Lucas 22
Ephrem the Syrian · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Lucas 22:14
From the moment when he broke his body for his disciples and gave it to his apostles, three days are numbered during which he was counted among the dead, like Adam. Although Adam lived for many years after having eaten of the fruit of the tree, he was still numbered among the dead for having broken the commandment. God spoke to him, "The day on which you eat of it you shall die." Scripture also says, "Your descendants will dwell there for four hundred years," and the years were numbered from the day on which this word was pronounced. The same way of counting applies likewise to our Lord. Alternatively, the sixth day must be counted as two and the sabbath as one. It was because he had given them his body to eat in view of the mystery of his death that he entered their bodies, as afterwards he entered the earth. Our Lord blessed and broke the bread, because Adam had not blessed the fruit at the time when, as a rebel, he gathered it. The bread entered them, making up for the greed by which Adam had rejected God. The three days might also be counted from the descent into hell and the ascent: the sixth day, the sabbath, and the first day of the week. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 19.4
Lucas 22:18
He said, "I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until the kingdom of my Father," to show that he foresaw his imminent departure from them. He said, "until the kingdom of my Father," that is, until his resurrection. Simon Peter revealed in the Acts of the Apostles, "After his resurrection, during a period of forty days, we ate with him and we drank, on this first day of the week. This agrees with what he had said, "They will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God," and after six days that was accomplished. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 19.5
Lucas 22:21
It is certain that when the Lord gave the bread to his disciples, he gave them the mystery of his body. One must also then believe that when he gave the bread to his murderer, he gave it to him as the mystery of his murdered body. He dipped it to reveal the total participation of Judas in his death, for his body was destined to be dipped in his blood. He may also have dipped it to give the testament with him. He moistened it and then gave it to him. He moistened it first because it had been prepared for the testament that was to follow.Judas' greed judged and separated him from the perfect members of the Lord, as the Life-giver showed in his gentle teaching. Judas was not a member of the body of his church. He was only the dust that stuck to the feet of the disciples. On the night when the Lord judged and separated him from the others, he washed the mud from their feet to teach them. He taught them that he washed Judas from the feet of the disciples with water, like manure suitable for burning. Judas was considered as the feet of the body, since he was the last of the twelve apostles. Likewise, the Lord separated Judas from the apostles by means of the water when he dipped the bread in the water and gave it to him. Judas was not worthy of the bread which, together with the wine, was given to the Twelve. It would not have been permissible for the very one who was going to hand the Lord over to death to receive that which would save him from death. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 19.3
Lucas 22:42
"Not according to my will, but yours." He said this word against Adam, who resisted the will of the Creator and followed the will of his enemy. Consequently Adam was delivered over into the mouth of his enemy. Our Lord resisted the will of the flesh to uphold the will of the Creator of flesh, because he knew that all happiness depends on the will of his Father. "Not my will but yours be done." — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 20.9
Lucas 22:42
"If it is possible, let this cup pass from me." He said this because of the lowliness with which he had clothed himself, not in pretence, but in reality. Since he had really become unimportant and had clothed himself in lowliness, it would have been impossible for his lowliness not to have experienced fear and not to have been upset. He took on flesh and clothed himself with weakness. He ate when hungry, became tired after working, and overcome by sleep when weary. It was necessary, when the time for his death arrived, that all these things that have to do with the flesh be fulfilled. The anguish of death in fact invaded him, to make clear his nature as a son of Adam, over whom "death reigns," according to the word of the apostle. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 20.4
Lucas 22:42
"If it is possible, let this chalice pass from me." He knew that he was going to rise on the third day, but he also knew in advance the scandal of his disciples, the denial of Simon, the suicide of Judas, the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of Israel. "If it is possible, let the chalice pass from me," he said. He knew what he was saying to his Father and was well aware that this chalice could pass from him. He had come to drink it for everyone, in order to cancel, through this chalice, everyone's debt, a debt that the prophets and martyrs could not pay with their death. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 20.2
Lucas 22:44
"His sweat became like drops of blood," the Evangelist said. He sweated to heal Adam who was sick. "It is by the sweat of your brow," said God, "that you will eat your bread." He remained in prayer in this garden to bring Adam back into his own garden again. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 20.11
Lucas 22:47-48
The tribe of Judah marked the beginning of the kingdom, and the apostle Judas marked its extinction. In deceitfully handing him over to the Romans with a kiss, he handed over to them the responsibility of avenging Jesus so that they would one day exact it from Judah. The wicked one came to dig his deep abyss, and our God explained it gently to him. He showed that he was helpful, a fountain of mercy. He said, "Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?" He showed that Judas did not have the power to hand over the Son of God. "Well then, why have you come, my friend?" The Lord called animosity friendship, and he turned toward Judas. The deceitful disciple approached the true Master to kiss him. The Lord withdrew from him the Spirit that he had breathed into him. He removed it from him, not wanting the corrupting wolf to be among his sheep. He said, "That which he had has been taken away from him." — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 20.12
Lucas 22:50-51
Not fearing the power that had flattened them, they stretched out their impure hands and seized him who was purifying them. "Simon cut off the ear of one of them." The good Lord in his gentleness took it and put it back in its elevated place on the body, as a figure of him who had fallen into the lower abyss because of his sins. "Put your sword back again into its place." He whose word was a sword did not need a sword. Just as he restored the ear that was cut off back to its place, he could have separated the members that were joined. Unsatisfied with showing the intensity of his power with a single example, he showed it to all those who "retreated and fell backwards to the ground." The one whose ear had been healed would not be the only one to benefit from grace. He allowed all that were about to apprehend him to benefit from it, so that they would certainly know whom they were going to arrest. The grace of him who had restored the ear to its place made those who "fell backwards to the ground" able to get up again. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 20.13
Lucas 22:51
Since our Lord was the fulfillment of justice and the beginning of mercy, he put the sword in its sheath and put justice back in its place again. He then healed the ear through mercy. He put the ear back in its place and made good the imperfection of justice through fruitful mercy. He whose ear had been healed expressed his gratitude for this love with hatred. Those who had "fallen backwards to the ground" and had been raised up again through Christ, thanked him for his help with chains. "They bound him," said the Evangelist, "and led him away." — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 20.13