Luke 22:15

With desire I have desired— This is a Hebraism, signifying a very fervent and longing desire: "I have longed greatly," said he, "to eat this passover with you before I suffer, because it is the last I shall ever celebrate with you, and because I desire, before my death, to give you the strongest proofs of my love." The proofs that he had in view were, his setting them pattern of humility and love, by washing their feet;—his instructing them in the nature of his death, as a propitiatory sacrifice;—his instituting the sacrament of the supper, in commemoration of his sufferings;—his comforting them by the tender discourses recorded by St. John, John 14:16 : in which he gave them a variety of excellent advice, and many gracious promises;—last of all, his recommending them solemnly by prayer to the protection and guidance of his heavenly Father. The magnanimity which our Lord discovers in the expression before us, is beyond conception: it implies, that although he knew this supper would be the last he should celebrate with his disciples, and that he should rise from it but a few hours before he suffered the most cruel insults and torments, which would end in his death; yet such was his love to his faithful people, such his desire to glorify his heavenly Father, that no passover was ever so welcome to him as this.