I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom

When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.

Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.' But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

- Luke 22:14-30

In yesterday's reading, we read of Jesus' and the disciples' preparations for the Passover feast, and the day of Unleavened Bread. We also read of Judas' choice to betray Jesus to the chief priests and captains, and the money they agreed to pay him. Jesus tells His disciples to begin preparations, and when they ask where, He says, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" It is in this upper room, a room dedicated to prayer or devotion, that today's reading takes place.

When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." My study bible says that "the Passover signifies deliverance of the Hebrew people from Egypt. Now Jesus, with fervent desire, anticipates the great deliverance of humanity from the power of sin, which will be accomplished through His saving death, establishing the New Covenant (v. 20). This Passover meal is the Last Supper, continued in the Eucharist of the Church, which is to be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." This is truly the "Last Supper" for a reason - and it is important that we understand its continuance. It is in some sense, also an eternal supper. It continues with us in the Eucharist, as it is also celebrated in the kingdom of God, as Jesus says. It is "before He suffers" - He is going to His time of deepest trial as a human being who shares life with us, and prepares for His sacrifice with a sense of the continuity of the feast which He is about to initiate.

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves . . ." My study bible says that "Luke reports the partaking of two cups (vv. 17, 20). Several cups were offered during the Passover meal." The cup which we partake in this feast is shared among all, there is enough for all.

". . . for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." My study bible notes here: "Christ is the Lamb of God who gives Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross for the salvation of the world. Remembrance in its biblical significance is a reliving of the original event. We do this through the sacred act of the Eucharist." In the divine liturgy written by St. John Chrysostom, we can hear the words of this Eucharist: "The Lamb of God is broken and distributed; broken but never divided; ever eaten, yet never consumed, but hallowing those who partake." This body and blood sanctifies and it is never finished, always enough, and unifies, extends and builds the Body of Christ for all who wish to partake.

Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" A note here reads, "With these words Jesus looks ahead to His arrest and suffering." A seemingly odd paradox here -- Jesus makes this sacrifice willingly, knowing that "unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain" (John 12:24). But, on the other hand, "woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" There is an important lesson here about redemption and transformation: God uses even the evil in the world to create salvation, the good. From the ancient church, the Eastern church still sings a victory hymn of Easter, proclaiming that Christ "trampled death by death." This does not mean that our choices to betray that good or that kingdom that is within us are in themselves good - far from it! But witnessing, testimony, as Jesus has taught, becomes an opportunity in persecution.

Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing. Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. My study bible notes, "In view of Jesus' willingness to die for the world, the concern of the disciples over who among them is the greatest is reprehensibly small-minded." Indeed, upon learning of the betrayal, all they wonder is who would do it, and then they go on to wonder who is the greatest among them! We should be grateful that the Gospels teach us all about our world-view in contrast with the tremendous reality of the kingdom that is there among them and in their very presence! Jesus' words themselves do not make the impact upon His disciples that is proper to their message.

And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors." A note says, "Some kings called themselves benefactors, a title which is not without irony considering their tyrannical rule." And of course, this practice continues today among modern dictators and abusers of great material power of every political stripe - the most murderous and brutal declaring their own virtues "for the people" in propaganda as widely as possible. Jesus is instituting an opposite power structure, where virtue is in humility and true service.

"But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves." A note says, "Jesus Himself is the supreme example of His teaching that greatness consists in humble service to others." Jesus' sacrifice is His great example of service. There is something He is giving up in order to serve the greater good, in more ways than we can know. This central act, His voluntary death on the Cross, will serve as transcendent inspiration, a mystical event that initiates the anointing of all the world with the Holy Spirit, a life of grace, the reality of the kingdom of God always present, the love that is with us in prayer, and so much more than we can be aware of. The Cross serves as an inspiration for the things we may be called to forgo, in order to build and serve that kingdom ourselves.

"But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." A note reads: "Jesus is not speaking of two different kingdoms but of one kingdom (v. 29) which will be fully revealed at His glorious return. Then the disciples will sit on thrones (v. 30) occupying honorary positions as reward for sharing Christ's trials (v. 28)." A great place is promised for those who remain true through the trials of Christ, and Jesus shares His kingdom with those who endure. These trials are shared, and so is the kingdom. In His preaching prior to this day, Jesus has prepared His followers for the trials (such as persecutions) that will follow His death and Resurrection. So I believe we must see this as an extension of "continuing with Him in His trials." He gives us the example, and we who choose discipleship follow.

What is sacrifice? How does it work in Christian fellowship? I believe that Jesus as Redeemer changes our very understanding of sacrifice. From my perspective, this sacrifice is an initiation of a kingdom, an anointing for the whole world, a transforming process defeating the slavery of evil and sin. So likewise, in the practice of our faith, we may find ourselves forgoing something we had expected, giving up something we cherished, in order to follow our prayer life and where God leads us. This is not a sacrifice of payment, a retribution for past sin - far from it. It is, on the contrary, our continuing with Him in His trials as He blesses us with that kingdom and makes us co-redeemers, and share in the ministry and anointing which He initiated. With this sacrifice and His words, Christ initiates those whom He loves into this kingdom and their places in it, as they share His works and responsibility and even His example of sacrifice for the good, of service to all. How do these words today reflect in your life? As we await the light in Advent, consider your life and its sacrifices as an example of continuing with Him in His trials. Do we understand the fullness of that shared cup, and what it means in terms of His love for us and the place He gives to us in His work?