The order of Communion in Luke 22:17-20 versus Mark 14:22-25 and Matthew 26:26-29 In Matt. 26:26-29 and Mark 14:22-25, Jesus presents the bread before the wine in the performance of Communion.


Matt. 26:26-29


  26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Mark 14:22-25


  22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”



But, in Luke 22:17-20 the wine is presented prior to the bread.


Luke 22:17-20


  17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” **20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.



Can anyone explain this supposed discrepancy?
The Marcan-Matthean tradition and the (earlier) Pauline-Lucan tradition vary in how they record the institution of the Eucharist. Compare the reading from Mark and Matthew with Luke and Paul, where Paul records the institution of the Eucharist in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25:


  23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way also the chalice, after supper, saying, "This chalice is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."


I bring this up because you will note that both Mark and Matthew record the institution of the Eucharist while they were eating. In contrast, neither Luke nor Paul are entirely clear as to whether Jesus ate at all. Regardless, both Luke and Paul are very careful to point out that the eucharistic cup is instituted after the meal had concluded (μετα το δειπνησαι, 'after they had eaten'). Luke identifies this meal as the Passover (Luke 22:15). Luke's mention of another cup is consonant with Jewish custom during Passover (which included more than just one cup during the ceremony), but the intercalation of two cups surrounding the breaking of the bread highlights that particular action as theologically significant. Indeed, we will see that later on, in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke will use the term 'breaking of the bread' to reference the entire Eucharistic feast (cf. Acts 2:42 &amp; 20:7).