Bible Study series: Luke 22:24-30. If they are to get his kingdom, what is to be their attitude? It almost seems conditional on their discpleship and leadership.
Friendly greetings and a warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together.
I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click here:
In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: 22:24-30
24 Then a dispute took place between them, which was about who of them thinks he is greater. 25 But he said to them, “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. 26 You are not like that, but the greater one among you becomes as the younger and the leader as the servant. 27 For who is greater? The one who reclines at table or the one who serves? Isn’t it the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.
28 You are the ones who have continued with me in my trials. 29 So I confer on you just as my Father conferred on me—a kingdom, 30 so that you eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:24-30)
Comments:
They had already disputed about this in the past, soon after their first commission to go out and preach.
46 A dispute started up among them, that is, which one would be the greatest among them. 47 Jesus, knowing the dispute in their hearts, got a child and stood him beside himself. 48 And he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, for he who is the least among you is great.”
Apparently, their thirst for prominence was an issue with them.
24:
Things were tense. Jesus had just said this is my body; and this is the cup of the New Covenant. What’s all the talk about bloodshed? Is he really going launch a campaign against the Romans and their Jewish allies, the Jerusalem establishment? He’s very popular! He worked miracles. He walked on water. He actually could pull this off!
It is in this context that a “dispute” happened. The Greek noun literally means “liking strife” or “friend of quarreling.” They fought about a topic that was not at all appropriate. Jesus had washed their feet before the feast of the Passover (John 13:1-17). It may have been a long time—a day or two or even hours—since the disciples experienced the foot washing. And now the environment was tense after the Last Supper.
Luke condenses the lesson of greatness from another angle, as the tensions rose. This explains why the disciples seemed to have forgotten the lesson of the foot washing.
25:
And here we have the Great Reversal introduced in this pericope. Recall that Luke 1:51-53 and 2:34 says that Jesus would cause the fall of the mighty and the rise of the needy, and the rich would be lowered, and the poor raised up. It is the down elevator and up elevator. Those at the top will take the down elevator, and those at the bottom will take the up elevator.
“exercise authority” There is the right kind of authority, which God confers on people, and there is a wrong kind, as seen here. God’s kingdom is not like the wrong kind. We would all do well to learn the right kind.
Benefactors were the rich people in the city who paid for upkeep and new benefits for the city, like a fountain or a small aqueduct. Then they employed a professional engraver to inscribe the act of beneficence on nice marble or another stone to proclaim who bestowed the benefaction. These stones exist all over the ancient world. “I, so-and-so, have conferred this fountain on this city!” The wording is much more elaborate, but that’s the gist.
26:
There is a strong contrast in the word “but” (alla). You must follow the kingdom path, and a man should become as if he is younger and as the one who does not take first place in society by virtue of his mature age. The leader is to become the servant, the one who washes the dishes and serves someone else. Jesus did this when he washed their feet (John 13:1-17).
27:
“recline at table”: in those days people ate by reclining, taking food from bowls on a mat or a low table. Their feet stuck out away from the mat or table. Today we would say “sit at table,” and that’s what other translations have. But I like the idea of the guests reclining and relaxing, while the servants bustle about replenishing the food and drinks.
In any case, the imagery is clear. Jesus is the one waiting at table, serving the people. He should be at the head of the table, but he is the one who brought out the food and drink. This is just a quick illustration. I don’t think we should picture Jesus bringing in the wine and bread before they ate the Last Supper. But who knows? Maybe he did! But I doubt it because we should not over-interpret silence or short illustrations and distract ourselves from the meaning of this one.
All throughout Jesus’s ministry, he’s the one who did the heavy lifting, spiritually speaking. He’s the one who took the barrage of criticism from religious leaders who really knew the law and traditions. He’s the one who went off to pray and got instructions from his Father and deepened his relationship with him. He’s the one who had to corral the twelve and others when they were about go astray from the kingdom—like John and James asking Jesus whether they should call down fire on a village in Samaria that rejected him (Luke 9:51-55).
Jesus was the servant among them.
28:
For me, this verse is moving. He praises them for hanging in there or for “sticking around.” It could literally be translated as “stay through.” Other followers left him when his sayings proved difficult (John 6:66-71).
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) (John 6:66-71, NIV)
His trials included just being here on earth and taking in all the smells and human degradation and verbal assaults and especially the Satanic assault (Luke 4:1-13).
29:
He conferred or “decreed, ordained, assigned” (three possible translations) the same reality which the Father conferred on him—a kingdom. The definite article is missing, but that doesn’t matter, because the meaning of kingdom from the entire context is clear. See v. 16 for more details.
Stein spotted the deeper insight, so I’ll give him credit:
For the parallel between the relationship of the disciples to Jesus and Jesus to the Father, cf. John 15:9; 20:21 (cf. also Luke 9:48; 10:16). The term “confer” (diatithemai) can also mean make a covenant with and thus brings to mind the new “covenant” (diathēkē) of 22:20. The covenant established with the apostles in 22:20 ultimately involves the promise of sharing in the future consummation of the kingdom when the Son of Man returns to reign. Whereas in 12:32 the Father confers the kingdom, here Jesus himself does this. (comment on v. 29)
Eating and drinking in the kingdom expresses ultimate victory.
This verse reminds me of Luke 12:31-32: 31 “Instead, pursue his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you. 32 Don’t fear, little flock, because your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
In 22:29, there seems to be an extra powerful kingdom conferred on the twelve (soon to be eleven and then twelve again in Acts 1:13), because of v. 30, next.
30:
Eating and drinking at the table speaks of final, relaxed victory. See the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Luke 14:7-11) and the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:12-24).
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. (Ps. 23:5, NIV)
Eating in the presence of your enemies shows the battle is won.
3 The Kingdom Is in the Future
It is startling that the twelve will sit on twelve thrones judging Israel. I believe this can only refer to the final judgment. It is remarkable that they will have that much authority. This shows the transforming power of God in the lives of bumbling followers to powerful servant-leaders. Further, their names will be inscribed on twelve foundation stones of the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:14).
Bible Basics about the Final Judgment
GrowApp for Luke 22:12-30
1. Are you first to serve or be served? How does service look like in your life and the church where you attend?
RELATED
11. Eyewitness Testimony in Luke’s Gospel
3. Church Fathers and Luke’s Gospel
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND MORE
To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom. You will also find a “Summary and Conclusion” for discipleship.
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 