Luke 22:14-23
Supper of the New Covenant
Read the passage
14When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles.
15And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.
16For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves.
18For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”
19And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.
21Look! The hand of My betrayer is with Mine on the table.
22Indeed, the Son of Man will go as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him.”
23Then they began to question among themselves which of them was going to do this.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
When the hour comes, Jesus reclines at table with the apostles. He tells them that He has earnestly desired to eat this Passover with them before He suffers.
Jesus takes a cup, gives thanks, and says they should divide it among themselves. He will not drink of the fruit of the vine until God's kingdom comes. Then He takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and gives it to them, saying that it is His body given for them and that they should do this in remembrance of Him.
After supper He takes the cup and says it is the new covenant in His blood, poured out for them. Yet the hand of the betrayer is with Him at the table. The Son of Man goes as determined, but woe to the one by whom He is betrayed.
The apostles begin to question one another about who could do this. Jesus explains his coming death as a gift for them: his body given, his blood poured out. Jeremiah promised a new covenant in which God would write his law on his people's hearts and forgive their sins. At this table, Jesus says that covenant is established in his blood. The betrayal is real and the betrayer accountable, yet it does not overturn the saving purpose of the one giving himself for his people.
How We Know
Jeremiah 31:31–34 promises the new covenant, including God's law written on the heart and forgiveness of sins. In 1 Corinthians 11:23–26, Paul also recounts the bread, the cup, and Jesus' words about the new covenant in his blood. These specific passages explain the promise and show how the meal was passed on to the church.
Questions
1 What does Jesus say about the Passover meal?
AnswerHe has earnestly desired to eat it with the apostles before He suffers, showing the meal's importance on the eve of His death.
2 What does Jesus say the bread represents?
AnswerHe gives the bread as His body, given for them, and tells them to do this in remembrance of Him.
3 What does the cup represent?
AnswerJesus calls it the new covenant in His blood, poured out for the disciples. The cup interprets His coming death as willing covenant sacrifice.
4 What painful fact is present at the table?
AnswerThe hand of the betrayer is with Jesus at the table. Covenant fellowship is not protected from the grief of human betrayal.
What This Means for Us
The Lord's Supper remembers a sacrifice Jesus willingly gives for His people. It is not a private badge of spiritual superiority; it is a call to gratitude, honest self-examination, and covenant love.
Judas's presence also warns against confusing participation in religious ritual with a faithful heart. Families can receive the meal reverently while pursuing truth and repair in their relationships.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your body and blood for Your people. Make our remembrance grateful and truthful, and keep our household from hiding betrayal or using religious fellowship to avoid repentance. Amen.