Message

---

JESUS’ PRAYER AT GETHSEMANE

Matthew 26:36-56

Key Verse: 39

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

In the last lesson, a woman poured out her perfume on Jesus’ head. And at the Lord’s Supper, Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” These two events were exceptional preparations for Jesus’ death and burial. At the same time, the religious leaders’ evil plot to get rid of Jesus and Judas’ attempt to sell Jesus for money, watching for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them, were also contributions to the marvelous work of God. In today’s passage, Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane is truly an inevitable preparation for the cross. We know that the cross of Christ Jesus is the symbol of Christianity as the focal point of our Christian belief, but Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane is often overlooked. Yet, we should also know that without Gethsemane, there is no cross. Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane enabled him to take up the cross for the salvation of mankind.

Jesus went to Gethsemane in exceeding sorrow and deep distress. The prophet Isaiah described the coming Christ as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. There is no record in Scripture that Jesus ever laughed, though Jesus had joy expressed in even full or complete joy (Jn 15:11). However, we see the description, “Jesus wept” in the Bible (Lk 19:41; Jn 11:35). How much do we need joy in our Christian life, and to be joyful always is God’s command (1 Thes 5:16), Yet, without sorrow, genuine sorrow, and anguish, we miss a big part of our Christianity faith and living. May we be able to delve into Jesus’ sorrow and prayer at Gethsemane, even a little bit, through this study.

Verse 36 says, “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’” Gethsemane means “olive press.” Apparently, it was the name of a garden, or an area in which there was a garden, on the mountainside. It was on that hillside, the western slope of the Mount of Olives, on the east of Jerusalem, just beyond the temple mount. The wealthy people of Jerusalem had gardens. Most probably, this garden also belonged to a wealthy person, and he offered this garden for Jesus to use. This was the place where Jesus had often met with his disciples (Jn 18:2). Jesus told his disciples to sit there while he went over there and prayed.

In verse 37, Jesus took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and trouble/deeply distressed. What kind of sorrow can we imagine Jesus had at this point? We know that right after the Last Supper, Jesus came to this place of Gethsemane, probably around midnight. At the last meal just before coming to this place, Jesus exposed the betrayer Judas Iscariot, even saying, “This Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” In the Bible, Judas Iscariot is clearly depicted as one of the Twelve (26:14; 26:47). This indicates how much Jesus loved him. Receiving such love and serving from the Son of God for the past 3 years, he would sell Jesus for money. How pained Jesus must have been, especially when Jesus thought of the eternal destiny of Judas! On top of that, Jesus predicted that all his disciples would fall away on account of him that night, without exception. It was like his whole earthly ministry would disappear in vain effort. And he would be abandoned and killed and taken away from the living by his own people. He would be totally alone in the anticipation of his impending crucifixion.

In verse 38, Jesus said to the three disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” In other translations, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death” (KJV) and “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death” (NASB). Here we can think further of Jesus’ sorrow. What sorrow is this that could lead him even to death? Jesus is the sinless Son of God dearly loved by God the Father. But he would take upon himself the sin of all people of the world and become a sin offering crushed on the cross. More than that the holy sinless one would be sin itself. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…” By being sin he would be the very object of God’s hatred and wrath totally against his wishes. We remember that at the time of Jesus’ baptism there was a voice from heaven that said, “This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). This love of the Father could sustain him amid much suffering. But with such a love relationship broken, God’s wrath would be poured out on him wholly. We can also imagine that his sorrow and great anguish and distress was due to the destiny of all human race to suffer eternally in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. He would have keenly known all this and said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” It is as a hymn song, “My Saviour’s Love” (224), that says, “In pity angels beheld Him, And came from the world of light To comfort Him in the sorrows He bore for my soul that night.” May we not forget the sorrow Jesus bore for each of our souls that night.

In my heart there has been a sorrow caused by the spiritual condition of my first daughter. It had been my great joy and happiness for many years to see her faith and dedication to Christ through her deep struggle with God’s words. Her hardship in life was one thing, but her spiritual deterioration was another. My sorrow and anguish continued as I thought of her soul suffering under the power of sin and Satan. Surely a shepherd’s sorrow and unhappiness is not much on account of the difficult human condition of God’s flock of sheep, but their unsolved lingering sin problem before God even amid God’s visible blessings upon them. And unsaved souls among of our loved ones cause sorrow in us. Also, when we think about our children and grandchildren who will live in a world that is becoming more and more ungodly and wicked even with no morality, anguish and sorrow arise in our hearts. With our own sorrows we can participate in the sorrow of our Lord Christ Jesus.

Then with the overwhelming sorrow what did Jesus do? Verse 39 says, “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” He had taken Peter and James and John along with him and humbly shared his sorrow with them. Then he went farther. According to Luke 22:41 he withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them. In doing so, he wanted to have space to personally struggle with God, being separated from all others. First of all he called God, “My Father.” Interestingly, it was the only time in his prayer Jesus called God, “My Father.” He was possessive of God in this prayer. The matter was between God his Father and himself. He could not lay this burden before anyone, but God his Father. In calling him “My Father,” he had a full trust in God the Father.

Jesus mentioned the cup in his prayer. Here, the cup was the cup of God’s wrath. Psalm 51:8 says,

“In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all

the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.” Isaiah 51:17 says, “Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath.” It is also written in Jeremiah 25:15, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: ‘Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.’” In Matthew 20, when the mother of James and John came to Jesus with them and requested that the right and left seats of Jesus in his coming kingdom be granted to her two sons, Jesus said, “You don’t know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” This cup is the cup of sorrow, suffering and God’s wrath.

We see the clear conflict in Jesus’ heart to take this cup or not, that is, between his will and God’s will. He is the Son of God, but also fully human. In this prayer, Jesus showed his weakness as a man. Yet, it is not sin. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has temped in every way, just as we are—yet without sin.” In his manhood, he prayed that if possible, this cup might be taken from him.” This is truly an honest request and supplication. Yet, this was not an easy battle. In Hebrews 5:7, “…he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to God.” According to Luke 22:44, being in anguish, he prayed earnestly and more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” This battle was against his human nature, but the implication is there that this fight was against the devil, who certainly prompted him not to obey God’s will. When Jesus’ overcome the devil’s temptation at the very beginning of his earthy messianic ministry, it is written in Luke 4:13, the devil left him until an opportune time.” Even in the first temptation of the devil, one of the temptations was to take the shortcut for success, not taking the way of the cross, saying, “Throw yourself down from the highest point of the temple” (Mt 4:5-6; Lk 4:9). And when Peter resisted Jesus for taking the cross, Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” And in the upper room dialogue Jesus said, “I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming…” (Jn 14:30). And in Luke, Jesus said to those who came to arrest him, “…this is your hour—when darkness reigns” (Lk22:53). At this time the devil was exerting his full-fledged force to tempt Jesus not to obey the will of God. As for us also, the major temptation of the devil is not to obey God’s will in our lives, particularly in crucial times, not to take the cross, the way of the cross, but to take an easy and convenient way.

We remember God’s test for Abraham. One day, God suddenly commanded Abraham, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about” (Ge 22:2). God gave this command so that Isaac might not be an idol to him. If so, the lives of the father and the son would be miserable. God wanted Abraham not go through that terrible stage but really bear God’s great blessing, Isaac. Genesis 22:3 says, “Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey…” meaning he was ready. We can imagine Abraham’s spiritual battle to obey God’s command and will that night. When Abraham came to the mountain and was about to sacrifice his son, God stopped him, “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Through this test and training, Abraham indeed could bear God’s blessing not having Isaac as an idol, and Abraham would continue to be a blessing to his son and his whole family and many others. I have seen many people who became so miserable after receiving God’s blessings one after another. God does not want us to be like such people but be like Abraham. Jesus expressed such a struggle we need in Luke 9:26-27, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Without the clear priority in the order of love, we cannot truly follow Christ Jesus.

In this fierce battle, Jesus’ prayer topic is very clear, “Not as I will, but as you will.” In his life, it was unthinkable not to obey the will of the Father. Hebrews 10:5-7 says, “When Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.’” God’s will for him was to take up the cross against his human desire. Jesus said in Matthew 12:50, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” 1 John 2:17 says, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” In bringing up children, raising disciples of Jesus and serving God’s ministry, may we go through the prayer battle and be able to truly obey the will of God that involves taking the cross. Amen.

Jesus prayed the second time, and we see the progress in his prayer in verse 42: “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” In this prayer he thought of the possibility of the cup being taken away, and there is no mention of his will. His prayer became clearer, “Your will be done.” He prayed the third time with the same prayer. In this way Jesus had a complete victory over the devil and his human desire as Jesus won a victory over three times of the devil’s temptation at the first fight with him.

It is notable that in the first battle Jesus’ weapon was the word of God, and in this battle Jesus’ weapon was prayer. Truly in our spiritual warfare our weapons are the word of God and prayer, different from the weapons of the world, which are human power and wisdom. Paul said in Ephesians concerning the armour of God, “Take the sword of the Spirit…pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” (Eph 6:12)

In his own prayer battle, Jesus also helped the disciples who were sleeping not being able to join in his prayer battle. Especially he said to Peter in verse 41, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” No human can overcome temptation, the devil’s temptation dragged by one’s own desire, except watching and praying. Many people make an excuse, wrongly applying this word of Jesus, “The Spirit is willing, but the body is weak,” But God wants us to overcome the weak body/flesh, by the Spirit. May we be able to hear Jesus’ word given at Gethsemane, “Watch and pray.” Paul also says in Galatians 5:16, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

After the third time of prayer Jesus was ready. He returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” What a change through his prayer from overwhelming sorrow to victorious readiness. It teaches us that prayer can change our hearts.

Judas came with the crowds armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Judas kissed Jesus as a signal for the crowd to arrest Jesus. Jesus’ response for the betraying kiss was “Friend, do what you came for.” What a heart of Jesus, calling him still “friend”!

At this the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested him. Then suddenly one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and stuck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. But Jesus did not praise his seeming courageous act. Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Humanly, Jesus was declining to the point of being arrested. But his foremost concern was the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Truly he is the man of God and the Son of God. He is God’s Son and God’s man.

At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” The fulfillment of every word of Scriptures and God’s will was his consistent concern for everyone. Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. They were men of their own desire and will and ruled by fear.

Thank God for Jesus’ example of his prayer at Gethsemane. May we also have the prayer at Gethsemane so that we can truly obey the will of God in our lives, taking the cross very personally.

---

Attachment

• Mt26b_Msg_2308.docx

---