22:14-16
“When the hour came ..” Everything was happening to a set timetable. John in his gospel says on several occasions that Jesus hour had not yet come. All the gospel writers had a clear sense that the cross was what Jesus life was all leading up to. They reclined at table, the normal position for meals in those days. Jesus wanted to eat this Passover with them before He suffered. Why was He so eager? It must be because He is going to reveal important things to them, and that the meal itself would be important. In John’s gospel we get a very full account of things that Jesus taught them in the final day or two, and rich teaching it was indeed. The meal itself has become our Holy Communion. Verse 16 is clearly looking forward to the second coming when all things are fulfilment, but even that leaves us wondering what exactly does this mean?The Passover commemorated the escape from Egypt, and was celebrated in Israel. Maybe He means that there will be a great celebration when the kingdom comes in all its fulness.
22:17-19
The cup was probably the third cup of the Passover meal. This followed the explanation of the Passover and the eating of the lamb and unleavened bread. Jesus again refers to the coming of the kingdom of God. We need to remember that Jesus brought the kingdom of God near, and He looked forward to the kingdom coming in all its fulness. Even at what was going to be the darkest hour, Jesus knew that the kingdom of God was coming. We need to have the same mindset.
Jesus next words must have been something of a surprise for the disciples. “This is my body given for you”. Jesus knew what was going to happen, the disciples did not. No longer would they remember the escape from Egypt, instead they would remember what Jesus has done for them, and so should we.
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