Luke 22:1-13
22: Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.
7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9 They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11 and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13 And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
Reflection
The word “Passover” occurs five times in these verses (Luke 22:1, 7, 8, 11, 13), which means Luke is drawing our attention to something important. The betrayal and death of Jesus is going to happen during Passover, the time when Israel celebrates their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The Passover meal required the sacrifice of a lamb (v. 7) to remind Israel of the lamb’s blood that protected Israelites from death when God was judging Egypt (Exodus 12).
The timing of Jesus’ death indicates that he is the ultimate Passover Lamb (cf. John 1:29). Because of his shed blood, those who trust in him are protected from the judgment of God and are freed from their slavery to sin and death.
1 Timothy 2:8-15
8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
Reflection
From 1 Timothy 2:8 to the end of the letter, Paul will now turn his attention to calling Timothy and his church to godly conduct for the sake of the gospel. He begins by addressing four groups: men, women, overseers, and deacons.
Paul wants men to pray with raised hands. His concern is not, however, about bodily posture but about the attitude with which they will pray. This prayer should be conducted by “lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling” (1 Tim. 2:8). In other words, godly prayer comes from godly hearts that have been changed by the gospel. Paul wants the women to dress modestly for the sake of the gospel (v. 10). Further, women are not to violate the roles set up by God in creation by teaching or exercising authority over a man in the church context (vv. 11–14). Such role reversals are not consonant with godliness and are, implicitly, hindrances to the gospel. Scholarly interpretations vary regarding the meaning of “she will be saved through childbearing” (v. 15). What is undisputable, however, is that Paul is not saying that the spiritual salvation of any particular woman depends on her bearing children. Rather he is affirming that the witness of the gospel is best maintained as men and women live and worship together as God intends.
Psalm 119:5
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!
God’s designs are always for our good and for the sake of his glory. Ask him to help you and your church to eagerly pursue his pattern of manhood and womanhood so that the work of the gospel will not be unnecessarily hindered.