Luke 22:17

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) Take this, and divide it among yourselves.—The cup was probably the first of the three cups of wine, or wine mingled with water, which Jewish custom had added to the ritual of the Passover. As being a distinct act from that of Luke 22:20, it is natural to infer that it had a distinct symbolic meaning. Looking to the fact that wine is partly the symbol, partly the antithesis, of spiritual energy in its highest form (comp. Zechariah 9:17; Acts 2:13; Ephesians 5:18), and to the re-appearance of the same somewhat exceptional word for “divide,” in the tongues “parted, or divided, or distributed” (“cloven” is a mistranslation), in Acts 2:3, we may see in this cup the symbol of the bestowal of the spiritual powers which each of the disciples was to receive, according to the gift of the self-same Spirit, who “divideth to every man severally as He will” (the Greek word in 1Corinthians 12:11 is, however, different, though expressing the same thought), just as the second was the pledge of a yet closer fellowship with His own divine life.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:7-18 Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover. Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his Father's glory and man's redemption. He takes his leave of all passovers, signifying thereby his doing away all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which the passover was one of the earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he took the cup and gave thanks - This was not the "sacramental" cup, for that was taken "after" supper, Luke 22:20. This was one of the cups which were usually taken during the celebration of the Passover, and pertained to that observance. "After" he had kept this in the usual manner, he instituted the supper which bears his name, using the bread and wine which had been prepared for the Passover, and thus ingrafted the Lord's Supper on the Passover, or superseded the Passover by another ordinance, which was intended to be perpetual.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. took the cup—the first of several partaken of in this service.

divide it among, &c.—that is, It is to be your last as well as Mine, "until the Kingdom of God come," or as it is beautifully given in Mt 26:29, "until that day when I shall drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." It was the point of transition between two economies and their two great festivals, the one about to close for ever, the other immediately to open and run its majestic career until from earth it be transferred to heaven.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 22:15"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he took the cup and gave thanks,.... There were four cups of wine drank at the passover, which the poorest man in Israel was obliged to drink; and over each of which a blessing was pronounced (m): and this was one of them, and seems to be the first; for the passover was begun by mixing a cup of wine, and blessing it, or giving thanks over it (n); and which was usually done in the following manner (o):

"blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, the King of the world, who hast created "the fruit of the vine": blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who hath chosen us above all people, and hath exalted us above every tongue, and hath sanctified us by his commandments; and thou hast given unto us, O Lord our God, in love, the stated festivals for joy, and the feasts and seasons for rejoicing; this day of the feast of unleavened bread, this time of our freedom, a holy convocation, in remembrance of the going out of Egypt; for thou hast chosen us, and thou hast sanctified us, above all people; and the feasts of thine holiness with joy and rejoicing thou hast made us to inherit: blessed art thou, O Lord, who hast sanctified Israel, and the seasons: blessed art thou, O Lord our God, who hath kept us alive, and preserved us, and hast brought us to this time.''

After this every one drank of his cup, and put it on the table: accordingly it follows,

and said, take this and divide it among yourselves; that is, every one drink of it.

(m) Maimon. Chametz Umetzah, c. 7. sect. 9, 10. (n) Ib. c. 8. sect. 1.((o) Haggada Shel Pesach. fol. 241. 1, 2. ed. Basil. p. 3, 4. ed. Rittangel.

Geneva Study Bible

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 22:17. δεξάμενος, having received from the hand of another (different from λαβὼν, Luke 22:19), handed to Him that He might drink.—εὐχαριστήσας, this solemn act gives to the handing round of the cup here mentioned the character of a prelude to the Holy Supper: (“quaedam quasi prolusio S. Coenae,” Beng. in reference to Luke 22:15-18). If the reading of [184] and some Old Latin codd. which makes Luke 22:19 stop at σῶμά μου and omits Luke 22:20 be the true text (vide critical notes above), then Lk.’s account of the institution really begins in Luke 22:17, and what happened according to it was this: Jesus first sent round the cup, saying: take this and divide it among yourselves, then took bread, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying: this is my body. In this version two things are to be noted: first, the inversion of the actions; second, the omission of all reference to the blood in connection with the wine. The existence of such a reading as that of D and the Old Latin version raises questions, not only as to Lk.’s text, but as to church practice in the Apostolic age and afterwards; or, assuming as a possibility that Lk. wrote as D represents, have we here another instance of editorial discretion—shrinking from imputing to Jesus the idea of drinking His blood? If with D we omit all that follows σῶμά μου, then it results that Lk. has left out all the words of our Lord setting forth the significance of His death uttered (1) at Caesarea Philippi; (2) on the occasion of the request of Zebedee’s sons; (3) the anointing at Bethany; (4) the institution of the Supper. (2) and (3) are omitted altogether, and (1) is so reported as to make the lesson non-apparent.

[184] Codex Bezae

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. he took the cup, and gave thanks] Literally, “and after receiving the cup, and giving thanks.” From eucharistein comes our word Eucharist.

The main customs of the Jewish Passover are as follows:—(1) Each drinks a cup of wine—‘the cup of consecration’—over which the master of the house pronounces a blessing. (2) Hands are washed, and a table carried in, on which are placed bitter herbs, cakes of unleavened bread, the Charoseth (a dish made of dates, raisins, and vinegar), the paschal lamb, and the flesh of the Chagigah or feast-offering. (3) The father dips a morsel of unleavened bread and bitter herbs, about the size of an olive, in the Charoseth, eats it with a benediction, and distributes a similar ‘sop’ to all present. (4) A second cup of wine is poured out, and the youngest present asks the meaning of the service, to which the father replies. (5) The first part of the Hallel (Psalms 107—114) is sung. (6) Grace is said, and a benediction again pronounced; after which the father distributes bitter herbs and unleavened bread dipped in the Charoseth. (7) The Paschal lamb is eaten, and a third cup of wine handed round. (8) After another thanksgiving, a fourth cup—the cup of joy—is drunk. (9) The rest of the Hallel (Psalms 115-118.) is sung.

The cup mentioned in this verse has been supposed to be the third cup of wine in the Jewish ceremonial; and the actual chalice of the Eucharist (the “cup of blessing,” 1 Corinthians 10:16, Cos ha-Berachah) is identified with the fourth cup. We also see in the Last Supper the benediction, and possibly the Hallel (Matthew 26:30). But (1) the identifications are somewhat precarious. (2) There is no certainty that the “Sacrificial Passover” thus observed by the Jews was identical in ceremonial with the “Memorial Passover” which now alone they are able to observe.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 22:17. Δεξάμενος) Δέχομαι is said of that which is afforded or presented to another. Jesus acted, as the Head of the family: He caused the cup to be presented (held out) to Him.—ἑαυτοῖς, yourselves) He seems to have Himself drunk first. Comp. the preceding verses, but not also, Luke 22:20. Comp. Matthew 26:26, note. [“Jesus, when giving the bread and wine, is not said to have Himself eaten and drunk, for it was not for Himself that His body and blood were to be offered.”]

Luke 22:17