(14-18) And when the hour was come.--See Notes on Matthew 26:20; Mark 14:17. The other Gospels name "the evening." St. Luke uses simply "the hour" as referring to the appointed time, "in the evening" (literally, between the two evenings, i.e., the close of twilight; see Exodus 12:6), for the "killing," the lamb being eaten afterwards as soon as it was roasted. It is characteristic of the comparatively late date of St. Luke's narrative that he speaks of "the twelve Apostles," while the other two reports speak of "the disciples." (Comp. Luke 9:10; Luke 17:5; Luke 24:10.)

Verses 14-38. - The Last Supper. Verse 14. - And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. The preparation had been made in the "large upper room," and the Lord and the twelve sat down, or rather reclined on the couches covered with carpets, the tables before them laid with the dishes peculiar to the solemn Passover Supper, each dish telling its part of the old loved story of the great deliverance. There was the lamb the Paschal victim, and the bitter herbs, the unleavened bread and the reddish sweet conserve of fruits - commemorating, it is said, by its color the hard labors of brickmaking, one of the chief burdens of the Egyptian bondage - into which the Blaster dipped the sop, and gave it to the traitor-apostle (John 13:26). The Lord reclined, probably, at the middle table; St. John next to him; St. Peter most likely on the other side; and the others reclining in an order corresponding more or less closely with the threefold division of the twelve into groups of four. The Supper itself had its special forms and ceremonies, which the Lord transformed as they proceeded in such a way as to change it into the sacred Supper of the New Testament.

22:7-18 Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover. Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his Father's glory and man's redemption. He takes his leave of all passovers, signifying thereby his doing away all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which the passover was one of the earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come.And when the hour was come,.... When it was evening, the last of the two evenings, when it was dark, at least after six o'clock; See Gill on Matthew 26:20.

he sat down; or lay along on a couch, as was the custom; see the note, as before:

and the twelve apostles with him; for Judas, after he had made his bargain with the chief priests, Scribes, and elders, came and took his place with the rest of the apostles, both to cover his sin, and to watch the best opportunity of betraying his master.