What is the meaning of Luke 22:21? Look! Jesus opens with an urgent, eye-catching command. He wants the disciples—and us—to stop and notice an unexpected, sobering reality right in their midst. Similar wake-up calls appear in Luke 21:29–31 and John 13:19, where He alerts His followers ahead of time so their faith will be strengthened when events unfold exactly as foretold. The hand Hands in Scripture often symbolize action, intention, and fellowship. • Eating together implied trust (cf. Genesis 31:54). • By pointing to a hand, Jesus highlights a physical, deliberate act already in motion (Mark 14:18). • Psalm 41:9, written centuries earlier, speaks of a close friend lifting up his heel, underscoring how betrayal can come from intimate quarters. of My betrayer Jesus identifies the traitor as “My” betrayer, showing: • Personal pain—this is someone within His chosen circle (John 6:70-71). • Fulfillment of prophecy—Acts 1:16 affirms the Holy Spirit foretold Judas’s role through David’s writings. • Divine foreknowledge—nothing about the cross is accidental (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 22:22). is with Mine The betrayer’s hand is literally touching the same table space as Jesus’ hand. • Proximity: treachery and divine love occupy the same setting (John 13:26). • Sovereignty: Jesus remains in complete control; even His enemy cannot act outside the plan “delivered up by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge” (Acts 2:23). • Mercy: Judas receives every opportunity to repent while still seated beside the Savior. on the table The table is the Passover table, soon to hold the symbols of the New Covenant (Luke 22:19-20). • It recalls God’s past deliverance (Exodus 12:8) and points to the greater redemption about to occur. • The table also pictures future fellowship with Christ (Revelation 3:20), making Judas’s presence there all the more tragic. • Betrayal at the very site of covenant meal heightens the contrast between Jesus’ faithful love and human faithlessness. summary Luke 22:21 spotlights the startling closeness of betrayal to covenant grace. Jesus deliberately calls attention to a hand of treachery sharing His table, fulfilling prophecy, exposing the deceit hidden in plain sight, and displaying His sovereign foreknowledge. The verse reminds believers that God’s redemptive plan never wavers, even when sin operates right beside holiness. |
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