Meaning of Luke 22:37

In Luke 22:37, Jesus declares that the prophecy, "And he was numbered with the transgressors," is being fulfilled in Him. This statement is spoken by Jesus in the immediate context of the Last Supper, as He anticipates His impending arrest, trial, and crucifixion. He understands that His suffering and death will not be a random event but the divinely ordained culmination of Old Testament prophecies, specifically identifying Himself as the suffering servant who will bear the iniquities of many. This verse highlights Jesus' awareness of His mission, His acceptance of His fate, and His deep understanding of the Scriptures that foretold His path.

Context and Background

The "transgressors" refers to lawbreakers, criminals, or those who have gone astray from God's commands. The prophecy Jesus quotes originates from Isaiah 53:12, a pivotal passage within the Suffering Servant songs of Isaiah. This chapter vividly describes a righteous figure who will suffer and die vicariously for the sins of the people. Jesus, at this moment, is preparing His disciples for the difficult events to come, framing His future suffering within the redemptive plan of God as revealed in the Old Testament. He is not merely a victim of circumstance but a willing participant in a cosmic drama of salvation.

Key Themes and Messages

• Fulfillment of Prophecy: The primary message is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in Jesus' person and mission. This underscores Jesus' divine authority and the reliability of God's Word.
• Redemptive Suffering: Jesus' identification with transgressors points to His substitutionary atonement. He will be treated as a sinner, though He Himself is sinless, in order to redeem sinners.
• Divine Foreknowledge and Sovereignty: Jesus' statement demonstrates His intimate knowledge of God's plan and His acceptance of His role within it. His suffering is not an accident but a foreordained event.
• Inclusion of the Marginalized: By being numbered with transgressors, Jesus identifies with the outcast and the sinner, demonstrating God's love and redemptive purpose extending even to those deemed unworthy.

Spiritual Significance and Application

This verse calls believers to recognize the profound love and sacrifice of Jesus. His willingness to be numbered with sinners demonstrates the extent of His grace and His desire to reconcile humanity to God. For the individual believer, it signifies that through Christ's suffering, they are no longer counted among the transgressors but are forgiven and made righteous. It encourages humility and gratitude for the immense cost of salvation and inspires a commitment to live a life transformed by this grace.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

Luke 22:37 is a crucial link in the overarching narrative of redemption. It connects the prophetic pronouncements of the Old Testament, particularly Isaiah's Suffering Servant, directly to the person and work of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. This verse serves as a testament to the cohesive nature of God's redemptive plan throughout history. Jesus' crucifixion, where He was placed between two thieves (transgressors), is the ultimate physical manifestation of this prophetic fulfillment.

Analogies

Imagine a king who, to save his people from a devastating plague, chooses to enter the quarantined zone, not as a king, but as one of the afflicted, sharing their suffering and ultimately taking on their disease to cleanse it. Jesus, the King of Kings, willingly enters the realm of sin and death, identifying with humanity's transgression, to bear its penalty and offer spiritual healing and eternal life. Another analogy is that of a perfect lamb being sacrificed in place of a flawed flock; Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, willingly takes the place of flawed humanity, bearing their condemnation.

Relation to Other Verses

• Isaiah 53:12: This is the direct source of the prophecy quoted by Jesus. "Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors."
• Matthew 26:56: After His arrest, Jesus states, "But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." This echoes the sentiment of Luke 22:37, emphasizing the planned nature of His suffering.
• 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." This verse elaborates on the theological implications of Jesus being numbered with transgressors, explaining the exchange that occurs in salvation.
• 1 Peter 2:24: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." This passage directly connects Jesus' suffering and death to the atonement for sins, aligning with the idea of Him being numbered with transgressors.