Luke
22:21-38
Culmination of Messiah's mission, 19:45-24:53
2. The meaning of Messiah's death, 22:1-23:25
ii] The upper room, 22:7-38
b] Final instructions
SynopsisAfter the meal, Jesus gives final instructions to his disciples - the children of the new Israel of God. By identifying four failures - the betrayal of Judas, the selfish desire for greatness, the denial of Peter, and the failure to properly understand the nature of the kingdom - Jesus draws out a series discipleship instructions.
Teaching
Like master, like servant; suffering, serving, reigning, persevering.
Issues
i] Context: See 22:1-6.
ii] Structure: The Upper Room:
Preparations for the meal, v7-13:
The new Passover, v14-20:
Final instructions:
The destiny of suffering, v21-23;
"Woe to the one by whom he is betrayed."
Serving with Christ, v24-27;
"I am among us as one who serves."
Reigning with Christ, v28-30;
"I confer on you ..... a kingdom."
Persevering in faith, v31-34;
Peter's denial of Christ.
Fighting the good fight, v35-38.
iii] Interpretation:
Matthew and Mark tell us that following the supper, Jesus and his disciples went immediately to the Mount of Olives. Luke, on the other hand, has Jesus deliver a farewell discourse / testament to his disciples. John also has Jesus delivering a discourse after the meal, although there is little agreement in content with Luke. In testamentary tradition, the final words of a philosopher to his disciples, in this case, the Son of Man, a prophet like unto Moses, carry great weight. So, Luke has gathered together saying material which reinforces elements of discipleship, a discipleship imaged by Jesus' own example. Johnson identifies three key elements: a disciple operates under divine authority; a disciple serves, rather than dominates; and like Jesus, a disciple will face times of testing. Luke draws out four elements of discipleship: suffering, serving, reigning, persevering.
First, Jesus informs the disciples that one of their number will betray him, v21-23. They naturally wonder who would do such a thing, but the point that Jesus wants to make is that it all falls within God's sovereign will. God is in control, not the betrayer, or the religious officials out to murder Jesus. They plan Jesus' murder for evil, but under the divine hand of God, their evil is turned to good. Jesus' disciples will soon go from here into all the world and they will be set upon by the powers of darkness, and yet whatever the testing, what God has determined will ultimately prevail.
A dispute over status (precedence / the exercise of authority) between the disciples, serves to draw out the next discipleship principle, v24-27. Like Jesus, a disciple is to humbly serve, "neither to dominate nor to regard themselves as benefactors", Johnson. As Jesus reminds his disciples, "I am among you as one who serves."
Jesus is the king of the kingdom, the Lord over God's people Israel, and this kingly rule Jesus confers on his disciples, v28-30. A disciple is a commissioned agent of Jesus with the authority to further Jesus' mission to realise the kingdom of God. To this end, a disciple is authorised and empowered to engage with the powers of darkness, releasing their captives, and this through the proclamation of the gospel (the power of God unto salvation). Jesus gives an eschatological perspective to this authority by describing his disciples feasting like kings at the eschatological banquet and sitting on thrones to "judge the twelve tribes of Israel."
Jesus' prediction of the denial of Peter again raises the issue of testing - to be sifted like wheat, v31-34. Peter, like all disciples, will soon be tested and like many of us, he will fail. Yet, as Jesus says of his disciples "you are those who have stood by me in my trials", so Jesus assures Peter, as he does to all who persevere, "I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail." A disciple will be tested, and at times fail, but if we persevere in faith then glory will be ours.
The final instruction, concerning provision for mission, again raises the issue of testing, v35-38. "The world has made its decision about Jesus, so those who follow him had better be prepared to be treated similarly", Bock. Whereas the missions conducted under Jesus' supervision were a breeze, now the disciples "will have to find their own way through a hostile world", Geldenhuys.
iv] Synoptics:
See 3:1-20. Unlike Mark, who ends the meal with the singing of a hymn, for Luke, table discussions continue, as they do in John's account of Jesus' farewell discourse. In connection with his life given, Jesus addresses the issue of his betrayal, v21-23. These three verses probably come from Luke's own source (L), although Creed argues that they are a summary of Mark 14:17-21 (cf., Matt.26:21-25).
Although there is little agreement between John's record of Jesus' farewell discourse and the version recorded by Luke, the issue of service in v24-27 does align, cf., Jn.13:3-16 - "I am among you as one who serves", v27. As with the next block of saying material, reigning with Christ, v28-30, the source material is primarily Lukan, although there is some alignment with Mark 10:42-45 (cf., Matt.20:25-25) and Matthew 19:28.
The next segment of saying material concerns Peter's denial of Christ, v31-34. This material is wholly from Luke's own source tradition, probably with some minor redaction, although Plummer suggests that v34 may be a reworking of Mark 14:30. This tradition, recorded by Luke, reflects John's record of Jesus prediction of Peter's denial.
Finally, the saying material on fighting the good fight, v35-38, is wholly Lukan, derived from his own source-material, and evidencing only minor redaction.
v] Homiletics: A parting word
This passage lends itself to a four-point sermon on the business of discipleship: suffering, serving, reigning, and persevering.
Text - 22:21
Final Instructions: i] The destiny of suffering, v21-23: A destiny of suffering shapes the life of God's messiah, and such will be the destiny of all who follow the Christ.
plhn "but" - but [behold]. This adversative, with the emphatic interjection idou, "behold", establishes a strong contrast linked to the previous verses.
tou paradidontoV (paradidwmi) pres. part. "of him who is going to betray" - [the hand] of the one betraying [me]. The participle serves as a substantive, the genitive being possessive, "belonging to." The phrase "the hand of the one betraying" is a synecdoche where part of someone / something represents the whole, giving the sense "the one who will betray me is here with me at the table with me", CEV.
met (meta) + gen. "with" - is with [me upon = at the table]. Expressing association / accompaniment, ie., the betrayer is close by, although Jesus doesn't identify him to the others.
v22
Jesus' sacrificial death is at hand oJti, "because", God's divine plan and purpose is about to be fulfilled, plhn, "but", pity help the one who chooses to play the Devil's part in that plan.
oJti "-" - because. Introducing a causal clause explaining why a betrayer is present.
men .... plhn "......, but" - on the one hand [the son of man goes according to the thing having been determined] but. Adversative comparative construction. For "Son of Man" see oJ uiJoV tou anqrwpou, 5:24.
kata + acc. "as" - [goes] according to. Expressing a standard; "in accordance with, corresponding to."
to wJrismenon (oJrizw) acc. perf. mid. part. "it has been decreed" - the thing having been decreed. The participle serves as a substantive.
tw/ anqrwpw/ (oV) dat. "to [that] man" - [but woe] to [that] man. Dative of interest, disadvantage.
di (dia) + gen. "-" - through, by means of [whom he is delivered over, betrayed]. Instrumental, expressing agency.
v23
Betrayal always prompts revulsion. The use of the verb suzhtew, "to discuss together", may imply a fractious argument. Luke doesn't go into details, nor is Judas specifically identified as he is in Matthew and John.
suzhtein (suzhtew) pres. inf. "to question" - [and they began] to discuss together [toward = among themselves]. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "to begin." "At this, they fell to debating among themselves", Cassirer.
to acc. "-" - the [who therefore it might be]. The article serves as a nominalizer, turning the interrogative clause formed by tivV, "who?" + the oblique optative of the verb to-be ei[h, into a substantive, direct object of the verb "to discuss", and as such, introduces a dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what they discussed, namely, "Who .....?" "Who would do such a thing?", CEV.
a]ra "-" - therefore. Inferential, drawing a logical conclusion.
ex (ek) + gen. "of [them]" - from [them]. Here the preposition serves in the place of a partitive genitive, as NIV.
prassein (prassw) pres. inf. "[would] do" - [being about] to accomplish, do [this]? The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "to be about to."
v24
ii] Serving with Christ, v24-27. Luke has already covered this subject in 9:46-48 and 20:45-47, but obviously the issue deserves a place in a farewell discourse. In the world, kings exercise rule over their subjects, with their subjects serving them. In the kingdom, the reverse is the case. Jesus came as one who serves, and those who follow him must similarly think of discipleship in the terms of service; "to think of oneself as having the least rights", Stein.
egeneto de "-" - but/and it came to pass, happened. See egeneto, 1:8.
kai "also" - and. Adjunctive, "also", ie., along with the dispute over who was to betray Jesus.
en + dat. "among" - [a rivalry, dispute] in [them]. Here expressing association / accompaniment; "among them."
to acc. art. "as to" - the [who]. The article serves as a nominalizer, turning the interrogative clause introduced by tivV, "who?", into a substantive standing in apposition to the noun "an argument, discussion." "There also arose a controversy among them about which of them was to rank highest", Cassirer.
autwn gen. pro. "of them" - of them. The genitive is adjectival, partitive.
einai (eimi) pres. inf. "[considered] to be" - [seems] to be [greater]. The infinitive introduces an object clause / dependent statement of perception, expressing what "seems" to be. Note that the comparative meizwn, "greater", is used for the superlative, "greatest". There is a play on words throughout the passage with this adjective, v24, 26, and 27.
v25
Kings rule over others by kurieuousin, "lording it over" them (Mark has katakurieuousin, "to oppress"), and in return expect to be euergetai, "benefactors".
oJ de "Jesus" - but/and he. Transitional, indicating a change in subject from the disciples to Jesus.
autoiV dat. pro. "to them" - [he said] to them. Dative of indirect object.
twn eqnwn (oV) gen. "of the Gentiles" - [the kings] of the nations. The genitive is adjectival, descriptive, idiomatic / subordination; "the kings who rule over the nations."
autwn gen. pro. "them" - [lord it over, rule over, dominate] them. Genitive of direct object after the verb "to lord it over."
oi exousiazonteV (exousiazw) pres. part. "those who exercise authority" - [and] the ones being in authority over. The participle serves as a substantive, nominative subject of the verb "to be called."
autwn gen. pro. "them" - them. Genitive of direct object after the ek prefix participle, "being in authority over."
euergetai (hV ou) "Benefactors" - benefactors [are called]. Complement of the nominative subject "the ones being in authority over", standing in a double nominative construction and asserting a fact about the subject.
v26
The saying describes how a leader should lead. A disciple is not to be ou{twV, "thus", ie., like secular authorities. The "greater" = greatest must ("let him be") like oJ ewteroV, "the younger", like a child, cf., 9:47; the one hJgoumenoV, "doing the leading", like a servant. "The greatest man must become like a junior and your leader must be a servant", Phillips.
all (alla) "instead" - [but/and for you it is not thus] but. Strong adversative standing in a counterpoint construction; "not ...., but."
oJ meizwn adj. "the greatest" - [let] the one being greater [in = among you become]. The comparative adjective serves as a substantive, nominative subject of the verb "to become." The comparative here serves as a superlative.
wJV "like" - as [the younger is]. Comparative. The comparative "younger" serves for the superlative "youngest" - common form.
oJ hJgoumenoV (hJgeomai) pres. part. "the one who rules" - [and let] the one leading [ become as the one serving is]. The participle, as for "the one serving", serves as a substantive.
v27
From a secular point of view, greatness is found in receiving the service of others. Yet, what may seem to be the case from a secular perspective, is not necessarily the case from a divine perspective. "Who really is greater?" From God's perspective, the one who serves is greater than the one who receives the service. Jesus came to serve, and "give his life as a ransom for many", Mk.10:45.
gar "for" - for [who is greater]. Here more reason than cause; introducing an explanation.
oJ anakeimenoV (anakeimai) pres. mid. part. "the one who is at the table" - the one sitting / reclining at table [or the one serving? is it not the one sitting / reclining at table]? This participle, as for "the one serving", serves as a substantive.
egw pro. "[but] I" - [but/and] i. Emphatic by position and use.
uJmwn gen. pro. "[among] you" - [but/and i am in middle] of you. The genitive is adjectival, partitive.
wJV "as" = as [the one serving is]. Here serving to express a characteristic quality; Jesus is not like someone who serves but is someone who serves.
v28
iii] Reigning with Christ, v28-30. Jesus came with royal authority, and his disciples, the ones diamemenhkoteV, "continuing, abiding, remaining, persevering", with Christ (perfect tense), are commissioned to exercise that authority on his behalf, managing the realisation of the kingdom of God. Like the judges in the Book of Judges, krinonteV, "judging", is not just passing judgment, but leading, ruling, managing the business of God's people in the world. In typical form, Luke's version of the saying in v30 is inaugurated / realised, whereas in Matthew, 19:28, the sense is wholly eschatological. For Luke, the expansion of the apostolic church recorded in the Book of Acts, a record particularly focused on the mission of Paul the apostle, is all about managing / ruling / judging "the twelve tribes of Israel." Kingdom-business for a disciple is all about gathering and nurturing the lost, and this through the preaching of the gospel, "the power of God unto salvation."
de "-" - but/and. Transitional, indicating a step in the discourse.
oiJ diamemenhkotoV (diamenw) perf. part. "those who have stood by" - [you are] the ones having remained, continued. The participle serves as a substantive, predicate nominative of the verb to-be. The sense of the perfect tense should be emphasised; "You are people who have stood with me and continue to stand with me." "In the face of pressure, rejection, and opposition, they have continued to stand by him. Their constancy is now rewarded with greater responsibility", Bock.
met (meta) + gen. "with" - with [me]. Expressing association / accompaniment. The form of the pronoun emou is sometimes emphatic, but usually not after a preposition.
en + dat. "in" - in [the trials, testing, temptations of me]. Probably expressing context or circumstance, "in the context of my trials", but possibly temporal, "during my time of testing", "throughout my trials"; "when I was under attack", Barclay / "You've stuck with me through thick and thin", Peterson.
v29
"The Father is pleased to give you the kingdom (kingly authority, rule)", 12:32; but here Jesus does the conferring. The sense of diatiqemai is "to make an agreement" (legal terminology), to confer the right, not just to possess the promised blessing of the kingdom, but the right and authority to manage it, ie., to manage the reign of God as Jesus' representatives. We can only presume that life, with all its ups and down, prepares us for this task into eternity - life, the kindergarten of eternity!
uJmin dat. pro. "on you" - [and i decree / covenant] to / on / with you [a kingdom = kingly authority, rule]. Dative of indirect object, or possibly local, space, "on you", as NIV, or association, "with you."
kaqwV "just as" - as [the father of me decreed / covenanted to / on / with me]. Comparative; "in keeping with the pattern of what the Father has done for Jesus", Thompson.
v30
Although Matthew's version of this saying is eschatological, it is unlikely that Luke has in mind the consummation of the kingdom in the age to come; Luke's perspective is inaugurated / realised. For Luke, Jesus is metaphorically referring to a disciple's participation in the kingdom, both sharing its blessings (couched in the terms of the eschatological banquet) and participating in its rule / management (couched in the terms of sitting on thrones).
iJna + subj. "so that" - that [you may eat and drink upon = at the table of me in the kingdom of me]. Introducing a final clause expressing purpose, so Culy; Jesus "confers" authority in order that ..... It may also be consecutive, expressing result, so Zerwick (hypothetical result, NIV??), although Nolland suggests that an adverbial sense "is hardly intelligible" and so opts for an epexegetic use of iJna.
krinonteV (krinw) pres. part. "judging" - [and you will sit upon thrones] judging. Possibly attendant on the iJna clause, in which case it provides a further purpose or result of Jesus' conferring of a kingdom, or a further explanation of what that amounts to. Culy suggests it is adverbial, modal, expressing the manner of sitting upon thrones.
tou Israhl gen. "of Israel" - [the twelve tribes] of israel. The genitive is adjectival, descriptive, idiomatic, "the twelve tribes which make up the nation of Israel." Culy classifies it as epexegetic, specifying the twelve tribes.
v31
iv] Persevering in faith, v31-34. In predicting Peter's denial, Jesus reveals his capacity for foreknowledge, although Christology is probably not on Luke's mind. In recording Peter's ultimate restoration, Luke may have the wider issue of ecclesiology in mind. The fact that Jesus affirms Peter's future ministry is certainly important for his continued standing and leadership of the early church. Yet, in the wider context of a farewell discourse, parting advice for disciples remains the prime purpose of Jesus' words. So, along with suffering, serving and reigning, there is persevering. Satan will "sift" / test Jesus' disciples, but this incident encapsulates a paradigm applicable to all believers. Just as Jesus prayed for the strengthening of Peter's faith, so he prays for all believers. The ultimate salvation of a believer depends on persevering in faith, and to this task, Jesus stands with us such that a faith as small as a mustard seed saves.
exhthsato (exaitew) aor. "has asked" - [simon, simon, behold, satan] has sought permission for [you]. The verb "to obtain by asking" draws on the imagery of Satan seeking the right to test the righteousness of Job. Satan has seemingly withdrawn after the temptation of Jesus, but now he is back in force, not only with the divine authority to put Jesus to the test, but also Peter, as well as all the disciples (note the plural uJmaV, "you" = "you all". The testing is for all, and presumably Jesus' promise is for all, not just Peter).
tou siniasai (sinazw) aor. inf. "to sift" - to sift you. The genitive article + an infinitive will often serve to introduce a final clause expressing purpose, "in order that he may shake you in a sieve as grain is sifted", Wuest, so TH. Both Culy and Thompson suggest indirect discourse, ie., introducing an object clause / dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what Satan sought permission to do.
wJV "as" - as, like [grain is sifted]. Comparative. The sense of the image is unclear, but probably referring to putting to the test; "to test each one of you", CEV; "putting the loyalty of all of you through the mill", Barclay - sifting out the weaknesses and agitating them! In Peter's case, fear.
v32
Jesus prays, not that Peter will not fail the test, but that his faith will not fail, that he will persevere in faith. Peter's allegiance and loyalty to Jesus may be a bit ho-hum, but the slender thread of faith remains, and that's all it takes! And when he epistrefw, "turns back", repents, his task will be to go on to sthrison (imp.), "support, strengthen, firm up", encourage, the brotherhood.
egw pro. "I" - [but/and] i [i prayed]. Emphatic by position and use.
peri + gen. "for" - for [you]. Probably reference / respect, "concerning, about, with reference to", but possibly representation, advantage, "on behalf of, for", used instead of uJper.
iJna + subj. "that" - that [the faith of you may not fail, desert ("drain away to nothing", Nolland)]. Possibly introducing a final clause expressing purpose, "in order that", or introducing an object clause / dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what Jesus prayed for.
su pro. "-" - [and] you. Emphatic by position and use.
pote epistreyaV (epistrefw) aor. part. "when you have turned back" - when having returned to me, [strengthen the brothers of me]. The participle is adverbial, best viewed as temporal, and with the temporal particle pote, may give an expanded temporal sense "when you have in due course turned back", Culy. The word "repent" carries the sense "to turn back, turn around to God"; "repented and turned to me again", NLT.
v33
The reader will soon find out how empty these words are.
oJ de "but" - but/and he. Transitional, indicating a change in subject from Jesus to Peter.
autw/ dat. pro. "-" - [he said] to him. Dative of indirect object.
meta + gen. "with [you]" - [lord,] with [you]. Expressing association / accompaniment.
poreuesqai (poreuomai) pres. inf. "to go" - [i am ready] to go [and = even into prison and into death]. The infinitive is technically epexegetic, specifying the adjective eJtoimoV, "ready, prepared"; "I am ready, namely, to go to prison and to be put to death with you."
v34
Jesus unfolds the future for Peter. Matthew and Mark have Peter disowning Jesus, but for Luke, he denies Jesus, cf., Matt.26:34, Mk.14:30. For Luke, Peter is still a man of faith; it's just that under pressure he can't cut the mustard (like all of us???).
oJ de "-" - but/and he. Transitional, indicating a change in subject from Peter to Jesus.
soi dat. pro. "you" - [he said, i say] to you. Dative of indirect object.
e{wV + fut. "-" - [peter, a rooster will not crow today] until [you will deny three times]. A temporal clause expressing future time in relation to the main verb, as here - time up to a point. Usually formed with e{wV an + subj. Here Luke has chosen the form e{wV + fut.
eidenai (oida) perf. inf. "that you know [me]" - to know [me]. Introducing an object clause / dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what Peter said in his denial. Peter's statement would contain a negation, "I do not know him", implied by the verb "to deny."
v35
v] Fighting the good fight, v35-38. In the terms of the mission of the twelve, 9:1-6, and the seventy, 10:4, the farewell discourse ends with a final word to the disciples as they head out on their mission to take the news of the coming kingdom into the world. Yet, the disciples need to recognise that the circumstances have changed. "In the time of Satanic sifting about to begin, the comfortable optimism of Luke 10:4 about God's provision for his messengers will no longer be applicable", Nolland. In an age of crisis, beyond imagination, a radical response is demanded of a disciple. Satan's opposition to the gospel will be constant and multifaceted, prompting an ongoing struggle with the powers of darkness. So, we must be prepared to fight the good fight with all our might.
autoiV dat. pro. "to them" - [and he said] to them. Dative of indirect object.
oJt "when" - when. The temporal conjunction serves to introduce a temporal clause.
a[ter + gen. "without" - [i sent you] without [a purse and bag and sandals]. This preposition is not widely used in the NT. It expresses separation: "without, apart from, independent of."
mh "-" - not. This negation is used in a question expecting a negative answer.
tinoV gen. pro. "anything" - [not did you lack, need] certain = anything. Genitive of direct object after the verb "to lack."
oiJ de "-" - but/and they [they said]. Transitional, indicating a change in subject from Jesus to the disciples.
ouqenoV gen. adj. "nothing" - we lacked nothing. The adjective serves as a substantive, genitive of direct object after the assumed verb "to lack."
v36
The new situation explained in v37 requires a disciple to be fully equipped for mission, enabling them to withstand opposition, even persecution.
The reference to purchasing a sword for mission is problematic, given that "the context indicates a literal meaning", Ellis. Jeremias argues that Jesus is prophesying the outbreak of the messianic wars, but this is unlikely. Evans sees it as an illusion to the dagger of the bandit and insurrectionary, with whom Jesus is aligned, v37, and with whom the disciples will be aligned by the world / secular city. If a literal sense is intended, we can rule out a justification for the Crusades; "nothing more than protection of one's person is in view", Nolland. Grundmann argues for a symbolic sense, as do most commentators, ie.,"sword" = "animosity", Green: "dire circumstances are at hand", Marshall; the disciples "are entering a state of testing in which they will be without external resources and in danger", Johnson; "disciples are to engage the world, but they will have to take care of themselves", Bock; "spiritually armed and prepared for battle against the spiritual foes", Stein;
The syntax of this verse is made obscure by the lack of clarity about what oJ ecwn, "the one having", and oJ mh ecwn, "the one not having", has. Evans suggests the following three options, so Bock; Fitzmyer suggests 4. Either way, the point is "full provision is now required", Bock.
•i"He who still possesses a purse, let him take it up again for use, and likewise his bag; and he who does not have either, let him sell his mantle and buy a sword with the proceeds."
•i"Let him who has a sword take his purse and bag, and he who does not have a sword, let him sell his mantle and buy one."
•i"Let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one"
autoiV dat. pro. "to them" - [but/and he said] to them. Dative of indirect object.
alla "but" - but [now I say]. Strong adversative introducing a counterpoint to v36.
oJ ecown (ecw) pres. part. "if you have" - [let] the one having [a purse take it]. The participle serves as a substantive, subject of the verb "to take." Probably a money-belt is in mind
oJmoiwV adv. "and" - likewise [and = also a bag]. Comparative adverb, "in like manner." "a knapsack", Barclay.
oJ mh ecwn (ecw) pres. part. "the one who has no [sword]" - [and, let] the one not having [sell the garment of him and let him buy a sword]. The participle serves as a substantive, subject of the verb "to buy." The "sandals" of v35 have become a "garment, cloak."
v37
The disciples' present reign with Christ entails serving as his emissaries, proclaiming the coming kingdom to a broken world. Jesus now warns them that they are entering an age of testing and trial for which they must be prepared. Jesus does this by quoting Isaiah 53:12, a prophecy not only applicable to the disciples, but even now playing out (teloV ecei, "has an end" = is now to be fulfilled, completed) for Jesus.
gar "-" - for. More reason than cause; explaining the reason for the change to a negative outlook.
oJti "-" - [i say to you] that. Introducing an object clause / dependent statement of direct speech expressing what Jesus says.
to gegrammenon (grafw) perf. mid. part. "is written" - [this] having been written. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "this". The demonstrative pronoun touto, "this", is forward referencing to the quote. "This Scripture", ESV.
telesqhnai (telew) aor. pas. inf. "be fulfilled" - to be fulfilled [in me is necessary]. The infinitive serves as the subject of the impersonal verb "is necessary", with its accusative subject touto, "this". For a complementary classification see grayai, 1:3.
to "-" - the [and with lawless he was numbered]. The article serves as an nominalizer, turning the quotation commencing with kai into a substantive standing in apposition to touto, "this". At face value, the quotation illustrates the type of vilification facing Jesus, and inevitably, his disciples. Jesus, as well as his disciples, will be elegisqh, "numbered, reckoned" as a lawless outsider. Commentators will often dig deeper, given that the quotation comes from Isaiah's servant song. Johnson adds that the quote interprets Jesus' death in terms of: a) the fulfilment of God's will; b) a death of vicarious suffering for the lawless and the sinner. Both are true, but it is unclear whether Jesus is making this point in the present context.
gar "yes" - for [and = even]. The NIV reads the conjunction here as expressing a strong affirmation, BDAG.190.3. "Indeed, whatever in the scripture has reference to me is even now finding its fulfilment", Cassirer.
to "what" - the [about me]. The article serves as a nominalizer turning the prepositional phrase introduced by peri, "about, concerning, with reference to", into a substantive, nominative subject of the verb "to have."
teloV (oV) acc. "[is reaching its] fulfilment" - [has] an end. The sense here is unclear. Most translations, as NIV, have something like, "What is written about me is now about to be fulfilled", but the sense may be something like "now comes to its climax", Stein, "reaches its goal", Fitzmyer; its "appointed end", Barclay.
v38
To assume, for even a moment, that the kingdom of God can overcome the kingdom of darkness with a couple of swords (or some brilliantly conceived church management program!), indicates that the disciples have totally missed the point. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, not swords. Jesus' response "it is enough" is unclear, but most likely it is an expression used to end a discussion, as NIV, so Marshall, even exasperation, "Enough is enough!" Of course, Jesus may intend a facetious replay, "It is enough" = "Two are enough" = "I think two would probably do the job!" When it comes to Jesus' arrest, the use of a sword may seem a necessary response for the disciples, but Jesus will say Eate e{wV toutou, "Stop! No more of this."
oJ de "-" - but/and they [they said, lord, behold here are two swords]. Transitional, indicating a change in subject from Jesus to the disciples. The swords in mind are long daggers used for personal protection.
autoiV dat. pro. "-" - [but/and he said] to them, [it is enough]. Dative of indirect.
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