(Luke 22:16-28.)

"With desire I have desired (I have heartily desired) to eat this passover with you before I suffer."

"Ye are they which have continued with me in My tribulations."

"with You." Emmanuel, God with us, He who is "over all, God blessed for ever," was here, "God manifested in the flesh," tabernacling in our midst in our world, in our nature, in our circumstances. Perfect in full Godhead, perfect in full humanity, He was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." No taint of Adam's fall, no defilement of evil, was in Him, the holy and true One. And yet He said, "With you," with us, for we were represented in the disciples whom He chose that they might be with Him, His companions, and that He might send them forth to preach. (The order is to be noted, companionship with Him was before, and led up to, commission for Him.)

He valued their presence, and the holy familiarity which existed and evidenced itself so often in His association with them, speaks to us of the reality of His sinless, impeccable humanity. What tender thought and consideration for them was ever manifested! What patience and forbearance! What love and grace and kindness! How wonderful that He should find His joy in their company!

And now that the great type of Himself and His sufferings, the passover, is to have its fulfilment in Himself, the great Antitype, it is with desire, great desire, He would eat it with them.

"Before I suffer." All that which He was to endure was before Him. The hour for that baptism of judgment and of death, with which He must be baptized, if God were to be glorified and man were to be blessed, was at hand. But in the midst of this He thinks of His own, and having eaten the passover He spreads for them the feast of remembrance, the Supper of the Lord, in order that in that keepsake of His love their hearts may be recalled again and again to Himself and His love, and His death for them in the world, out of which He has been cast.

"With You," with us who believe. He would link Himself with us in our need, coming where we were so that He might lift us out of the miry clay of our ruin and place us where He is in resurrection life now, and soon in glory with Himself. The cost was to be His alone. The consummation was to be ours – in His company.

"With me." Looking over their history as apostles He does not refer to the miracles wrought, and the power of Satan overcome through His name, during their service. It was their companionship which is singled out for remark. "Ye are they which have continued with Me in My tribulations." He had sought, He had secured, He had delighted in their company.

They had walked with Him in the Galilean fields, in outside Samaria, in persecuting Judea. Though foolish and failing as ourselves, yet they had remained with Him when many had gone back and "walked no more with Him." And when He would go back to Judea to awaken His friend Lazarus, one of them, Thomas, will say, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." Thomas was devoted here if doubting later.
All this had been delightsome to the Lord. He had esteemed their affection, feeble as it had been, and passing over all their blunders and weakness of faith He recalls alone their faithful companionship in the hours of testing and trial-testing and trial which served to testify to His perfection.

And with Him, "with Me," will be heaven for His own eternally. And He will find His joy in having them in His likeness and in His company for ever. He has gone to prepare a place for His companions, and His presence in the Father's house in righteousness makes ready the place for them, so that where He is there they may be also.

And His righteous claim is that there they shall be, as He said, "Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am" (John 17:24).

Nothing less than that will suit His loving heart. To bring it to pass He will come again to receive us unto Himself. Then it will be true for ever what has been said as to His Bride-the Church-of which we believers all form part:

"He and I in that bright glory,
One deep joy shall share;
Mine to be for ever with Him,
His that I am there."

"With you." He will be with His own in gracious concern and active in His love until the journey is over.

"With Me." Then they will be with Him, where He will rest in His love and joy over them with singing.

–INGLIS , FLEMING.