Luke 22 14

Luke 22:14 kjv

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

Luke 22:14 nkjv

When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.

Luke 22:14 niv

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.

Luke 22:14 esv

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.

Luke 22:14 nlt

When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table.

Luke 22 verses

Luke 22 14 Meaning

Luke 22:14 describes the precise moment Jesus and His chosen disciples began the Last Supper, marking the divine appointment for the institution of the New Covenant. It highlights Jesus' sovereignty over time and events, as "the hour" signified the climax of His earthly ministry leading to His Passion. His reclining posture for the meal underscored both His authority and the intimate, yet profoundly sacred, nature of the gathering with His twelve apostles, who would become the foundational witnesses of the nascent Church.

Luke 22 14 Context

Luke 22:14 is set within the intensely solemn and pivotal final hours of Jesus' earthly ministry. The preceding verses (Lk 22:7-13) describe Jesus sending Peter and John to prepare for the Passover meal in Jerusalem. This meal is not merely a common gathering but a fulfillment of the Old Covenant Passover, transforming its symbols into the realities of the New Covenant through the institution of the Lord's Supper. Historically and culturally, the Passover was the most significant annual Jewish festival, commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. It was celebrated by families reclining at a table, recalling the freedom and the shedding of the lamb's blood for protection. For Jesus to convene this meal "when the hour was come" signifies that this particular Passover would transcend all previous celebrations, becoming a sacred and final testament before His crucifixion, a conscious act of fulfilling God's predetermined plan.

Luke 22 14 Word analysis

• And when the hour was come (Greek: Kai hote egeneto hē hōra)

  • And (Greek: Kai): Connects this pivotal moment to the preparations mentioned before. It indicates the progression to a decisive point.
  • when (Greek: hote): Denotes a specific time.
  • the hour (Greek: hē hōra): A crucial phrase in the Gospels, particularly John, signifying God's predetermined time for Jesus to complete His mission, particularly His Passion and glorification. It implies divine sovereignty and precise fulfillment of prophecy, not merely a chronological moment but a divinely appointed epoch.
  • was come (Greek: egeneto): An aorist form of ginomai, meaning "it happened," "it became," or "it arrived." It implies the active culmination of divine purpose. Jesus' Passion was not an accident but a preordained event, initiated by God and embraced by the Son.

• he sat down (Greek: anepesen)

  • he sat down: More accurately "reclined" or "laid back." This was the customary posture for formal meals in the Greco-Roman world, and specifically for the Passover Seder, which signified a free man. Unlike the original standing posture of the first Passover (Ex 12:11), the reclining posture symbolized freedom from slavery, a theme Jesus would deeply fulfill. This posture also conveyed authority and intimacy as a teacher and host.

• and the twelve apostles (Greek: kai hoi dōdeka apostoloi)

  • and: Further connection to those accompanying Jesus.
  • the twelve (Greek: hoi dōdeka): The symbolic number chosen by Jesus, representing the reconstitution of the twelve tribes of Israel as the spiritual foundation of His new people, the Church. It emphasizes the foundational significance of this gathering.
  • apostles (Greek: apostoloi): "Ones sent forth." This specific term underscores their official, divinely appointed role as messengers and authorized representatives of Christ. It highlights their future mission and their unique position as witnesses to this pivotal event. The inclusion of Judas, though unfaithful, emphasizes the initial complete circle chosen by Christ for this purpose.

• with him (Greek: met' autou)

  • with him: Simple yet profound. Their physical proximity during this sacred meal reinforces their chosen companionship, their learning, and their witness to this moment that inaugurated the New Covenant and revealed Jesus' imminent sacrifice.

Luke 22 14 Bonus section

The precise wording, "when the hour was come," contrasts with earlier statements in John's Gospel like "his hour had not yet come" (Jn 2:4; 7:30; 8:20). This progression indicates a shift in divine timing and a deepening of purpose, from preparation to climactic execution. The setting, a Passover meal, holds rich polemical implications against contemporary Jewish sacrificial practices by fulfilling and ultimately superseding them with the definitive sacrifice of Christ Himself. The chosen company, "the twelve apostles," though one would betray Him, symbolizes the full number and the foundation for the New Israel, even as it underscores the tragic reality of human fallibility amidst divine purpose.

Luke 22 14 Commentary

Luke 22:14 serves as the profound introduction to the Last Supper, an event divinely orchestrated and critically timed. "The hour" underscores that Jesus was not a victim of circumstance but fully in control, fulfilling the eternal plan of God for the salvation of humanity. His intentional action of reclining with "the twelve apostles" highlights both His authority as the Lord and His intimacy with His chosen foundational witnesses. This Passover meal, therefore, transcends a mere historical recollection; it becomes the transformative pivot from the shadows of the Old Covenant to the substance of the New, revealing Jesus as the true Passover Lamb whose sacrifice would deliver His people from spiritual bondage. This verse captures the solemn gravity and deliberate precision of Christ initiating His ultimate act of love and redemption, establishing a sacred communal meal that continues to be celebrated by His followers through the ages.