When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15)
The Passion of the Christ, the passion play—most of us are used to hearing the word passion used in reference to the final week of Jesus’ life (especially those associated with the cross). The word comes to us from Latin (passio), which is from the Greek (pascho). Jesus repeatedly used this word to speak of His sufferings (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31, 9:12; Luke 9:22, 17:25, 22:15, 24:26, 46).
As happens, our use of the word passion has changed over time, and it is no longer primarily associated with suffering but with devotion or commitment (He’s passionate about the medical research he’s doing). Jeff Murrah has suggested that this usage still retains something of the original meaning as people with passion are willing to sacrifice and suffer for the sake of their passion. In this sense, Jesus was passionate about His passion. He embraced the cross and everything associated with it. After all, it was for this that He came into the world (John 12:27-28).
Along those lines, Christ told the twelve He had “eagerly desired” to eat the Passover with them before He suffered. Before the chaos that would come beginning with His arrest in the garden and culminating in His death on the cross, He wanted this occasion with them—away from everything and everyone so He could introduce them to a simple ritual. But it was more than that, He wanted to root them in the reality of what the ritual was about—that He was giving His body and His blood for them and for the world in fulfillment of what the Scriptures had said regarding the Messiah (Luke 24:25-27, 44-46).
There were other meaningful specifics. He told them He knew about His upcoming betrayal by one of them. He told them they would all be scattered and fall away because of Him and gave specific details concerning Peter. All of this transpired in these quieter moments before the cross that Christ eagerly desired, so that when they were later trying to pick up the pieces shattered world, they would remember His words and realize that His life had not been taken—it was given!
He was in control from beginning to end. He told Peter that He (and legions of angels) could put a stop to His arrest at any time. He told Pilate the only power He possessed had been given to Him by God.
He eagerly desired that moment with them as He eagerly desires that moment with us when we gather together on the Lord’s Day (Luke 22:16). May we be passionate about that.
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 