The passage Luke 22:1–39, which is read at Matins of Holy and Great Thursday, brings us first and foremost into the Mystery of the Divine Eucharist: into the night in which the Lord hands over to the Church the New Covenant, sealed with His Blood, as a true communion of life. The Evangelist sets the scene: “Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover” (Lk 22:1). The Passover of the Old Testament, a remembrance of deliverance from Egypt, now becomes a foreshadowing of the true exodus: deliverance from sin and death through Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.
The betrayal of Judas is not presented as a mere historical incident, but as a tragic witness that a person can dwell alongside the light and yet choose darkness. The note that “Satan entered into Judas” (Lk 22:3) does not remove his responsibility, nor does it turn his act into a fatalistic mechanism. In Orthodox theology, the evil one does not “compel,” but tempts, proposes, and exploits cracks in the heart. Judas cooperates, handing over the Teacher at an “opportune time” (Lk 22:6). Human freedom appears here as something fearfully sacred: it can become holiness—or demonic distortion.
At the center of the passage stands the Mystical Supper as the institution of the Mystery of the Divine Eucharist. Christ does not simply offer a final teaching; He offers Himself as food of life: “This is My body… this cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Lk 22:19–20). The Orthodox Church sees here real communion with the Risen One: the bread and the wine become, through the Holy Spirit, the Body and Blood of Christ, so that the human person may be united with God—not symbolically, but existentially. The “New Covenant” is not a contract, but a relationship: God binds Himself in love unto death, and calls the human person to respond with repentance and trust.
The discussion about “which of them was considered to be greatest” (Lk 22:24) reveals how easily religiosity can be interwoven with ambition. Christ, however, overturns such measures: “I am among you as the One who serves” (Lk 22:27). Authority in the Church is not founded on domination, but on service; the shepherd is called to resemble the Bridegroom who washes feet, to take the lead in humility. Here lies a key axis of Orthodox ecclesiology: glory passes through the cross of love.
The warning to Peter (“Simon, Simon… but I have prayed for you,” Lk 22:31–32) reveals, within the dramatic night of the Supper, the mystery of the fall and restoration within the life of the Church. Peter will deny, yet his fall is accompanied by sincere repentance. Christ prays for him. Thus the trial is not removed, but transformed into a schooling in humility: “and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren” (Lk 22:32). In contrast to Judas, who after his fall moves toward isolation and despair, Peter—despite his guilt—remains with the other disciples; that is, he remains “within,” in the space of discipleship and ecclesial communion, with tears of repentance and contrition. For this reason he is granted forgiveness: his restoration is not a reward for a “strong” character, but the fruit of remaining in his calling and returning with humility, so that the very wound becomes an occasion for discernment, compassion, and the strengthening of the brethren.
Finally, the reference to “purse… bag… sword” (Lk 22:35–38) is not a call to aggression, but a warning that the disciples are entering a time of persecution. The Kingdom is not imposed by force; Christ does not organize an armed revolt. The phrase “It is enough” (Lk 22:38) is read as the ending of a misunderstanding (a distancing from the idea of armed resistance), not as a blessing of a militant stance. The ethos of the Passion is different: victory through voluntary sacrifice.
Thus, the passage functions like a spiritual mirror: it reveals Judas hidden in self-interest, Peter who trembles, the disciples who quarrel, and also Christ who gives Himself “for you” (Lk 22:19). At the Matins of Holy Thursday the Church does not allow us to stand merely as spectators. She calls us to enter the Supper with repentance, to receive the New Covenant as life, and to learn that true glory is the service of love.
+ Metropolitan Nektarios of Hong Kong and South East Asia
