Commentary - Luke 22:1-6

Bird's-eye view

In this brief but dense passage, we are brought into the inner chambers of the plot to murder the Son of God. Luke, with stark efficiency, lays out all the principal actors in this cosmic drama. We have the religious establishment, the chief priests and scribes, consumed by a murderous envy but paralyzed by their fear of man. We have the arch-rebel, Satan himself, making his move on the chosen instrument of betrayal. And we have that instrument, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, whose greed made him a ready tool for both the devil and the priests. But hovering over this entire sordid conspiracy is the unseen hand of the sovereign God. This is not a plan spiraling out of control; it is a plan coming together with terrifying precision. Every wicked motive, every cowardly calculation, every demonic whisper, and every clink of silver is being woven together by God to accomplish what His hand and His plan had predestined to take place: the crucifixion of the Lord of glory for the salvation of the world.

This passage is a stark illustration of how God's determinate counsel is executed through the free, and in this case, profoundly wicked, choices of men and demons. The greatest crime in human history was not an unfortunate tragedy that God had to clean up; it was the very means of our redemption, ordained before the foundation of the world. The gears of salvation are turning, and they are lubricated by the treachery of men.

Outline

Context In Luke

This passage marks a pivotal transition in Luke's Gospel. Jesus has concluded His public teaching ministry and His prophetic denunciations of the religious leaders (Luke 20-21). The Olivet Discourse has just been delivered, predicting the destruction of the very temple where these leaders hold their power. Now, the narrative shifts from public confrontation to the private machinations that will lead directly to the cross. What Jesus prophesied is now set in motion. This section serves as the prologue to the Passion narrative proper. It establishes the human and demonic forces arrayed against Christ, while simultaneously underscoring the divine sovereignty that governs their every move. The stage is being set for the ultimate Passover, where the true Lamb of God will be sacrificed, fulfilling the symbolism of the feast that looms over the entire scene.

Key Issues

The Leashed Serpent

When we read that "Satan entered into Judas," we are witnessing a profound theological reality. This is not mythology; it is a spiritual transaction. The devil is a real actor on the stage of history, and he is a murderer from the beginning. But we must never make the mistake of thinking he is a rival power to God, a black king to God's white king. He is a creature, and a fallen one at that. He is on a leash. God is not reacting to Satan's move here; God is making His move through Satan's move. As we see in the book of Job, Satan can do nothing without divine permission. God is sovereign over the devil's malice. He wields the hatred of the serpent to accomplish the crushing of the serpent's head. The same event that Satan thinks is his great triumph, the death of the Son, is the very event that seals his doom. God uses the enemy's own sword to cut off his head. This is high-octane Calvinism, and it is the only thing that makes sense of the cross. The greatest evil is harnessed by perfect holiness to accomplish the greatest good.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was drawing near.

The timing is everything. Luke is not just giving us a date on the calendar. He is setting the theological stage. The Passover was the great festival of redemption for Israel, commemorating their deliverance from slavery in Egypt through the blood of a slain lamb. For centuries, they had been re-enacting this drama. Now, the reality to which the drama pointed was about to arrive. As the nation prepared to sacrifice thousands of lambs, the leaders of that nation were preparing to sacrifice the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The irony is thick and intentional. The entire redemptive history of Israel is converging on this one week in Jerusalem.

2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.

Here are the religious professionals, the guardians of the law, the teachers of Israel. And what is their primary occupation? They are plotting a murder. Their motive was a toxic brew of envy, jealousy, and wounded pride. Jesus had exposed their hypocrisy, challenged their authority, and won the hearts of the people. They couldn't refute His wisdom, so they resolved to extinguish His life. But notice their constraint: they were afraid of the people. This is not the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. This is the fear of man, which is a snare. Their concern was not for righteousness but for public relations. They were worried about a riot, about losing their grip on power. Their piety was a thin veneer over a core of political calculation and murderous intent. They were the hollow men, and their fear of the crowd reveals their utter emptiness.

3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, who belonged to the number of the twelve.

The conspiracy needed an inside man, and Satan provided one. The verb "entered" indicates a decisive moment of possession or overwhelming influence. Judas, through his own greed and disillusionment, had opened a door that Satan was more than happy to walk through. But the true horror lies in the next phrase: who belonged to the number of the twelve. This was not a stranger or a distant enemy. This was one of the inner circle. He had walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, witnessed His miracles. The fact that such a man could fall so catastrophically is a permanent warning against the deadening effects of familiar, unheeded truth. Proximity to Jesus, without a heart transformed by Jesus, only hardens the soul and makes it ripe for damnation. Judas was a covenant member in the most intimate sense, and his fall was therefore all the more terrible.

4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them.

Once the spiritual transaction with Satan is complete, the practical outworking follows immediately. Judas goes straight to the enemy camp. He initiates the contact. He, the disciple, seeks out the corrupt priests and the temple police ("officers") to become their confederate. The word "discussed" implies a negotiation, a back-and-forth planning session. He is now actively collaborating in the plot, offering his unique access and knowledge to solve their public relations problem. He can tell them where Jesus will be at night, away from the adoring crowds. The betrayal is not a passive slip; it is a calculated, strategic act of treason.

5 And they were glad and agreed to give him money.

The priests' reaction is telling. They were "glad." The solution to their problem had just walked in the door. Their murderous desire now had a practical path to fulfillment, and they rejoiced in it. And of course, money is involved. They "agreed" or covenanted to pay him. This is a squalid business transaction. The Lord of glory is being sold, and the price is thirty pieces of silver, the compensation for a gored slave (Ex. 21:32). The priests, who strain out a gnat in their tithing, have no problem swallowing this camel of bribery and murder. Judas's greed finds a willing partner in their corrupt expediency. They are all bound together now in a covenant of blood and silver.

6 So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd.

The deal is struck. Judas "consented," formally accepting their terms. From this point on, he is living a double life, watching and waiting. He is looking for a "good opportunity," a strategic moment. The Greek word eukairia suggests a well-timed or opportune moment. He needed to find Jesus in a private or semi-private setting, where an arrest would not spark a public uprising. This is the final piece of the puzzle for the priests. Their fear of the people has been managed. The serpent has provided a way. Judas is now the enemy within, biding his time until the perfect moment to strike.

Application

This passage should land on us with the force of a physical blow. It forces us to confront the anatomy of sin in its rawest form and the staggering sovereignty of God that overrules it. First, we must see the warning against religious externalism. The chief priests and scribes were the most respected religious figures of their day. They had the right positions, the right vocabulary, the right robes. But their hearts were full of murder. We must constantly be on guard against the temptation to substitute religious performance for a genuine, heart-felt love for Christ. It is possible to be very near to the things of God and have a heart that is a million miles away, a heart that, if pressed, would betray Him.

Second, we must take the reality of Satan seriously, but not too seriously. He is a real foe who seeks to devour. But he is utterly subject to the will of God. We are not dualists. Our confidence is not that we are stronger than the devil, but that our God is infinitely stronger, and that He works even the malice of the devil for our ultimate good. The cross is the ultimate proof of this.

Finally, we must find our ultimate comfort in the sovereignty of God. If the darkest and most wicked act in the history of the cosmos was not only known by God but was ordained by Him for the salvation of His people, then there is no sin, no tragedy, no disaster in our lives that is outside the scope of His control and His good purposes. He did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all. The hands that betrayed and crucified Jesus were wicked, but the hand that delivered Him over was the hand of a loving Father. That is the bedrock of our faith. God's plan of redemption cannot be thwarted, not by corrupt priests, not by a traitorous disciple, and not even by the devil himself.