The Meaning of Luke 22:7 Explained

Luke 22:7

KJV: Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

YLT: And the day of the unleavened food came, in which it was behoving the passover to be sacrificed,

Darby: And the day of unleavened bread came, in which the passover was to be killed.

ASV: And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the passover must be sacrificed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  came  the day  of unleavened bread,  when  the passover  must  be killed. 

What does Luke 22:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Jews slew their Passover lamb on the fourteenth of Nisan and ate it after sundown. Sundown began the fifteenth. The fourteenth would have been Thursday until sundown. This verse marks the transition to Thursday from Wednesday, the day on which Jesus had His controversy with the leaders in the temple and gave the Olivet Discourse. This is another of Luke"s benchmarks that signals Jesus" relentless movement toward the Cross.
Luke evidently referred to this day as the day of unleavened bread because it was the first day of the combined feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The Jews referred to the whole period as the feast of Unleavened Bread sometimes and as the Passover sometimes (cf. Luke 2:42; Luke 22:1; Acts 12:3-4). Another possibility is that this was the day on which they removed all leaven from their homes in preparation for the Passover. [1]

Context Summary

Luke 22:1-13 - Selling Or Serving The Master
The world seemed in arms against the greatest Lover of souls that had ever trod earth's soil. Satan entered the heart of Judas, for it was his hour, and he gathered all his strength for one last prodigious effort to overthrow the Son of man and thwart His sublime purpose of redemption. Judas, one of the inner circle, did not hesitate to choose thirty pieces of silver rather than love, purity, compassion, as they were incarnate in the Son of man. The religious leaders of the age also eagerly caught at their chance.
In the meanwhile the Lord girded Himself for the conflict by gathering to His heart the remainder of the apostolic band, though none of them really understood. The arrangement of the man with the waterpot was evidently to elude arrest during the supper, as Judas could not inform his accomplices beforehand of the selected supper room. Remember that Jesus asks each of us for the guest chamber of our heart! Ask Him, not to be as a wayfaring man who tarries for the night, but to abide always. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 22

1  The leaders conspire against Jesus
3  Satan prepares Judas to betray him
7  The apostles prepare the Passover
19  Jesus institutes his holy supper;
21  covertly foretells of the traitor;
24  rebukes the rest of his apostles from ambition;
31  assures Peter his faith should not fail;
34  and yet he should deny him thrice
39  He prays in the mount, and sweats blood;
47  is betrayed with a kiss;
50  he heals Malchus' ear;
54  he is thrice denied by Peter;
63  shamefully abused;
66  and confesses himself to be the Son of God

Greek Commentary for Luke 22:7

The day of unleavened bread came [ηλτεν η ημερα των αζυμων]
The day itself came, not simply was drawing nigh (Luke 22:1). [source]
Must be sacrificed [εδει τυεσται]
This was Nisan 14 which began at sunset. Luke is a Gentile and this fact must be borne in mind. The lamb must be slain by the head of the family (Exodus 12:6). The controversy about the day when Christ ate the last passover meal has already been discussed (Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12). The Synoptics clearly present this as a fact. Jesus was then crucified on Friday at the passover or Thursday (our time) at the regular hour 6 p.m. (beginning of Friday). The five passages in John (John 13:1.; John 13:27; John 18:28; John 19:14; John 19:31) rightly interpreted teach the same thing as shown in my Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ (pp.279-284). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 22:7

Matthew 26:17 To eat the passover [παγειν το πασχα]
There were two feasts rolled into one, the passover feast and the feast of unleavened bread. Either name was employed. Here the passover meal is meant, though in John 18:28 it is probable that the passover feast is referred to as the passover meal (the last supper) had already been observed. There is a famous controversy on the apparent disagreement between the Synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel on the date of this last passover meal. My view is that the five passages in John (John 13:1., John 13:27; John 18:28; John 19:14, John 19:31) rightly interpreted agree with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 26:17, Matthew 26:20; Mark 14:12, Mark 14:17; Luke 22:7, Luke 22:14) that Jesus ate the passover meal at the regular time about 6 p.m. beginning of 15 Nisan. The passover lamb was slain on the afternoon of 14 Nisan and the meal eaten at sunset the beginning of 15 Nisan. According to this view Jesus ate the passover meal at the regular time and died on the cross the afternoon of 15 Nisan. See my Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ, pp.279-284. The question of the disciples here assumes that they are to observe the regular passover meal. Note the deliberative subjunctive (ετοιμασωμεν — hetoimasōmen) after τελεις — theleis with ινα — hina For the asyndeton see Robertson, Grammar, p. 935. [source]
Luke 23:3 Thou sayest [συ λεγεις]
A real affirmative as in Luke 22:70. The Gospels all give Pilate‘s question about Jesus asking of the Jews in precisely the same words (Mark 15:2; Matthew 27:11; Luke 23:3; John 18:33). [source]
Luke 23:35 Scoffed [εχεμυκτηριζον]
Imperfect active, perhaps inchoative, began to turn up (out, εχ — ex) at the dying Christ. The language comes from Psalm 22:7.The Christ of God (ο Χριστος του τεου — ho Christos tou theou). He had claimed to be just this (Luke 22:67, Luke 22:70). The sarcastic sneer (he saved others; let him save others, for himself he cannot save) is in Mark 15:31; Matthew 27:42. Luke alone gives the contemptuous use of ουτος — houtos (this fellow) and the fling in “the elect” (ο εκλεκτος — ho eklektos). These rulers were having their day at last. [source]
Luke 23:35 The Christ of God [ο Χριστος του τεου]
He had claimed to be just this (Luke 22:67, Luke 22:70). The sarcastic sneer (he saved others; let him save others, for himself he cannot save) is in Mark 15:31; Matthew 27:42. Luke alone gives the contemptuous use of ουτος — houtos (this fellow) and the fling in “the elect” These rulers were having their day at last. [source]
John 1:34 I have seen [εωρακα]
Present perfect active of οραω — horaō John repeats the statement of John 1:32 Have borne witness Perfect active indicative of μαρτυρεω — martureō for which verb see John 1:32. This is the Son of God The Baptist saw the Spirit come on Jesus at his baptism and undoubtedly heard the Father‘s voice hail him as “My Beloved Son” (Mark 1:11; Matthew 3:17; Luke 3:22). Nathanael uses it as a Messianic title (John 1:49) as does Martha (John 11:27). The Synoptics use it also of Christ (Mark 3:11; Matthew 14:33; Luke 22:70). Caiaphas employs it to Christ as a Messianic title (Matthew 26:63) and Jesus confessed under oath that he was (verse Matthew 26:64), thus applying the term to himself as he does in John‘s Gospel (John 5:25; John 10:36; John 11:4) and by implication (the Father, the Son) in Matthew 11:27 (Luke 10:22). Hence in the Synoptics also Jesus calls himself the Son of God. The phrase means more than just Messiah and expresses the peculiar relation of the Son to the Father (John 3:18; John 5:25; John 17:5; John 19:7; John 20:31) like that of the Logos with God in John 1:1. [source]
1 Corinthians 5:7 Passover [τὸ πάσχα]
The Paschal lamb, as Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7. [source]
1 Corinthians 5:7 A new lump [νεον πυραμα]
Make a fresh start as a new community with the contamination removed. Νεος — Neos is the root for νεανισκος — neaniskos a young man, not yet old So new wine Καινος — Kainos is fresh as compared with the ancient See the distinction in Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:22.; 2 Corinthians 5:17. Unleavened (αζυμοι — azumoi). Without (α — a privative) leaven, the normal and ideal state of Christians. Rare word among the ancients (once in Plato). They are a new creation (καινη κτισις — kainē ktisis), “exemplifying Kant‘s maxim that you should treat a man as if he were what you would wish him to be” (Robertson and Plummer). For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ First aorist passive indicative of τυω — thuō old verb to sacrifice. Euphony of consonants, τ — th to τ — t because of τη — ̇thē Reference to the death of Christ on the Cross as the Paschal Lamb (common use of πασχα — pascha as Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7), the figure used long before by the Baptist of Jesus (John 1:29). Paul means that the Lamb was already slain on Calvary and yet you have not gotten rid of the leaven. [source]
1 Corinthians 5:7 For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ [και γαρ το πασχα ημων ετυτη Χριστος]
First aorist passive indicative of τυω — thuō old verb to sacrifice. Euphony of consonants, τ — th to τ — t because of τη — ̇thē Reference to the death of Christ on the Cross as the Paschal Lamb (common use of πασχα — pascha as Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7), the figure used long before by the Baptist of Jesus (John 1:29). Paul means that the Lamb was already slain on Calvary and yet you have not gotten rid of the leaven. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 22:7 mean?

Came then the day of Unleavened [Bread] on which it was necessary for to be sacrificed the Passover lamb
Ἦλθεν δὲ ἡμέρα τῶν ἀζύμων [ἐν] ἔδει θύεσθαι τὸ πάσχα

Ἦλθεν  Came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
ἡμέρα  day 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ἀζύμων  Unleavened  [Bread] 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ἄζυμος  
Sense: unfermented, free from leaven or yeast.
ἔδει  it  was  necessary  for 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δεῖ  
Sense: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper.
θύεσθαι  to  be  sacrificed 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: θύω 
Sense: to sacrifice, immolate.
πάσχα  Passover  lamb 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: πάσχα  
Sense: the paschal sacrifice (which was accustomed to be offered for the people’s deliverance of old from Egypt).