
It also doesn’t make sense that when the disciples say, “We have two swords,” He would say, “It is enough.”
Arm yourselves… but two is enough??? 🤔
There are MANY interpretations, but the following interpretation makes the most sense to me.
Be careful:
It's important to know the background and culture of the Bible's stories to understand them correctly. Ignoring this can lead to misunderstandings.
We all have our own opinions, which can affect how we see things. Looking at different viewpoints helps us be fair and not just see what we want to see.
Hearing different ideas helps us learn more about the Bible and grow in our faith. If we only listen to what feels right to us, we might miss out on important insights.
Jesus told His disciples about the difficult times ahead, including persecution and opposition. His instruction to buy a sword is a metaphorical message rather than a call to arm themselves.
Jesus was urging His disciples to be spiritually armed with faith, courage, and determination to face the trials ahead rather than encouraging them to take up physical weapons.
This interpretation fits more closely with the overall message of love, forgiveness, and non-violence that Jesus preached throughout His ministry.
Why, then, does Jesus say, “It is enough.” when the disciples tell Him they have two swords?
I think the answer is hidden in the NIV translation.
The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”
“That’s enough!” he replied.
Do you see it? It’s subtle.
In the NIV version, an exclamation point is used.
Here are two ways to interpret Jesus’ words.
One way suggests He was implying that having two swords would be enough for protection. But on the Mount of Olives, two swords were not nearly enough. The disciples had to flee.
Another interpretation is that Jesus is frustrated that the disciples completely missed what He had told them.
That’s where the exclamation point comes in. The exclamation point shows frustration.
The HCSB version is even clearer.
“Enough of that!”
This isn’t the first time Jesus has been frustrated with His disciples.
In the following passage, Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy after His disciples couldn’t. He responds by saying,
"O unbelieving and perverse generation! How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."
Jesus expresses frustration with the disciples' lack of understanding after they failed to comprehend the significance of His miracles and teachings. He asks them,
"Do you still not understand?"
Jesus again shows frustration with Philip when He asks to see the Father. Jesus responds,
"Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."
Jesus was frustrated that the disciples missed His message, so when they approached Him with two swords, He’d had enough.
“For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”
Jesus is quoting from the Book of Isaiah.
"Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors."
In Luke 22:37, the Greek term used for "“transgressors" is "ἀνομίαν" (anomia), which can be translated as "lawlessness," "transgressors," or “rebels.”
Jesus is telling the disciples to arm themselves with faith and courage.
They’ll face hostility and suffering.
They’ll need to be prepared to protect themselves.
They’ll be counted as outlaws and rebels from here on out.
And Jesus will be seen as a criminal and transgressor, fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah.
That’s it for today ❤️
I have to say it again,
I missed you!
It’s good to be back!
Look for the conclusion of Chapter 22 on Friday.
Love from Guatemala,
George
Uncovering Scripture
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George Sisneros serves as a full-time missionary in Guatemala. He is the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 25 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
George and his family will be expanding to Cuba in 2024.