Luke 22:28 Commentary and Bible Study

‘In my temptations’ – that was a fitting description of his life on earth. He ‘was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin’ (Hebrews 4:15), but temptation to sin was not continuous. There were times of temptation, such as that which came through Peter to avoid the cross (Matthew 16:22-23), and all three synoptic Gospels record Christ being led by the Spirit in the wilderness and tempted by the devil. But after this Luke says that Satan ‘departed from him for a season’ (Luke 4:13). Christ did not have a sinful nature as we do, and his temptations all came from outside of him. But his trials were continuous, and he felt them acutely. The Greek word translated temptations means also trials. Trials came through even being in this fallen world, a world which is characterised by unbelief and rebellion, which fails to worship God as it should. He exclaimed on one occasion, ‘O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?’ (Mark 9:19). But trials came more overtly also in the form of constant opposition from his enemies. On a daily basis he had to endure ‘the contradiction of sinners against him’ (Hebrews 12:3).Christ recognizes the loyalty of his disciples. They have stood by him as the scribes and |Pharisees have attacked him, and sometimes those attacks have landed on them also (Matthew 9:14; 12:2; 15:2). This is a remarkably favourable pronouncement, which, as Hendriksen comments, is given in spite of the many character defects which these men have exhibited. Christ knows the future and he knows they will all forsake him at his arrest. He knows what he is about to say to Peter in the following verses. It is only by his intercession and upholding power that any of us are able to stand for even a short time. The Lord is not being unreal when he says this, but we learn how grace takes such a positive view of those in whom God has begun to work. They will certainly triumph, and although there are many stumblings along the way, God looks on us as his beloved children who he will certainly bring to their journey’s end. He knows what he is going to make of us eventually, and nothing can stop him. ‘And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me.’ There is only one kingdom of heaven, and Christ alone is King, but the disciples will belong to that kingdom and be given authority in it (see also Matthew 19:28). In the language of the Gospels, they will inherit the kingdom, and so also will every believer (Matthew 5:3; Luke 12:32). The God man Christ Jesus has been appointed a kingdom by the Father. It is a kingdom appointed to him on condition of the completion of his work in laying down his life for his elect, but those conditions will certainly be met for it is written in God’s word, which cannot be broken, that all this will come to pass. He knows the joy of anticipating the visible coming of that kingdom, and the triumph he will achieve over all the enemies of God. That coming kingdom spurs him on to succeed. But he gives the same strong incentive to his disciples as compensation for all that they have willingly suffered with him. ‘That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.’ Whatever is described here, it is the heavenly equivalent of the best that could be imagined in this world, but it is something far greater. Heaven’s joys are pictured as a celebratory meal, but that meal goes on forever without diminishing. It is quite clear that this is Christ’s kingdom, and his table, but he gathers to that table those who have stood with him in this world of his trials. He does not forget what took place in this life, but he blesses disproportionately for the small loyalties that we have showed him here below are rewarded with blessings that far exceed anything service we have paid.‘And sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’ Christ is speaking of the eternal future. Why does he refer to the twelve tribes of Israel? Are those tribes still identifiable in heaven? This is no different from the symbolic language of Revelation 7. These are sealed on earth, twelve thousand from each of the named tribes. But the result is that later in the same chapter ‘a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb’ (Revelation 7:9). These are the spiritual Israel, the elect from every nation under the sun. So yes, Israel will be in heaven, and the tribes may be spoken of, because ‘salvation of the Jews’ and heaven will be populated with Jews and Gentiles chosen by God from before the foundation of the world.