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MAY 4
Luke 22:24–46
Now there was also a dispute among them,
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as to which of them should be considered the
greatest. And He said to them, “The kings of 22:44 like great drops of blood.This suggests
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the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and a dangerous condition known as hematidrosis,
the effusion of blood in one’s perspiration. It
those who exercise authority over them are can be caused by extreme anguish or physical
called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; strain. Subcutaneous capillaries dilate and
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on the contrary, he who is greatest among burst, mingling blood with sweat. Christ
you, let him be as the younger, and he who Himself stated that His distress had brought
governs as he who serves. For who is Him to the threshold of death (see Matt.26:38;
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greater, he who sits at the table, or he who Mark 14:34; Heb. 12:3,4).
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 in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the trans-
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with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a gressors.’ For the things concerning Me have
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kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one an end.”
upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My 38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two
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table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judg- swords.”
ing the twelve tribes of Israel.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Coming out, He went to the Mount of
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Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disci-
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wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your ples also followed Him. When He came to the
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faith should not fail; and when you have place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not
returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” enter into temptation.”
But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go And He was withdrawn from them about a
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with You, both to prison and to death.” stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup
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shall not crow this day before you will deny away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but
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three times that you know Me.” Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to
And He said to them, “When I sent you Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And
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without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did being in agony, He prayed more earnestly.
you lack anything?” Then His sweat became like great drops of
So they said, “Nothing.” blood falling down to the ground.
Then He said to them, “But now, he who When He rose up from prayer, and had
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has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a come to His disciples, He found them sleeping
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knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do
his garment and buy one. For I say to you that you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into
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this which is written must still be accomplished temptation.”
DAY 4: How can we face temptation with confidence?
Shortly after a dispute among the disciples as to which one should be considered the greatest
(Luke 22:24), Jesus specifically addresses Peter as “Simon, Simon”(v. 31).The repetition of the name
(see 10:41; Acts 9:4) implied an earnest and somber tone of warning. Christ Himself had given
Simon the name Peter (6:14), but here He reverted to his old name, perhaps to intensify His rebuke
about Peter’s fleshly overconfidence. The context also suggests that Peter may have been one of
the more vocal participants in the dispute of v. 24.
“Satan,”Jesus told him,“has asked for you.”Though addressed specifically to Peter,this warning
embraced the other disciples as well.The pronoun “you”is plural in the Greek text.“That he may sift
you as wheat.”The imagery is apt. It suggests that such trials, though unsettling and undesirable,
have a necessary refining effect.
Nevertheless, Jesus said,“I have prayed for you”(v.32).The pronoun “you”is singular.Although
it is clear that He prayed for all of them (John 17:6–19), He personally assured Peter of His prayers
and of Peter’s ultimate victory, even encouraging Peter to be an encourager to the others.“That
your faith should not fail.” Peter himself failed miserably, but his faith was never overthrown (see
John 21:18,19).

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