These verses record Jesus' introduction to what followed and are similar to the welcoming words of a host before his guests begin their meal. This is the seventh of nine meal scenes that Luke recorded in his Gospel (cf. 5:29-32; 7:36-50; 9:12-17; 10:38-42; 11:37-54; 14:1-24; 22:14-20; 24:28-32; 24:36-42).
22:15 Jesus' great desire (Gr. epithymia epethymesa, lit. "with desire I have desired") to eat this meal with the Twelve was due to the teaching that He would give them. It also arose from the fact that this would be His last fellowship meal with them.
22:16 Jesus announced that He would not eat (a strong negative statement in Greek: ou me phago) another Passover meal until what the Passover anticipated, namely His own sacrificial death, had transpired (cf. 9:31).
"When His kingdom would arrive, the Passover would be fulfilled for God would have brought His people safely into their rest."472
He would eat with them again next in the kingdom, specifically at the messianic banquet at the beginning of the kingdom. This announcement probably contributed to the apostles' expectation that the kingdom would begin very soon (cf. Acts 1:6).
