Jesus was in agony in gethsemane

JESUS WAS IN AGONY IN GETHSEMANE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 26:38 38Thenhe saidto them, "My soul is
overwhelmedwith sorrow to the point of death. Stay
here and keep watch with me."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Man Of Sorrows
Matthew 26:38
W.F. Adeney
Although this name is found in Messianic prophecy(Isaiah 53:3), it would be
wrong to suppose that there was no gladness in the life of Christ. He spoke of
his joy (John 15:11), and he delighted to do the will of God (Psalm 40:8). So
pure a life spent in doing goodto men must have had a gladness which no
earthly pleasure could bestow. Yet Jesus had sorrows whichno man can
measure. It is easierto understand the glory of the Transfigurationthan the
agonyof the garden.
I. THE GREATNESS OF THE SORROWS.Manybitter ingredients entered
into the cup of anguish which it was the Father's will that Jesus should drink.

1. The horror of death. Jesus was young and in health; it was natural for him
to shrink from a premature and violent death.
2. The dread of shame. Jesus was ofthe most refined and sensitive nature; in
his Passionhe was to face insult and ignominy.
3. Apparent failure. He came to set up his kingdom, to redeem Israel, to save
the world; and his mission was rejected. Insteadof the throne, he was to have
the cross. All his efforts seemedto be ending in darkness. This was the earthly
aspectof them. During his humiliation he must have felt it.
4. The faithlessness offriends. One had betrayed him; another was about to
deny him; nearly all would flee in selfish cowardice.
5. Spiritual depression. At lastJesus seemedto be desertedby God.
II. THE SOURCE OF THE SORROWS.We must look deeperthan these
immediate occasionsofthe grief of Christ. The fundamental source is beneath
and behind all of them.
1. The world's sin. They all result from sin. The world's sin rose up against
God's Holy One, and smote him with all its fury. It was the dark cloud of this
mass of sin that hid from him the vision of God. Jesus was bearing the load of
sin, and it was breaking his heart.
2. The goodness ofChrist. Bad men do not feel the world's sin very acutely.
(1) The holiness of Jesus was horrified at its black and hideous enormity.
(2) The love of Christ was grievedat its shocking cruelty towards himself, and
at its ownfatal and suicidal influence in the world. He saw it as the cause of
misery and ruin and death.
III. THE ENDURANCE OF THE SORROWS. HOW did Jesus meetthem?
1. With natural shrinking. He was no fanatical lover of martyrdom. He
proved his humanity by feeling acutelyand desiring to escape. Thereforehe
can sympathize with sufferers.

2. With prayer. The Gethsemane ofagony is Christ's most sacredoratory. He
teaches us to bring our griefs to God. His example shows that prayer is the
soul's consolationin trouble.
3. With trustful submissions. He desired God's will to be done, whateverthat
might be. He prayed for deliverance, but he never complained, much less did
he rebel. Here he is the example for us whose greatestsorrows neverapproach
the tragic terror of his.
IV. THE FRUIT OF THE SORROWS.
1. Christ's victory. He triumphed by submission. In obedience to God, he
attained to the desire of his heart. Through his Passionand crucifixion he won
the "Name which is above every name." His sorrows led to his glory. By the
via dolorosa he reachedhis throne.
2. The world's salvation. No selfishmotive of personalgain inspired our
Lord's endurance. His very rewardwas to see the world saved. His suffering
was all for others;if the world may rejoice in hope, this is owing to the fact
that Jesus sufferedin the darkness ofa dreadful death. - W.F.A.

Biblical Illustrator
A place called Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:36-39
The language and tone befitting our prayers to God
George Wray, M. A.
To a thoughtful and inquiring mind, nothing will be more manifest than the
decorum of our Saviour's addressesto the throne of grace. He is never
betrayed into flights and ecstasies;never uses any phrase which is not marked
by the strictestrules of soberness andtruth. In His agony in the garden, when,
if ever, the mind of an afflicted and sorrowfulman, overwhelmedwith grief,
and preparing for trial and for death, might be expectedto break forth into
piteous cries and strong phrases, there is not one word which betrays the
slightestexcess.His soul is wrung with pain. He is very sorrowful. He is
sorrowfuleven unto death. His agonyis, perhaps, unspeakable;but not one
impassionedcry, not one indecorous expression, not one familiar word,
escapeshis lips. His prayer is such as befits a sonwho honours his father, and
who seems to have ever present to his mind the dignity of that parent. Now
compare this with the prayers of ignorant and uneducated men — with the
loud cry, the coarse phrases, the vehement gesticulations,the monstrous
apostrophes they employ; above all, with the familiar way in which they speak
of God and address themselves to Him, and judge between them and Jesus
Christ. Jesus came to setus an example, as well in what He saidas in what He
did. He taught us how to pray. He showedon this greatoccasion, anoccasion
which none beside will ever experience, whatis to be the tone and manner of
our addressesto God. He was dignified in the midst of His distress. His holy
father was an objectof the devoutestreverence, so devout that He never
presumes either then, or at any time, to use familiar language to Him..His
prayer was suchthat it might have been listened to by the greatestprince or
the pro-roundest scholar, yet it was a prayer so simple that any one can use it.
Every sentence, everyword, every syllable, is suitable to the majesty of heaven
and the weaknessofman. He never descends to low phrases and

conversationalterms, nor forgets, forone moment, that He is in intercourse
with the Fatherof spirits.
(George Wray, M. A.)
Submission to the Divine will
Paysonwas asked, whenunder greatbodily affliction, if he could see any
particular reasonfor the dispensation. "No," he replied; "but I am as well
satisfiedas if I could see ten thousand; God's will is the very perfection of all
reason."
Duty of submission
Sir Wm. Temple., E. de Pressense, D. D.
I know no duty in religion more generallyagreedon, nor more justly required
by God Almighty, than a perfect submission to His will in all things; nor do I
think any disposition of mind can either please Him more, or become us
better, than that of being satisfiedwith all He gives, and contentedwith all He
takes away. None, I am sure, can be of more honour to God, nor of more ease
to ourselves. Forif we consider Him as our Maker, we cannot contend with
Him; if as our Father, we ought not to distrust Him; so that we may be
confident, whateverHe does is intended for our good; and whatever happens
that we interpret otherwise, yetwe canget nothing by repining, nor save
anything by resisting.
(Sir Wm. Temple.)My will, not thine, be done, turned Paradise into a desert.
"Thy will, not mine be done," turned the desertinto Paradise, and made
Gethsemane the gate of heaven.
(E. de Pressense, D. D.)
A visit to Gethsemane

J. Parsons.
The interest attachedto the events belonging to the course of our Redeemer
becomes more touching and more absorbing as they advance towards the
close, etc.
I. WHAT WAS THE "PLACE CALLED GETHSEMANE?"There were
reasons why this garden should be selected, atonce obvious and important.
Knowing what He had to undergo, the Lord Jesus wantedprivacy; the
disciple who was to betray Him knew the place, etc.
II. THE EMOTION OF WHICH THE "PLACE CALLED GETHSEMANE"
WAS THE SCENE. It was the emotion of sorrow.
1. Its intensity. Formerly His sorrow had been chastenedand subdued, while
now it burst forth irrepressibly and without reserve. Presentedin the
Evangelicalnarratives.
2. Its cause. The solitude of the cause ofthe Saviour's emotion, is exclusively
this, that He was not only a martyr, but a Mediator, and that He suffered as
an expiation on behalf of human sin. He was feeling the immense and terrible
weight of propitiation.
3. Its relief and end. Support conveyed as an answerto His prayers, through
the ministration of an angel, invigorating Him for the endurance of the final
and fearful crisis which was before Him. He is enthroned in the loftiest
elevation.
III. THE IMPRESSIONSWHICH OUR RESORT TO THE "PLACE
CALLED GETHSEMANE" OUGHT TO SECURE.
1. The enormous evil and heinousness of sin.
2. The amazing condescensionand love of the Lord Jesus.
3. The duty of entire reliance upon the Saviour's work, and entire
consecrationto the Saviour's service. Forthat reliance, genuine and implicit
faith is what is required — faith being the instrument of applying to whole

perfection of His work, etc. Who can do other than recognize atonce the
obligation and the privilege of entire consecration?
(J. Parsons.)
The soul-sorrow ofJesus
J. Macnaughton.
I. THAT THE BODILY SUFFERINGSOF JESUS, howeveracute and
protracted, COULD NOT CONSTITUTEA SUFFICIENT ATONEMENT
FOR SIN. Normeet the demands of a violated law. The bodily suffering is no
adequate compensationfor the evil committed. The soul is the chief sinner.
The sufferings of Christ in His body could not be a sufficient atonementfor
sin because theydid not exhaustthe curse pronounced by the law against
transgression.
II. THE SEVERITYOF THE MEDIATOR'S SORROW. WhenHe made His
soul an offering for sin.
1. He suffered much from the temptations by which He was assailed.
2. From the ingratitude and malignity of man.
3. The soul-sorrow of Christ was produced by the sensible withholding of all
comforting communication from heaven, and by the feeling of forsakenness in
the hour of distress.
4. The sorrow of the Redeemer's soulrose to its height when he did actually
endure the wrath of God due to our sins.
(J. Macnaughton.)
The representative human conflict
Selected.

Our Savour's conflict in Gethsemane was a representative conflict, and it
reveals to us the meaning of human life, and the struggle through which we
must pass.
I. There are only two wills in the world-God's wilt, and man's will.
II. The blessednessofman, the creature, must lie in the harmonious working
togetherof these two wills.
III. These two wills are at present in antagonism.
IV. How can these two wills be brought togetherinto harmony? Answer —
1. Notby any changing of the perfectwill of God.
2. Man's will is wrong, imperfect, misguided, it may be changed, it ought to be
changed, it must be changed. Here is the proper first sphere of a redeeming
work. What shall change it? The truth as it is in Jesus. The work wrought out
for us by Jesus. The grace wonfor us by Jesus. The constraining of the love of
Jesus. The powerof the risen and living Jesus.
(Selected.)
The soul-passionofChrist
Canon Liddon.
What is the explanation we are to give of this passagein our Lord's life? One
explanation which has been offered is that Gethsemane witnesseda last and
more desperate assaultofthe evil One; but for this the Bible gives no clear
warrant. Certainly, the evil One, after his greatdefeat on the mountain of the
Temptation, is said to have departed from our Lord " for a season," aa
expressionwhich seems to imply that he afterwards returned; but, so far as
the text of Scripture can guide us, he returned to assailnotthe Workman hut
the work. What took place in Gethsemane is totally unlike the scene in the
Temptation. At the Temptation, our Lord is throughout calm, firm, majestic.
He repels eachsuccessive assaultofthe tempter with a word of power. The
prince of this world came, and had nothing in Him, But in Gethsemane He is

overcome by that, whatever it was, which pressedon Him. lie is meek,
prostrate, unnerved, dependent (as it seems)on the sympathy and nearness of
those whom He had taught and led. There He resists and vanquishes with
tranquil strength a personalopponent; here He sinks as if in fear and
bewilderment to the very earth, as though a prey to some inward sense of
desolationand collapse. His own words, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful,"
point to some greatmental trouble; and if He was suffering from a mental
trouble, what, may we dare to ask, was its provoking cause?
I. WAS IT NOT, FIRST OF ALL, AN APPREHENSION, DISTINCT,
VIVID, AND OVERPOWERING, OF WHAT WAS PRESENTLY
COMING? In Gethsemane, by an actof His will, our Lord openedupon His
human soul a full view and apprehension of the impending sufferings of His
passionand death; and the apprehension was itself an agony. The whole
scene, the successionofscenes, passedbefore His mental eye; and as He gazes
on it, a heart sickness — outcome and proof of His true Humanity — seizes on
Him, and He shrinks back in dread from this dark and complex vision of pain.
II. HE WAS, SO TO SPEAK, MENTALLY ROBING HIMSELF FOR THE
GREAT SACRIFICE — laying upon His sinless soulthe sins of a guilty
world. To us, indeed, the burden of sin is as natural as the clothes we wear;
but to Him the touch of that which we take so easilywas an agony, even in its
lightest form; and when we think of the accumulatedguilt of all the ages
clinging around and most intimately present to Him, canwe wonder that His
bodily nature gave way, that His Passionseemedto have been upon Him
before its time, and that "His sweatwas as it were great drops of blood falling
to the ground."
(Canon Liddon.)
The Christian's Gethsemane
Canon Liddon.
Surely He did not address these words, at once so imperative and so plaintive,
to His apostle alone. They were words for all time, warning us not so to

remember Calvary as to forgetGethsemane. Goodindeed it is to retire to this
inmost sanctuaryof the human soul, to retire from a world of men, a world
which chiefly fixes its eye on the outward and the material, and which passes
its years in struggles and efforts that often leave no more traces upon anything
that really lasts, then do the busy little children on the seashore, who diligently
pile up their sand castles in face of the rising tide. The soul of Jesus in
Gethsemane was, above allthings, in contactwith realities, but they are the
realities of the world of spirits at the leastnot one whir less realthan the
stones and the gasesofthe world of matter. The soul of Jesus in Gethsemane
was engagedin a fearful struggle, but it was a struggle with issues reaching
not into the next few weeksoryears of some puny human life here below, but
into the most distant vistas of the eternal world. It is not at all times that even
goodChristians canenter into the meaning of this solemn scene, but there are
mental trials which interpret it to us, and which in turn are by it (if we will)
transfigured into heavenly blessings.
I. THERE IS THE INWARD CONFLICT WHICH OFTEN PRECEDES
OUR UNDERTAKING HARD OR UNWELCOME DUTY OR SACRIFICE.
The eye measures the effort required, the length and degree of endurance
which must be attempted ere the work is really done; and, as the eye traverses
the field before it, all the quick sensibilities of feeling start up and rehearse
their parts by anticipation, and cling to and clog and embarrass the will,
holding it back from the road of duty. Struggles suchas this between
inclination and duty may be at times sorrowful to the soul, even unto death.
When they come on you, brace yourselves by watching and praying with Jesus
in Gethsemane, that you may learn to say with Him, "Notmy will, but Thine,
be done."
II. THERE ARE FORMS OF DOUBT RESPECTINGGOD'S GOODNESS
AND PROVIDENCE,WHICH ARE A GREAT TROUBLE AT TIMES. NOT
self-causeddoubts, but embarrassments which besetearnestand devout souls
under stress of greatsorrow or calamity. The bestremedy for these is to kneel
in spirit side by side with Jesus m Gethsemane;it is prayer such as His was
that struggles under a darkened heaven into the light beyond.

III. DESOLATENESS OF SOUL, MAKING GOD'S SERVICE
DISTASTEFUL. Prayerbecomes insipid and unwelcome, duty is an effort
againstthe grain, the temper is dejected. Tempted to give up all in disgust,
and let things take their chance for time or eternity. They who experience this
can but kneel in Gethsemane with the prayer, "O, my Father, let this cup pass
from me; nevertheless, notwhat I will, but what Thou wilt."
IV. THE APPROACH OF DEATH. This may indeed come upon us suddenly
as a thief in the night, but may also be ushered in, as it generallyis, by a
preface of weakenedhealth and lingering sickness. In many cases it has
happened that at the very beginning of an "illness which was to end with life,
a clearpresentiment of this has been graciouslyvouchsafed. "I was sitting at
luncheon," said one of the best of Christ's servants in this generation, "andI
suddenly felt as never before: I felt that something had given way. I knew
what it meant, what it must mean. I went up into my room; I prayed God that
He would enable me to bear what I knew was before me, and would at the last
receive me for His own Son's sake." It was the close ofa life as bright as it was
beautiful, in which there was much to leave behind — warm and affectionate
friends, and an abundance of those highest satisfactions whichcome with
constantand unselfish occupation;but it was the summons to another world,
and as such it was obeyed. Death is always awful, and the first gaze at the
break-up of all that we have hitherto called life must ever have about it a
touch of agony. And yet, if Jesus in Gethsemane is our Shepherd, surely we
shall lack nothing; yea, though we walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, we shall fear no evil, for He is with us who has gone before, His rod and
His staff comfort us.
(Canon Liddon.)
Christ's agonyin the garden
H. Melvill, B. D.
I. WE DWELL MORE ON THE BODILY ANGUISH OF OUR LORD
THAN THE METAL. We figure to ourselves the external woes ofwhich flesh

was the subject rather than those griefs which were within the soul. We must
not, forget that others besides Christ have died the most cruel deaths with
fortitude. The bodily sufferings of Christ were but an inconsiderable part of
His endurances. It was in soul rather than in body that our Saviour made
atonement for transgression. Youmust be aware that anguish of soul more
than of the body is the everlasting portion which is to be swardedto sinners;
so we may expectthat the soul-agonyof a surety or substitute would be felt
more than the bodily. Indeed, in the garden there was no bodily suffering, no
spear, nails.
II. EXCEEDING SORROWFULUNTO DEATH The soul cannot die, yet so
exceeding was Christ's sorrow that He could speak of it as nothing less than
actualdeath. The soul was the sin-offering.
1. We would have you be aware ofthe enormous costat which you have been
ransomed.
2. It gives preciousness to the means of grace thus to considerthem as brought
into being by the agonies ofthe Redeemer. Will you trifle with them?
3. Having spokennot only of the exceeding sorrowfulnessofChrist's soul, but
of the satisfactionwhichthat sorrowfulness yields, I would not conclude
without a vision of His glorious triumphs.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
Divine sorrow
DeanStanley.
I. THE CAUSES OF HIS SORROW.
1. That gloommay have been the sense ofthe near approachof death with all
the dread misgivings which besetthe spirit in that supreme hour.
2. It may have been the sense of loneliness, ofthe ingratitude, the failure of
His disciples and countrymen.

3. Or it was the sense ofthe loadof human wickedness entering into His soul,
so as almostto take possessionofit. "He who knew no sin was made sin for
us." These troubled His soul.
4. This scene is the silent protestagainstthe misery of wrong-doing, against
the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
II. THE GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW AND IN WHAT SPIRIT WE
OUGHT TO PRAY. There is something higher in the efficacyand in the
answerof prayer than the mere demanding and receiving the specialblessings
for which we ask. The cup did not pass from Him; but in two ways His prayer
was granted.
1. In the heavenly strength that was given to Him to bear all the sorrows laid
upon Him. The very actof prayer gives strength, will open our souls to
supporting angels.
2. Notthe substitution of the will of Christ for the will of the Eternal God, but
the substitution of the will of the Eternal God for the will of His most dearly
beloved Son. Great as is the will, holy as are the desires, Divine as are the
aspirations that go up from earth, there is something greater, holier, Diviner
yet; and that is the will that rules the universe, the mind which embraces
within its scope the past, the present, and the future, this world and the next,
the seenand the unseen. Without the agony, without the cross, Christianity
and Christendom would not have been. If any actor event in the world's
history was essentialto its onward progress, essentialto the elevationand
purification of the individual man, it was the anguish which this night
represents to us. This is the apparent conflict, but real unity of the sorrows of
Gethsemane and Calvary with the perfect wisdom and mercy of the Supreme
Intelligence. It is this conflictand this unity which lend such a breathless
interest to the whole story of this week, whichbreathes at once the pathos and
the triumph, the grief and the joy, through its example and its doctrine,
through all its facts and all its poetry, through all its stirring music and all its
famous pictures. And it is a conflictand a unity which still in its measures
continue, and shall continue, as long as the will of humanity struggles and toils
on earth to accomplishthe will of Divinity. Not our will, but God's will be

done. Notour will, for we know not what is bestfor us. We still see as through
a glass very darkly, the end is not yet visible. But God's will be done, for He
knows our necessitiesbefore we ask, and our ignorance in asking. His will, His
supreme will in nature and in grace, letus learn to know;and having learned,
to do it. Thy will be done. Make Thy will our will. Make Thy love our love.
Make Thy strength perfect in our weakness,through Jesus Christ our
Redeemer.
(DeanStanley.)
Prayer
F. W. Robertson, M. A.
I. THE RIGHT OF PETITION. We infer it to be a right.
1. Becauseit is a necessityofour nature. Prayer is a necessityofour humanity
rather than a duty. The necessityto
(1)that of sympathy;
(2)the necessityof escaping the sense of a crushing fate.
2. We base this request on our privilege as children — "My Father."
3. Christ used it as a right, therefore we may. You cannot help praying if
God's Spirit is in yours.
II. ERRONEOUS NOTIONSOF WHAT PRAYER IS. They are contained in
that conceptionwhich He negatived, "As I will." A common conceptionof
prayer is, that it is the means by which the wish of man determines the will of
God. The text says clearly, "Notas I will." The wish of man does not
determine the will of God. Try this conceptionby four tests.
1. By its incompatibility with the fact that this universe is a systemof laws.
2. Try it by fact.

3. Try it by the prejudicial results of such a belief. Gives unworthy ideas of
God. Considerthe danger of vanity and supineness resulting from the
fulfilment of our desires as a necessity.
4. It would be most dangerous as a criterion of our spiritual state if we think
that answeredprayer is a proof of grace. We shall be unreasonably depressed
and elatedwhen we do or do not getwhat we wish.
III. THE TRUE EFFICACYOF PRAYER — "AS Thou wilt." All prayer is
to change the will human into submission to the will Divine. Hence we
conclude —(1) That prayer which does not succeedin moderating our wish, in
changing the passionate desire into still submission, is no true prayer;(2) That
life is most holy in which there is leastof petition and desire, and most of
waiting upon God; in which petition often passes into thanksgiving.
(F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
Prayer to seek God's will, not man's wish
F. W. Robertson, M. A.
Practicallythen, I say, Pray as He did, till prayer makes you ceaseto pray.
Pray till prayer makes you forget your own wish, and leave it or merge it in
God's will. The Divine wisdom has given us prayer, not as a means whereby to
obtain the goodthings of earth, but as a means whereby we learn to do
without them; not as a means whereby we escape evil, but as a means whereby
we become strong to meet it. "There appearedan angelunto Him from
heaven, strengthening Him." That was the true reply to His prayer.
(F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
Submission a progress
C. J. Vaughan, D. D.

Let us come into the presence of the Suppliant — this most human, yet most
Divine Person, who is wrestling here in an agonyeven more spiritual than
mortal. It is night. Christ has left the guest-chamber. He has crossedthe
brook Kedron. He has entered a garden, oftentimes His resortduring His
visits to Jerusalem, at the foot of the slope of Olivet; He has come hither to
pray. Such prayer must be secret. He leaves His disciples at the entrance.
Even secretprayer may be the better for having friends near. So with a
touching union of love and humility He entreats His three disciples to watch
with Him. See the example of suffering which is here setbefore us in Christ.
I. That all sorrow, all suffering, even if it be anguish, is A CUP. It is something
definite, of a certainmeasure. It is of the Father's mingling; the cup of
medicinal love.
II. Concerning this cup itself You MAY PRAY. There is not the distress upon
earth as to which we ought not to pray.
III. But HOW PRAY.
1. As to a Father.
2. Again with an "If." You must recognize the possible impossibility.
3. With an earnestconfessionofthe comparative value of two wills — your
will and God's. Jesus wentawaythe secondtime, and prayed. And what was
this secondprayer? "O My Father, if this cup may not pass awayfrom Me,
exceptI drink it, Thy will be done." This secondprayer asks notat all for the
removal of the cup. The first was prayer with submission; the secondis
submission without even prayer. Here is an example, set us by our Lord, of a
progressive, growing submissionto the mighty hand of God. I do not mean
that our Lord had to learn, in the garden of Gethsemane, a lessonof
obedience unknown before. How was Christ made perfect, but in the sense of
a transition from disobedience to obedience. Yet, thus, in a constant
development of obedience under a course of increasing difficulty. The earthly
life of Christ was a perpetual going forward. "Let this cup pass." Was it not
an added trial that the Saviour, like an apostle (2 Corinthians 12:8, 9) had
askedrelief, and not been answered? Beyondthe submission of the will lies

the silencing of the will; beyond the desire to have only if God will, the desire
that God only may will, whether I have or not. All of us have wishes, strong
impulses of the will towards this and-that; it is a part of our nature. By what
steps shall they pass unto our final good?
1. We must turn them into prayers. Everything evil will refuse that test. You
cannot turn a sinful wish into prayer.
2. The next step is not only to pray your wishes, but to pray them in a spirit of
submission.
3. Then nothing remains but the act of submission, pure, simple,
unconditional, absolute. No longer, "Let this cup pass," but "If this cup may
not pass, Thy will be done." All this I leave to Thee;I ask not; I desire not; I
pray not longerconcerning it, only Thy will be done.
(C. J. Vaughan, D. D.)
The figure of the cup
Horace Bushnell.
Do we not use the same kind of language ourselves, having still no such
thought as that the cup of anguish we speak of, or pray to be takenaway, is a
judicial infliction? This figure of the cup is used in Scripture for all kinds of
experience, whetherjoyful or painful. Thus we have "the cup of salvation,"
"the cup of consolation,""the cup of trembling," "of fury," "of
astonishment," "ofdesolation." WhateverGodsends upon man to be deeply
felt, and by whatever kind of providence, whether benignant, or disciplinary,
or retributive, is calledhis cup.
(Horace Bushnell.)
Jesus praying
C. H. Spurgeon.

There are severalinstructive features in our Saviour's prayer in His hour of
trial.
1. It was lonely prayer. He withdrew even from His three favoured disciples.
Believer, be much in solitaryprayer, especiallyin times of trial.
2. It was humble prayer. Luke says He knelt, but another evangelistsays He
"fell on His face." Where, then, must be thy place, thou humble servant of the
greatMaster? Whatdust and ashes should coverthy head? Humility gives us
goodfoot-hold in prayer. There is no hope of prevalence with God unless we
abase ourselves thatHe may exalt us in due time.
3. It was filial prayer — "Abba, Father." You will find it a stronghold in the
day of trial to plead your adoption. You have no rights as a subject, you have
forfeited them by your treason.
4. It was persevering prayer. He prayed three times. Cease notuntil you
prevail.
5. It was the prayer of resignation — "Nevertheless, notas I will, but as Thou
wilt."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Gethsemane
W. H. Davison.
I. Gethsemane suggestsour blessedRedeemer's longing for human sympathy.
"Tarry ye here and watchwith Me." It is a purely human feeling.
II. Reminds us of the sacrednessofhuman sorrow and Divine communion.
III. Reveals the overwhelming depth and fulness of the Redeemer's sorrow.
Reminds us of the will of Christ yielded to the will of the Father.
IV. Has its lessons and influences for all our hearts. How it condemns sin!
How it reveals the chiefesthuman virtue, and the power by which it may be

attained! How it brings the Father close to our hearts in their sorrow and
extremity!
(W. H. Davison.)
The prayer in Gethsemane
E. Stillingfleet.
I. The occasionof these words.
II. The matter of these words.
1. The person to whom He makes His address.
2. The matter of His request.
3. The manner or earnestnessofit.
4. The submission of it. Enforce two things:
I. There is an aversionin human nature from the pangs and bitterness of
death.
II. Notwithstanding that, there are grounds of submission to the will of Godin
it.
(E. Stillingfleet.)
The Father's cup
E. Stillingfleet.
It is a Father that gives the cup.
1. A Fatherwho knows what is fittest to be given us.
2. A Fatherwho stands by His children to help and assistthem.
3. A Fatherwho will abundantly reward the taking of what He gives.

(E. Stillingfleet.)
Our Lord's example of resignation
J. Jortin.
To show how the Son of God exercisedthis virtue here upon earth.
1. We all desire the conveniencesoflife, and to be above dependence. For our
sakes He became poor, and never complained on that account.
2. Hard labour attended with wearinessis disagreeable. Our Saviour's life,
during His ministry, was a life of hardship and fatigue.
3. Hunger and thirst, when long endured, are enemies to our nature, and put
us to violent uneasiness till they are satisfied. These our Lord often suffered.
4. To those who have the instructions of others committed to their care, it is
agreeable to meet with persons teachable and of goodcapacities,and tiresome
to inform slow understandings.
5. Return of basenessand treacheryfrom our intimates whom we have loaded
with benefits, are most grievous to be borne, and will wring from the mildest
temper complaints. Even to Judas, Jesus showedgreatlenity.
6. A goodman, whose office it is to instruct others in religion, will be grieved
when his charitable labours are lost, and he hath to do with stubborn
offenders, who are deaf to all reproofs and admonitions.
7. To be injured in our reputation, and exposedto malicious calumny, is a
greattrial of human patience. This our Saviour endured.
8. To see multitudes involved in a greatcalamity is a grief to a charitable man.
9. Future evils, when we see them coming and are sure we cannotescape them,
torment us near if not quite as much as when they are present.
10. Men love life and are unwilling to lose it. Mostpainful and ignominious
was the death which Christ endured.

(J. Jortin.)
Inducements to resignation
J. Jortin.
1. A belief in the goodnessofGod.
2. The reward in heaven which we may secure.
3. The behaviour of our Lord which we should be anxious to imitate.
(J. Jortin.)
Christ's agony
A. L. R. Foote.
In the garden Christ is exhibited to us in a two-fold character-as oursurety
and as our example. As our surety, suffering for us, and as our example,
teaching us how to suffer.
I. Our surety.
1. How greatwere the sufferings of the Redeemer, and what was their true
character.
2. How terrible the wrath of God is.
3. How greatthe guilt of sin is.
4. How greatis the love of the Father and of the Son for sinners.
II. Our example. From it we learn —
1. That our being severelyafflicted is no proof that we are not the children of
God.

2. That it is not sinful to shrink from affliction or suffering of any kind, and to
plead exemption from it.
3. The duty of submission to the will of God even under the greatesttrials.
4. The efficacyof prayer in bringing support and comfort under affliction.
(A. L. R. Foote.)
Storms beat round mountain souls
George Dawson.
It has been said by a greatpoet, that greatcharacters andgreatsouls are like
mountains — they always attractthe storms; upon their heads break the
thunders, and around their bare tops flash the lightnings and the seeming
wrath of God. Nevertheless,they form a shelter for the plains beneath them.
That marvellous saying finds an illustration in the lowliest, saddestsoulthe
world has ever had living in it — the Lord Christ. Higher than all men,
around His head seemedto beat the very storms of sin; yet beneath the shelter
of His great, consoling, sustaining spirit, what lowly people, what humble
souls, what poor babes as to wisdom, what sucklings as to the world's truth,
have gained their life in this world and eternal rest in God.
(George Dawson.)
The broken will
George Dawson.
Man must be thrown down that his will may be broken; and his will must be
broken that Godmay reign within him. The will of God in man is life eternal.
(George Dawson.)
Falling on His face

George Dawson.
His greatlife lies before us, that we may strive to follow Him; and then,
though falling on our faces as He fell, we may find ourselves able to rise up as
He did. Forin rising, He laid down His own will and took God's will in its
place.
(George Dawson.)
God's providence an argument for submission
W. Bates.
His providence is comprehensive and complete; no unforeseenaccidents in the
freestand most contingent things, no unvoluntary obstruction in the most
necessarythings can break the entireness, or discompose the order of His
providence. How exactlyand easilydoes He manage and over-rule all things?
The whole world is His house, and all the successive generations ofmen His
family; some are His sons, and by voluntary subjection; others His slaves, and
by just constraint fulfil His pleasure. 'Twas the saying of a wise king,
instructed by experience, that the art of government was like the laborious
travail of a weaver, that requires the attention of the mind and the activity of
the body; the eyes, hands, and feet are all in exercise. And how often is the
contexture of human councils, though woven with greatcare, yet unexpectedly
broke? So many cross accidents interpose, so many emergencies beyondall
prevention start up, that frustrate the designs and hopes of the most potent,
rulers of this world. But God disposes allthings with more facility than one of
us can move a grain of sand.
(W. Bates.)
Emblem of providence
W. Bates.

The sun applies its quickening influences for the production and growthof a
single plant, as particularly as if there were no ether things in the world to
receive them; yet at the same time it passes from sign to sign in the heavens,
changes the scenesofthe elements, produces new seasons, andits active and
prolific heat forms and transforms whatsoeveris changedin nature. This is a
fit resemblance of the universal and specialoperations of Divine providence.
(W. Bates.)
Presentcomforts in affliction
W. Bates.
The gracious soulhas a taste and sight how "goodthe Lord is," as an earnest
of the fulness of joy in heaven. Hope brings some leaves ofthe tree of life to
refresh us with their fragancy;but love, of its fruits to strengthenus. As
transplanted fruits, where the soil is defective and the sun less favourable, are
not of that beauty and goodness as in their original country; so heavenly joys
in this life are inferior in their degree to those of the blessedabove, but they
are very reviving.
(W. Bates.)
Resignation
W. Bates.
The entire resignationof our wills to the disposing will of God is the
indispensable duty of Christians under the sharpestafflictions.
I. What is consistentwith this resignation?
1. An earnestdeprecationof an impending judgment is reconcilable with our
submission to the pleasure of God, declaredby the event.
2. A mournful sense of afflictions sent from God, is consistentwith a dutiful
resignationof ourselves to His will.

II. What is included in the resignment of ourselves to God in times of
affliction.
1. The understanding approves the severestdispensations ofProvidence to be
good, that is, for reasons, thoughsometimes unsearchable, yetalways
righteous, and for gracious ends to the saints.
2. This resignment principally consists in the consentand subjectionof the
will to the orders of heaven.
3. The duty of resignationconsists in the composure of the affections to a just
measure and temper, when under the sharpest discipline.
III. The reasons to convince us of this duty of resigning ourselves and all our
interests to God.
1. The first argument arises from God's originalsupreme right in our persons,
and all things we enjoy.
2. The righteousness ofGod in all His ways, if duly considered, will compose
the afflicted spirit to quiet and humble submission.
3. His power is immense and uncontrollable, and it is a vain attempt to
contend with Him, as if the eternal order of His decrees couldbe alteredor
broken.
4. His paternal love in sending afflictions is a sufficient argument to win our
compliance with His will.(1) All His sons are under the discipline of the rod;
and who would be so unhappy as to be exempted from that number for all the
prosperity in the world?(2) Chastisement is the effectof His parental love.
(W. Bates.)
Comforts in trial
W. Bates.
The historian tells of a clearvein of water that springs from Mongibel, that
greatfurnace, that always sends forth smoke orflames, yet is as coolas if it

distilled from a snowy mountain. Thus the saints in the fiery trial have been
often refreshedwith Divine comforts, and such humble submissions and
gracious thanksgivings have proceededfrom their lips, as have been very
comfortable to those about them.
(W. Bates.)
Man's evil nature
W. Bates.
Proud dust is apt to fly in God's face upon every motion of the afflicting
passions;and by the resistance ofself-will He is provoked to more severity.
(W. Bates.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(38) Then cometh Jesus . . .—In the interval betweenMatthew 26:35-36, we
have probably to place the discourses in John 15 (the reference to the vine,
probably suggestedby one which was putting forth its leaves in the early
spring), John 16, and the greatprayer of intercessionin John 17. As St. John
alone has recordedthem, it is probable that he alone entered into their
meaning, while others either did not hear them, or listened to them as above
their reach, and askedtheir child-like questions (John 16:18-19;John 16:29-
30). St. Luke records what we may look on as the germ of the great
intercession, in our Lord’s words to Peter, “I have prayed for thee, that thy
faith fail not” (Luke 22:32).
A place called Gethsemane.—The wordmeans “oil-press,” andwas obviously
connectedwith the culture of the trees from which the Mount took its name.

St. John’s descriptionimplies that it was but a little way beyond the brook
Kidron (John 18:1), on the lowerwesternslope of the mount. There was, a
garden (or rather, orchard) there which was the wonted resort of our Lord
and the disciples when they soughtretirement. The olive-trees now growing in
the place shownas Gethsemane, venerable as their age is, canhardly have
been those that then grew there, as Josephus expresslyrecords that Titus
ordered all the trees in the neighbourhood of Jerusalemto be cut down, and
the Tenth Legion was actuallyencamped on the Mount of Olives (Jos. Wars,
v. 2, § 3). They probably representthe devotion of pilgrims of the fourth or
some later century, who replanted the hallowedsite.
Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.—Partlyin compassionto the
weakness andweariness ofthe disciples, partly from the sense of the need of
solitude in the highestacts of communing with His Father, the Son of Man
withdraws for a little while from converse with those whom, up to this time,
He had been strengthening. He had been (as in John 17)praying for them; He
now needs to pray for Himself.
(38) Exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.—The infinite sadness ofthat hour
leads the Masterto crave for sympathy from the three who were, mostof all,
His brothers. If they may not see, or fully hear, the throes of that agony, as
though the pangs of death had already fallen on Him, it will be something to
know that they are at leastwatching with Him, sharers in that awful vigil.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
26:36-46 He who made atonementfor the sins of mankind, submitted himself
in a garden of suffering, to the will of God, from which man had revolted in a
garden of pleasure. Christ took with him into that part of the garden where he
suffered his agony, only those who had witnessedhis glory in his
transfiguration. Those are best prepared to suffer with Christ, who have by
faith beheld his glory. The words used denote the most entire dejection,
amazement, anguish, and horror of mind; the state of one surrounded with
sorrows, overwhelmedwith miseries, and almostswallowedup with terror
and dismay. He now beganto be sorrowful, and never ceased to be so till he

said, It is finished. He prayed that, if possible, the cup might pass from him.
But he also showedhis perfect readiness to bear the load of his sufferings;he
was willing to submit to all for our redemption and salvation. According to
this example of Christ, we must drink of the bitterest cup which God puts into
our hands; though nature struggle, it must submit. It should be more our care
to get troubles sanctified, and our hearts satisfiedunder them, than to get
them takenaway. It is wellfor us that our salvationis in the hand of One who
neither slumbers nor sleeps. All are tempted, but we should be much afraid of
entering into temptation. To be securedfrom this, we should watchand pray,
and continually look unto the Lord to hold us up that we may be safe.
Doubtless our Lord had a clearand full view of the sufferings he was to
endure, yet he spoke with the greatestcalmness till this time. Christ was a
Surety, who undertook to be answerable for our sins. Accordingly he was
made sin for us, and suffered for our sins, the Just for the unjust; and
Scripture ascribes his heaviestsufferings to the hand of God. He had full
knowledge ofthe infinite evil of sin, and of the immense extent of that guilt for
which he was to atone;with awful views of the Divine justice and holiness, and
the punishment deservedby the sins of men, such as no tongue canexpress, or
mind conceive. At the same time, Christ suffered being tempted; probably
horrible thoughts were suggestedby Satanthat tended to gloom and every
dreadful conclusion:these would be the more hard to bear from his perfect
holiness. And did the load of imputed guilt so weigh down the soul of Him of
whom it is said, He upholdeth all things by the word of his power? into what
misery then must those sink whose sins are left upon their own heads! How
will those escape who neglectso greatsalvation?
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
My soulis exceeding sorrowful - His human nature - his soul - was much and
deeply affectedand presseddown.
Even unto death - This denotes extreme sorrow and agony.
The sufferings of death are the greatestofwhich we have any knowledge;they
are the most feared and dreaded by man; and those sufferings are therefore
put for extreme and indescribable anguish. The meaning may be thus

expressed:My sorrows are so greatthat under their burden I am ready to die;
such is the anxiety of mind, that I seemto bear the pains of death!
Tarry ye here and watch with me - The word rendered "watch" means,
literally, to abstain from sleep;then to be vigilant, or to guard againstdanger.
Here it seems to mean to sympathize with him, to unite with him in seeking
divine support, and to prepare themselves for approaching dangers.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
Mt 26:36-46. The Agony in the Garden. ( = Mr 14:32-42;Lu 22:39-46).
For the exposition, see on[1364]Lu 22:39-46.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Ver. 37,38. Mark names the three disciples, Mark 14:33,34:And he taketh
with him Peterand James and John, and beganto be sore amazed, and to be
very heavy; and saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowfulunto death:
tarry ye here, and watch. The three witnessesofhis transfiguration, Matthew
17:1, he takes also to be witnesses ofhis agony. He beganto be sorrowful, and
very heavy. The words in the Greek are expressive of the greatestsorrow
imaginable, which he further expresses Matthew 26:38, saying,
My soulis exceeding sorrowful, evenunto death. This was not wholly upon the
sense ofhis approaching death, for he laid down his life, no man took it from
him; nor yet to consider how his disciples would be left; but in the sense he
had of the wrath of God due to man for sin, which he now felt, bearing our
sins. So as this was a part, and a greatpart, of his suffering as appears by his
following earnestprayers for the passing awayof that cup, his sweating as it
were drops of blood, Luke 22:44, the angels coming and ministering unto him,
Luke 22:43. Luke saith, he was in an agony, which signifieth a greatinward
conflict.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then saith he unto them,.... The three disciples, Peter, James, and John, who,
by his looks and gestures, might know somewhatof the inward distress of his
mind; yet he choose to express it to them in words, saying,
my soulis exceeding sorrowful, evenunto death. That Christ had an human
soul, as well as an human body, is clearfrom hence; and which was possessed
of the same passions as ours are, but without sin, such as joy, love, grief,
sorrow, &c. and at this time its sorrows were exceeding great:his soul was
besetall around with the sins of his people; these took hold on him, and
encompassedhim, which must, in the most sensible manner, affect his pure
and spotless mind; the sorrows ofdeath and hell surrounded him on every
side, insomuch that the leastdegree of comfort was not let in to him; nor was
there any way open for it, so that his soul was overwhelmedwith sorrow;his
heart was ready to break; he was brought even, as it were, to the dust of
death; nor would his sorrows leave him, he was persuaded, until soul and
body were separatedfrom eachother; see a like phrase in Judges 16:16,
tarry ye here. The Ethiopic adds, "till I shall return", for he was going a little
further from them, to vent his grief, and pour out his soul unto God.
Munster's Hebrew Gospelreads it, "expectme", or "waitfor me here",
signifying, that he should return to them shortly,
and watchwith me. It was night, and they might be heavy and inclined to
sleep:he knew it would be an hour of temptation both to him and them, and
therefore advises them to watch againstit; and to observe how it would go
with him, and what should befall him, that they might be witnesses ofit, and
be able to testify what agonies he endured, what grace he exercised, andhow
submissive he was to his Father's will.
Geneva Study Bible
{10} Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
(10) Christ, a true man, who is about to suffer the punishment which we
should have suffered for forsaking God, is forsakenby his own: he has a

terrible conflict with the horror and fear of the curse of God: out of which he,
since he escapedas a conqueror, causes us not to be afraid of death any more.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 26:38. τοτὲ λέγει αὐτ.:He confides to the three His state of mind
without reserve, as if He wished it to be known. Cf. the use made in the epistle
to the Hebrews of this frank manifestation of weaknessas showing that Christ
could not have usurped the priestly office, but rather simply submitted to be
made a priest (chap. Matthew 5:7-8).—περίλυπος, overwhelmedwith distress,
“über and über traurig” (Weiss).—ἕως θανάτου, mortally = death by
anticipation, showing that it was the Passionwith all its horrors vividly
realisedthat was causing the distress. Hilary, true to his docetic tendency
represents Christ as distressedon accountof the three, fearing they might
altogetherlose their faith in God.—ὧδε:the three stationednearer the scene
of agony to keepwatchthere.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
38. My soul] This is important as the one passagein which Jesus ascribes to
Himself a human soul.
watchwith me] The Son of man in this dark hour asks forhuman sympathy.
with me] Only in Matthew.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 26:38.[1146]Ἕως θανάτου, evenunto death) Such sorrow as might
have led an ordinary mortal to commit suicide.—μείνατε ὧδε, tarry ye here)
You must not go with Me.—μετʼἘμοῦ, with Me) In greattrials solitude is
pleasing, yet so that friends be near at hand. Jesus commands His disciples to
watchwith Him, though He knew that they would not afford Him any
assistance.

[1146]ἡ ψυκή μου, my soul) How greatmust have been the emotions and
thoughts in the most holy soul of the Saviour in reference to the work
committed to Him by the Father, as also in reference to His passionand His
glory, especiallyduring the last months, days, and hours before His death,
throughout the very precious alternations which befell Him; for instance
when, as He said, “He must be about His Father’s business;” when He
receivedbaptism; when He overcame the Tempter; when He put forth His
zeal for His Father’s House; when He rejoicedin the “revelationmade to
infants of things hidden from the wise and prudent;” when He was
transfigured on the Mount; when He setHis face stedfastlytoward Jerusalem;
when He solemnly entered the city; when He said, “Now is My soultroubled,”
etc.;when He washedthe feet of the disciples;when He spake the words,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified;” when He celebratedthe lastsupper before
His Passionwith His disciples. And also in this very place, where He testifies
that His “soul is sorrowfuleven unto death.” Add the severaldivine sentences
which He uttered on the Cross.—Harm., p. 526, 527.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 38. - My soul is exceeding sorrowful, evenunto death (Jonah4:9).
Christ speakshere of the mental agony which he is enduring; he bides not
from the faithful three that which weighs upon his heart, so excessive a strain
that human nature must fail to endure it. We cannot gauge the anguish; we
may suggestsome ofthe causesofthis sorrow. It was not merely the thought
of bodily pain, though that would be long and excessive;there were other
elements which made his sorrow like to no other sorrow. He thought of all the
circumstances that led to his Passion;all that would accompanyit; all that
would succeedit - the malice and perversity of the Jews, the grievous
wickednessthat brought about his death, the treachery of Judas, the desertion
of his friends, the denial of Peter, his unjust condemnation at the hands of the
rulers of the chosennation, the pusillanimity of Pilate, the guilt of the actors
in the tragedy, the wilful iniquity of those whom he came to redeem, the ruin
which they brought on themselves, their city and nation - such considerations
formed one ingredient in the bitter cup which he had to drain. And then the

thought of death was unspeakably terrible to the all-holy Son of God. We men
become accustomedto the thought of death. It accompanies us through all our
life; it looms before us always. But man was createdimmortal (Wisd. 2:23),
his nature shrinks from the dissolutionof souland body; and to the sinless,
unfallen Man this experience was wholly unknown and awful. Here was the
incarnate God, the God-Man, submitting himself to the punishment of sin,
tasting death forevery man, bearing in his own Personthe inexpressible
bitterness of this penal humiliation. Added to all this was the incalculable fact
that "the Lord had laid on him the iniquity of us all." The burden of the sins
of all mankind he bore on his sacredshoulders. "Him who knew no sin God
made to be sin on our behalf" (2 Corinthians 5:21). What this mysterious
imputation, so to speak, involved, we cannot tell; but to a being perfectly pure
and holy it must have been anguish unspeakable. Tarryye here. As ver. 36,
"Sit ye here." And watchwith me. In his dark hour his human soul yearned
for the comfort of a friendly presence;even though these chosenthree might
not witness the extremity of his agony, their proximity and sympathy and
prayers were a support. But he bade them watchfor their own sake also.
Their greattrial was close athand; they were about to be tempted to deny and
forsake him; they could resistonly by prayer and watchfulness (ver. 41).
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
The Garden: A Place Of Prayer Series
Contributed by Brian Bill on Jul 9, 2004
based on 49 ratings
(rate this sermon)

| 9,368 views
Scripture: Matthew 26:36-56
Denomination: Baptist
Summary: Lets look at why Jesus was drawnto this garden. As we better
understand why He came to this place of prayer, well see a pattern that we
can follow in our own prayers.
1 2 3 … 6 7
Next
Have you noticed how the Passionmovie has generatedan unprecedented
amount of TV specials, magazine coverstories,and a continuous cultural
conversationabout Christ? Im thankful for that. I do want to give a word of
warning, however. Much of what has been published or broadcastin response
to the film is actually a thinly veiled attack on Christianity.
The current issue of U.S. News & World Reporthas a coverstory entitled,
The RealJesus:Searching for the truth betweenMel Gibson and the Gospels
(3/8/04). Thats a pretty intriguing title. Unfortunately, the article states that
Gibsons portrayal of the events leading up to and including Christs
crucifixion is an exploitation and sensationalistic distortionof the story. The
article goes on to say that we all need a corrective curriculum in order to
understand what really happened over two thousand years ago. I beg to differ.
We dont need liberal scholars to tell us what happened; we need to go back
and read the Book!I encourage youto read all four gospels in the next month
leading up to Easter.
Let me add that while Mel Gibson has done a greatjob presenting the passion
of Christ, and most of what he depicts is directly from the Bible, there are
some additions and there are some things that he leaves out. During this

series, I will do my bestto address these, and answersome of the questions
that this movie may have raisedin your mind. First of all, let me define
passion. This word comes from a Latin word meaning to submit to suffering
and generallyrefers to the last twelve hours of Jesus life, beginning in the
Garden of Gethsemane. Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew 26:36-46.
After the bonding experience of the Upper Roomwhere He celebratedthe
Passovermealand instituted the ordinance of the Lords Supper, Jesus led His
disciples to a place of prayer. Please follow along as I read: Then Jesus went
with his disciples to a place calledGethsemane, and he said to them, Sit here
while I go over there and pray. He took Peterand the two sons of Zebedee
along with him, and he beganto be sorrowfuland troubled. Then he said to
them, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here
and keepwatchwith me. 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. Then he returned to his disciples and
found them sleeping. Could you men not keepwatchwith me for one hour? he
askedPeter. Watchand pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The
spirit is willing, but the body is weak. He went away a secondtime and
prayed, My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be takenawayunless I
drink it, may your will be done. When he came back, he againfound them
sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went awayonce
more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to
the 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!
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Lets look at why Jesus was drawnto this garden. As we better understand
why He came to this place of prayer, well see a pattern that we canfollow in
our own prayers.
1. A Place ofSupport. We see in verse 36 that Jesus wantedhis disciples to be
with Him so He took them to an Olive Gardencalled Gethsemane, which
means, oil-press. Scholars believe that the olives were crushed at this place to
get oil. Luke 22:39 indicates that He spent a lot of time here: Jesus went out as
usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. John 18:2 tells us
that when Judas came looking for Jesus;he knew the place, because Jesus had
often met there with his disciples.
Its interesting to me that as the suffering of our Saviorbegins; He wants to be
with his friends. We dont think much about this, do we? Jesus had a need for
fellowship. Notice that eight of the disciples are told to sit down while Jesus
takes three others deeperinto the grove. Peter, James and John had also been
given the privilege of seeing the glory of Jesus onthe Mount of
Transfigurationand were witnesses ofHis power when He raised a little girl

from the dead (Matthew 17:1-2; Mark 5:37). And now they were about to see
something they had never seenbefore the sorrow ofthe Savior.
2. A Place ofSorrow. Verse 37 tells us that Jesus was sorrowfuland troubled.
This means that His holy heart was heavy. The word itself means to be
distracted to the point of separationfrom others. Hebrews 5:7 says that Jesus
offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who
could save him from death Have you ever had so much sorrow that you felt no
one else could enter it with you? His anguishwas so intense that He could
hardly think of anything else. In verse 38, Jesus put words to what was
happening, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. This is
sorrow in the highest degree. To be overwhelmed means to be encircledwith
grief. Grief had so gripped Him that He felt like He was dying. In the midst of
this sorrow, Jesus wantedsupport as He askedthe three to stay here and keep
watchwith me.
3. A Place ofSolitude. Heres the picture. The eight disciples are somewhere
near the entrance to the garden, the three are allowedto go deeper, but then
Jesus leaves them and verse 39 says that He went a little farther and fell with
his face to the ground. Luke adds that it was a stones throw away. Jesus is
now alone as the King of Kings falls on His face in reverence and awe before
His heavenly Father. Spurgeon writes:Be much in solitary prayerit is the key
to open heaven, so it is the keyto shut the gates ofhell. The Bible mentions a
number of different postures for prayer, so there is no right way to do it.
Having said that, when someone was serious aboutseeking God, they often
dropped to the ground in prayer. Numbers 16:22 shows how intense Moses
and Aaron were when they interceded on behalf of their people: But Moses
and Aaron fell facedownand cried out 2 Chronicles 20:18: Jehoshaphat
bowed with his face to the ground
W.A. Criswelltells of the first time he met Billy Graham. Billy said, I feel
Gods call on me to be an evangelist. Dr. Criswellencouragedhim and said,
Lets pray about his matter. After he led in prayer, Dr. Criswellsaid, When I
opened my eyes, there was Billy Graham flat on the floor, with his face on the

carpetin prayer. And Criswellsaid, I knew right then that Godwas going to
use that young man in a specialway.
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4. A Place ofStruggle. The secondhalf of verse 39 reveals His struggle:My
Father, if it is possible, may this cup be takenfrom me. In the midst of all that
Jesus is going through, I love how He addresses Godin prayer, My Father.
That reminds me of how Jesus taughtus to pray, Our Father. We cancall out
to Him as Father in times of greatstruggle. Spurgeonsays that we should
plead our adoption in the day of trial because nothing canforfeit a childs right
to a fathers protection. In Mark 14:36, we read that Jesus actuallyprayed,
Abba, Father. Hes literally saying something very tender, Daddy, Father.
Jesus then askedthat the cup might be taken from Him. The word cup in the
Bible was figurative for Gods blessings (Psalm23:5) and was also usedto
describe His wrath (Psalm 75:8). As Jesus lookedinto this cup, what did He
see? Why did He want it taken away?
PastorC. Matthews from Hollywood BaptistChurch suggests thatthere were
at leastfive things that He saw in the cup (www.sermoncentral.com).
Sin. As Jesus is moving toward the cross, He realizes that the punishment for
all the sins of the world is about to be poured out on Him. This was something
we cant even imagine. Isaiah53:6: and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity
of us all. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that the sinless and spotless Lamb of God
actually became sin for us: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so
that in him we might become the righteousness ofGod. This week I had a
conversationwith someone who told me that she was so moved by the Passion
movie that she doesntwant to ever sin again. Ray Pritchard captures this well

when he writes:The greatestChristians have always had the most profound
sensitivity to sin. The closeryou come to Jesus, the more clearlyyou see your
own sin (The Man Who Killed Jesus, 2/29/04, www.calvarymemorial.com).
Suffering. Jesus certainlyknew that He was about to suffer, but in the Garden
it suddenly became very real. He had already told the disciples what would
happen to Him in Luke 9:22: The Son of Man must suffer many things and be
rejectedby the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be
killed and on the third day be raised to life. Even though He knew what was
coming, the anticipation of the physical, emotional, and spiritual pain was
almost unbearable. Jesus knew exactlywhat faced Him in the hours ahead. He
had seencrucifixion many times. But I think He agonizedmost about the fact
that all the sins of the world were going to be heapedupon Him. He had never
experiencedthat.
In the place of the olive press, Jesus was feeling the squeeze from Satans
pressure. By the way, while the Passionofthe Christ movie has Satan
appearing in the Garden of Gethsemane;the Bible is silent on this. But
without a doubt, Jesus is being tempted to not go through with the Fathers
plan.
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In his agony, Luke 22:44 says, And being in anguish, he prayed more
earnestly, and his sweatwas like drops of blood falling to the ground. I
checkedwith a doctorthis week about this occurrence and he said that this is
something he has never seenin clinical practice and suggests thatit may have
been supernatural or a super-physiologic body response to the intense anguish
of the bitterness in the cup. In his new book called, The Case ForEaster, Lee
Strobel quotes a medical expert who says, Whathappens is that severe anxiety
causes the release ofchemicals that break down the capillaries in the sweat
glands. As a result, theres a small amount of bleeding into these glands, and

the sweatcomes outtinged with blood (page 15). I have never prayed with
that kind of intensity. Mostof my prayers are pretty perfunctory comparedto
that.
Sacrifice. As He looks deeperinto the cup, He sees beyondthe sin and the
suffering as He recognizes His role as final sacrifice. John18:1 says that when
they went to Gethsemane, they crossedoverthe Kidron valley. The Brook
Kidron was the drainage ditch from the temple. During the Passover,
commentatorWilliam Barclayestimates that as many as 250,000lambs were
slain. And the blood of those lambs would drain down through this brook into
the JordanRiver. On Passovernight, when Jesus was going to Gethsemane,
He stepped over that brook, and He could see it polluted with the blood of
lambs. He knew that in a few hours, He was going to be slain as the final
sacrificialLamb of God, His blood satisfying the righteous demands of Gods
justice. 1 John 2:2: He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for
ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Separation. As He continued to look into the cup, Jesus saw something that
causedHim to shudder in horror. He had never experiencedthis before. He
would face separationfrom His Fatherwhen all the sins of world were heaped
upon Him. We see this in Matthew 27:46: About the ninth hour Jesus cried
out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?-which means, My God, my
God, why have you forsakenme? This cup was filled with bitterness and was
almost unbearable. But there was more. In the bottom of the cup, was
something sweet.
Salvation. Ultimately, Jesus knew that He had to drink the cup in order to
save us from our sins. This is why He came. Mark 10:45:For even the Sonof
Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom
for many. Let me come back to the Passionmovie for a moment. In the
opening scene, as Jesus is praying in the Garden, a snake slithers over to Him
while He is flat on His face seeking the Father. Jesus calmly stands, looks up
to heaven, takes His heel and crushes the snake. This is a beautiful fulfillment
of the first prophecy found in Genesis 3:15 spokento the serpent about the

coming Messiah:He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. These
words spokenby Godcontain the earliestpromise of redemption in the Bible.
When Jesus died on the cross, he delivered a crushing blow to Satan. No one
survives a crushed head.
Now, as Jesus struggledwith what was in the cup, the disciples snoozed. Look
at verses 40-41:Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.
Could you men not keepwatchwith me for one hour? he askedPeter. Watch
and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the
body is weak. I wonder how Peterfelt when Jesus singledhim out. Peterhad
just declaredthat he would never deny Christ, and now he was drooling and
wiping sleepies from his eyes. In fairness, the disciples were under emotional
strain too. They couldnt keepup with Jesus. Theyhad eatena big meal. Now
it was maybe one or two oclock in the morning. And they wanted to stay
awake, but they just couldnt. Have you ever tried to pray and you went to
sleep? Or have you ever had a hard time staying awake in church? I cant
imagine that ever happening here! Charles Swindoll tells of a man that was
snoozing in a service, and his wife nudged him to wake him up. The man stood
up and pronounced the benediction right in the middle of the sermon!
I have some sympathy for these disciples who went to sleep in Gethsemane.
They knew it was such a serious time, and they tried to pray, but they just
couldnt do it. And Jesus said, Oh, couldnt you watchwith Me an hour, I need
you so badly. But He understood. Thats what I love about Jesus. In His time
of stress, He gave grace. He said, The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
The secondtime He came back in verses 43-44, He didnt even wake them up.
A tangible byproduct of prayer should be patience with people. If you are
irritable with others, always on edge, maybe its an indication that you need to
spend some time with the Lord because the Spirit of God produces patience.

5. A Place ofSubmission. Jesus is beginning to surrender to the cup of sin,
suffering, sacrifice, separationand salvationin the last part of verse 39: Yet
not as I will, but as you will. I want you to notice carefully that His prayer is
slightly different the secondtime in verse 42: My Father, if it is not possible
for this cup to be takenawayunless I drink it, may your will be done. The
first time He prayed, If it is possible, and now He prays, If it is not possible. In
his first request he longs for the cup to be takenfrom Him; now He mentions
drinking it. In the first plea, He says, Yet not as I will and in the secondHe
declares, Mayyour will be done. Hendriksen adds, The main clause is no
longer, Let this cup be sparedme, but Thy will be done (The Gospelof
Matthew, page 919). WarrenWiersbe writes, Jesus was notwrestling with
Gods will or resisting Gods will, He was yielding Himself to Gods will.
There are two elements to Jesus prayer that should be instructional for us.
HE EXPRESSED HIS OWN DESIRE. This is what I want! I want to escape
the cross.
HE SUBMITTED HIS DESIRES TO THE FATHER. NotMy will, but Your
will be done.
Prayer is simply expressing our thoughts and our desires to the Heavenly
Father, and then submitting our will to His direction. I like how Spurgeon
puts it: Let it be as Godwills, and God will will that it shall be for the best.
6. A Place ofStrength. We cansee that Jesus has been strengthenedin verse
46: Rise, let us go!Here comes my betrayer. Something really special
happened during this three-hour prayer time. Jesus had gone into the garden
very sorrowfuland now emerges strengthened. Before He finished His prayer,
we know that the Father sent a heavenly messengerto His Son. Luke 22:43
says, An angelfrom Heaven appeared and strengthened Him. What did that
angeldo?

Did he sit and talk with Jesus?
Did he put an arm around His shoulder and sketchout the Resurrection?
Maybe the angelprayed with Him.
Perhaps the angelhad a toweland wiped His brow.
Were not told, but when Jesus gotup from this place of prayer, He had a
spirit of resolve and assurance thatHe was ready to go to the cross. Lucado
adds, When you do Gods will, God will give you the strength neededto
complete it.
Lets trace the next few verses to see how the Saviorexhibited strength.
Jesus was strong in the face of Judas betrayal. Look at Verse 47: While he was
still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd
armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the
people. It is estimated that probably 60 soldiers, armed with swords and clubs,
came along with the crowd. This is more than was depicted in the Passion
movie in fact, John 18:3 says, that Judas came with a detachment of soldiers
and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees.Verse 48:Now the
betrayer had arrangeda signal with them: The one I kiss is the man; arrest
him. In verse 49, Judas runs up to Jesus and says, Greetings, Rabbi!and then
he kissedhim. Have you ever been knifed in the back, verbally, by a family
member, a close friend, or a church member? That really hurts. And your
first reactionis to get even, to retaliate. But Jesus had just spent three hours
with the Father, and He has a marvelous response to Judas in verse 50:
Friend, do what you came for. What composure Jesus displayed in the wake
of Judas betrayal! I would want to punch his lights out but Jesus calls him,
friend.
· Jesus was strong in the face of Peters attack. Look atverse 51: One of Jesus
companions [we know this is Peterfrom the other gospelaccounts]reached

for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off
his ear. Now, you have to love Simon Peter. He is impulsive, yet inconsistent;
courageous, yetcocky. He was carrying a concealedweaponthat night.
Becausehe said he would die with Jesus earlierin the night, he took a swing
with his sword. He was a greatfisherman, but a lousy swordsman. The guy
ducked, and Peters swordswishedthrough the air and just clipped off his ear.
Lukes Gospelrecords that Jesus did an amazing thing. He performed one last
miracle before He went to the Cross. After Peterwas restrained, and the
situation was under control, Jesus wentover to the man, who was holding his
head in pain and touched the mans ear, and healedhim. Is that not
incredible? And we know he was the servant of the High Priestwho had
ordered his arrest! Actually, if Jesus had not healed this man, there may have
been four crossesonCalvary.
Jesus was strong in the face of arrest. Jesus takes advantage ofa teachable
moment and concludes that what was about to happen was prophesied in the
Scriptures. Look at verse 56:This has all taken place that the writings of the
prophets might be fulfilled. Jesus couldhave calleddown thousands of angels,
or they could have taken one of the many escaperoutes out of the garden. But
He didnt because He was now ready to offer His life. John 10:17-18:The
reasonmy Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. Theres an
interesting sidelight recordedin the Gospelof John. These armedmen, who
obviously felt like they were in control of the situation, actually hit the ground
when Jesus identified himself. John 18:6: When Jesus said, I am he, they drew
back and fell to the ground. Thats similar to the response I heard from a
friend after he saw the Passion. He said when he was walking out of the
theater all he wanted to do was kneelon the floor because he felt so unworthy.
Lessons Fromthe Garden
I see at leastfour lessons fromthe Garden.
1. Follow the model of the Masterwhen youre facing a trial.

Look for support from others.
Pour out your sorrow
Find some solitude
Struggle with God openly
Submit to His will
Then you will find strength
2. Emergencyprayer should be precededby daily prayer. Jesus didnt wait
until He was under the shadow of the cross before He started praying. Luke
21:37:Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and eachevening he went
out to spend the night on the hill calledthe Mount of Olives.
3. Prayerstrengthens us for difficulty more than it changes circumstances.
Sometimes prayer changes circumstances. ButGod uses prayer more often,
not to exempt us from difficulty, but to strengthen us to endure it. You can
certainly ask God to give you a pass from cancer, accidents, grief, pain, and
financial pressure. But perhaps it is Gods will not to excuse you, but to give
you strength and maturity through the trial.
An unknown Confederate soldierwrote this prayer,
I prayed for strength that I might achieve, I was made weak that I might learn
humbly to obey. I askedfor health that I might do greaterthings, I was given
infirmity that I might do better things. I askedfor riches that I might be
happy; I was given poverty that I might be wise. I askedfor power that I
might have the praise of men, I was given weaknessthatI might feelthe need
for God. I askedfor all things that I might enjoy life, I was given life that I
might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I askedfor, yet everything that I had

hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspokenprayers were answered. I am
among all men most richly blessed.
4. The ultimate issue is whether or not I will trust God. Will it be the swordor
the cup? Will I fight for my wayor will I surrender to His way? In his book
called, Jesus Among Other Gods, Ravi Zacharias develops the idea of three
different gardens (pages 165-188). Because Ravisometimes is over my head, I
askedPastorJeffto distill it down for me.
In the Garden of Eden, God asks, Willyou trust me? Satandeceives and
humans refuse to trust. The Garden of Life becomes a Garden of Death.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Godasks, Willyou trust me? Jesus surrenders
to His will. The Garden of Despairbecomes the Garden of Determination.
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In the Garden of the Empty Tomb, death reigns and hope seems lost. God
speaks, Willyou trust me? Jesus is alive and the Gardenof Deathbecomes the
Garden of Eternal Life.
God still speaks today. And through your pain, even your doubts, He
whispers, Will you trust me? Will you trust me? Will you trust me?
As we prepare for communion, listen to these words from Max Lucado from
his book, When the Angels Were Silent.
The battle is won. You may have thought it was wonon Golgotha. It wasnt.
You may have thought the sign of victory is the empty tomb. It isnt. The final
battle was won in Gethsemane. And the signof conquestis Jesus atpeace in
the Olive trees. Forit was in the Garden that He made His decisionHe would
rather go to hell for you than go to heavenwithout you.

Matthew 26:31-46: “Jesus Tells The Twelve He Will Be Crucified & Raise
Again, And That PeterWill Deny Him, Then Takes ThemTo Gethsemane”
by
Jim Bomkamp
Back Bible Studies Home Page
1. INTRO:
1.1. In our last study we continued looking at the events that led directly
up to Jesus’crucifixion
1.1.1. We lookedatJudas’ betrayal of Jesus and what his motives must have
been for the things that he did
1.1.2. We also lookedat the events that led up to the last PassoverFeastthat
Jesus had with His disciples, and then finally we lookedat the symbology of
that last PassoverFeast, whichwe now know of as the ‘Last Supper’, as well
as the symbology of the elements of the bread and the wine themselves
1.2. In our study today, we are going to continue to look at the events
leading directly up to Jesus’crucifixion
1.2.1. We will look at the disciples as they first claim that they will never fall
awayfrom Jesus and then all do so
1.2.2. We will also see Peterpromise that though all else fall away from Jesus
that he would never fall away

1.2.2.1.Wewilllook at the folly of boasting in our flesh
1.2.3. Finally, we will look at that time that Jesus spentwith His disciples in
the Gardenof Gethsemane before they came and took Him to crucify Him
2. VS 26:31-32 - “31 ThenJesus *saidto them, “You will all fall
awaybecause ofMe this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the
shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’32 “Butafter I have
been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”” - BecauseofHis greatlove for
His disciples, Jesus is now beginning to prepare them for their own failure
2.1. Jesus knew that that very night all of His disciples would abandon
Him when the officers came with Judas to arrest Him, and He knew that in
doing this they would eachone terribly offend his own conscience. Therefore,
Jesus soughtto tell them beforehand that they would do this so that they
would then know that Jesus wouldalso be there to forgive them and lead them
back to Himself afterwards.
2.1.1. This actionof Jesus should speak to our own hearts as Christians, for
eachof us sometimes fails to be obedient to Jesus, whichmeans that we have
sinned, and yet we also need to know that our sinning does not take the Lord
by surprise for long before we ever came to Him through Christ (really before
the creation)God knew all of the things that eachof us would do in this life.
Nothing surprises the Lord
2.1.2. We Christians need that assurancein our lives that if we do sin that we
can come to God, confess oursins (which involves repenting or turning away
from our sin), and that as often as we do this that God will forgive us.
2.1.2.1.The apostle Johnwrote a couple of verses that we Christians can take
to heart when we ourselves are in need of God’s forgiveness becauseof our
sin:
2.1.2.1.1.1John2:1-2, “2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you
that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the

Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;2 and He Himself is the propitiation for
our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”
2.1.2.1.1.1.The Greek wordusedfor ‘propitiation’ here means ‘full
satisfaction’, orin business transactions ‘full payment’. Jesus is the full
payment for all of the sins that men have and will ever commit.
2.1.2.1.2.1John1:9, “9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
2.2. Jesus teachesus here in these verses that the prophesy of Zechariah
13:7 was fulfilled with His disciples all falling awayfrom and abandoning Him
on this night.
2.3. The horror of the crucifixion was intensified by the fact that Jesus
had to experience all of His suffering by Himself for all of His followers
abandoned Him after His arrest.
2.4. In order to prepare His disciples for the events that He knew would
follow His resurrectionfrom the dead, Jesus told them that they were to go to
Galilee immediately afterwardand that He would meet up with them there.
3. VS 26:33-35 - “33 But Peteransweredand said to Him, ”Even
though all may fall awaybecause ofYou, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said
to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a cock crows, youshall
deny Me three times.” 35 Peter *saidto Him, “Evenif I have to die with You,
I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.” - Petertells
Jesus that though all of the other disciples might ‘fall away’ from Him that he
would never fall away
3.1. Peteralways thought that he was sortof a notch above the other
disciples, and thus he dominated their conversations andJesus’time, and yet
Peterwas sincere in saying what he said to Jesus here. However, whatPeter
didn’t realize is how weak our flesh can be to carry out the things that we
know in our mind that God wants us to do.

3.1.1. Do you sometimes argue with and try to correctthe Lord as Peterdoes
here? It is so foolish when we think we better than God.
3.1.2. Laterin this chapter, Matt. 26:41, Jesus tells His sleeping disciples
whom He has been pleading with to sit with Him and to pray, “…the spirit is
willing, but the flesh is weak”,and, this verse reveals to us that though there
are many things that we may know that God wants us to do, the knowing of
that doesn’t mean that we will have the power or resolution of will to carry
those things out in the power of our own flesh. However, the Holy Spirit will
give us victory and the power to overcome in any situation that we find
ourselves in.
3.1.3. The seventhchapter of Romans is a very interesting chapter and one
which has been very difficult for many to grasp. In the chapterPaul writes
about his own life using the ‘present tense’, and in Rom. 7:14-24 we see that
he speaks in very open and blunt terms about his own ability in his flesh to
keepGod’s Law and commandments, “14 Forwe know that the Law is
spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For that which I am
doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do,
but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not wish
to do, I agree with the Law, confessing thatit is good. 17 So now, no longeram
I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. 18 For I know that nothing good
dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is presentin me, but the
doing of the goodis not. 19 For the goodthat I wish, I do not do; but I practice
the very evil that I do not wish. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not
wish, I am no longerthe one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find
then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. 22
For I joyfully concurwith the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a
different law in the members of my body, waging waragainstthe law of my
mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24
Wretchedman that I am! Who will setme free from the body of this death?”
3.1.4. This would probably be the last time that Peter would ‘boast in his
flesh’, for his three denials of Jesus were a severe moral failure on his part
and outright rebellion againstthe Lord.

3.1.5. This may have been the last time that he would attempt to set the Lord
straight also as was his habit often to do.
3.2. In telling Peterof the fact that he would deny Him three times before
the cock crowed, Jesus inHis love and mercy was also preparing Peterto be
able to survive that lowestpoint perhaps of his whole life, which he would hit
that very night.
3.2.1. Peterwouldhave to repent of his sin of denying and abandoning the
Lord, and allow the Lord to forgive and restore him for God was calling him
to be the leader of the disciples after Jesus was raisedfrom the dead.
4. VS 26:36-37 - “36 ThenJesus *came with them to a place called
Gethsemane, and *saidto His disciples, “Sithere while I go over there and
pray.” 37 And He took with Him Peterand the two sons of Zebedee, and
beganto be grieved and distressed.” - Matthew now begins to relate to us the
experiences ofChrist in the Gardenof Gethsemane
4.1. The disciples had walkedout from their Passoverfeastand gone up
to the Mount of Olives, and now they walk over to one of the places where
Jesus had often gone to find respite in times when He would be wearyand in
need of time of communion and prayer with God.
4.1.1. Judas knew that after the PassoverfeastthatJesus would walk over
with His disciples to this gardenas was His habit, and therefore Judas was
now gathering the soldiers and chief priests togetherto follow him to where he
could point out Jesus to them.
4.2. Jesus asks Peter, James,and John, that selectinnermostgroup of the
twelve disciples, to accompanyHim to a place in the gardenwhere they could
be with Him and pray with Him about the struggles that He knew His soul
would go through as He was preparing to go through the suffering,
humiliation before men, and the alienation from the Fatherwhich would

occuras a result of Him being ‘made to be sin’ on our behalf and pay the
price for the debt of sin which eachof us owe to God.
4.3. Jesus told these three disciples to sit there with Him as He went over
to pray, yet instead of staying by Jesus’side and praying with Him during this
time of His tremendous ordealand struggle, we see that the disciples end up
falling asleep.
4.4. We will never know the true horrors of the cross for Jesus because
we have and will never go through anything like it, howeverwe should try to
understand what this might have been like for Jesus to experience, for
everything that He went through on this night and the next day He did
because ofHis unmatched holy love that He has for you and me.
4.4.1. As horrible as the beatings, humiliation, taunting, and physical pain
and agonyof being nailed to and hung on a cross must have been, I believe
that what was even more horrible for Jesus was that He who had never known
sin in His own life must now be made to be sin on our behalf, and in doing so
the Fatherwould have to turn His face from Jesus and for a time no longer
fellowship with Him.
4.4.2. We cannotin any wayminimize the depth of the grief and distress that
Jesus was going through mentally and physically at this time, for as we will
see in a few verses this effectedJesus so much that even the capillaries under
his skinwere bursting and drops of blood were soaking through His skin and
falling on the ground.
5. VS 26:39 - “38 Then He *saidto them, “My soul is deeply grieved,
to the point of death; remain here and keepwatch with Me. .39 And He went
a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it
is possible, let this cup pass from Me;yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”” -
Jesus prayed and askedthe Fatherif it might be possible that man might be
able to be redeemed without His having to go to the cross

5.1. Jesus tells Peter, James, and John that He is grieved to the extent
that He has even at this point almost expired. We must never think that
somehow Godspared Jesus realpain and agonyof soul or that somehow Jesus
was sort of out of body when the events leading up to and upon the cross were
transpiring, rather He endured the full wrath of God upon the cross for all of
the sins of the whole world, for this is the price that would need to be paid in
order for mankind to be forgiven and brought back into fellowship with God.
5.1.1. In Col. 2:13-15, Paulwrote about the factthat eachof us oweda debt of
sin to God, but that our debt of sin was nailed to the cross upon which Jesus
died, “13 And when you were dead in your transgressions andthe
uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive togetherwith Him, having
forgiven us all our transgressions,14 having canceledout the certificate of
debt consisting of decrees againstus and which was hostile to us; and He has
takenit out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had
disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having
triumphed over them through Him.”
5.1.2. In 2 Cor. 5:21, Paul wrote about how Christ was made to be sin on our
behalf in order for us to be made righteous in Him, “21 He made Him who
knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of
God in Him.”
5.1.2.1.The Bible Knowledge Commentary makes the following comments
concerning these words by Paul in 2 Cor. 5:21, “Few statements surpass verse
9 as a pithy summary of the gospel(cf. 5:21). From the splendor of heaven
Christ came to the squalor of earth. The Incarnation was an incomprehensible
renunciation of spiritual and material glory. The One who was rich, who had
everything, became poor, making Himself nothing (Phil. 2:7). He assumed
mankind’s debt of sin and paid for it with His life (Phil. 2:8).”
5.1.2.2.Matthew Henry writes about the debt of sin which eachof us owedto
God and which Jesus took upon Himself upon the cross, “The debt of sin is so
great, that we are not able to pay it; He had not to pay. Sinners are insolvent
debtors; the scripture, which concludes all under sin, is a statute of
bankruptcy againstus all. Silver and gold would not pay our debt, Ps. 49:6, 7.

Sacrifice and offering would not do it; our goodworks are but God’s work in
us, and cannotmake satisfaction;we are without strength, and cannot help
ourselves. (5.)If God should deal with us in strict justice; we should be
condemned as insolvent debtors, and God might exactthe debt by glorifying
himself in our utter ruin. Justice demands satisfaction.”
5.2. Before He ever calledHis disciples, Jesus knew that His mission upon
the earth included dying upon the cross for the sins of the world, and yet He
was willing to do what He had been sent to do. The scriptures provide many
instances of Jesus revealing that He knew from the beginning what He had
been sent to do for mankind. However, now in the garden facing the greatest
horror that anyone has ever faced, we see Jesus asking the Fatherif there
might be another wayin order for mankind to be forgiven, one that didn’t
include the cross. However, in the same breath Jesus acknowledgedthat no
matter what would come of it that He would do the Father’s will as He had
always done the Father’s will throughout His entire life on the earth.
6. VS 26:40-41 - “40 And He *came to the disciples and *found them
sleeping, and *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keepwatchwith Me for
one hour? 41 “Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into
temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”” - Jesus came back to
Peter, James, and John and found them sleeping
6.1. Jesus was going through the struggles ofthis night by Himself as His
disciples had become heavy and fallen asleepbecause oftheir depressionand
anticipation of their Lord and Masterbeing arrestedand killed. Theirs’was
a sleepof depression that came upon them because ofthe dread of the events
that they had been told of and now sensedwere to occur.
6.2. These verses againrevealthe pathetic nature of our flesh, for it was
only for ‘one hour’ which Jesus had needed them to sit with Him during this
hour of utter agony, however their flesh was so weak they could not stay
awake forjust one hour at their master’s bidding.

6.3. Jesus didn’t ask His disciples to pray for Him here in the garden,
though they might and should have, howeverhere Jesus askedthem to pray
for themselves that they may be able to endure the trial that they were about
to go through.
6.3.1. Ihave discoveredin my life that it is so important for me to pray that I
be not be led into temptations when I have seemthem looming on the horizon.
Praying before we getinto a temptation gives us the Lord’s protectionas we
go through the temptation.
6.3.2. It is important for us Christians to learn to always be ‘watching and
praying’ for the Lord’s working in us and those around us whom God has
placed in our lives. In Ephesians 6:18 as part of the spiritual armor that the
believer is to make use of in times of spiritual warfare, Paul writes that we are
always to be alert and persevering in prayer, “18 With all prayer and petition
pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all
perseverance andpetition for all the saints.”
6.3.3. In Col. 4:2 Paul wrote about how that we are to be devotedto prayer
and always keeping alertin our prayer life, “2 Devote yourselves to prayer,
keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”
6.3.4. Someone once saidthat the reasonwhy praying seems to be the hardest
thing that we as Christians are able to persevere in doing is because the devil
also knows that it is the most important thing that we do. God has chosento
work in people’s lives in this life through the prayers of His people, thus it is
so important that we be devoted and faithful to pray for His work in ours and
everyone else’s lives around us.
6.3.5. Ihave to confess thatoften as a believerthat I have let my prayer life
slack off and in factquite honestly at times I’ve even lostsight of the fact that
I and everyone around me, and that I know, are in a spiritual battle against
wickedforces trying to avert the very things that God is trying to do in and
through our lives. We Christians must realize that we are in a life and death
battle for people’s very souls, the outcome of which has incredible eternal
consequences.

6.4. In our lives as Christians, the ‘spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak’:
6.4.1. In John 15:5, Jesus taught His disciples, ‘apart from you can do
nothing’.
6.4.2. In Phil. 4:13, Paul wrote about how that through in his flesh he did not
have the strength to endure and persevere triumphantly through temptations
and trials, Christ strengthened him so that he could do all that God wanted
him to do during those temptations, “13 I cando all things through Him who
strengthens me.”
7. VS 26:42 - “42 He went awayagaina secondtime and prayed,
saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass awayunless I drink it, Thy will be
done.”” - Jesus prayed a secondtime for the Fatherto not require Him to go
to the cross in order to redeemmankind
7.1. For the secondtime, we see Jesus resolvedto do the Father’s will, yet
praying that if there is another way for mankind to be redeemed and their
debt of sin cancelledwithout his having to go to the cross, He prayed that the
Father would allow that to be unveiled.
8. VS 26:43-44 - “43 And againHe came and found them sleeping,
for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went awayand
prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.” - Jesus prayedyet a
third time for the Father to not require Him to go to the cross
8.1. Matthew records here that the Lord prayed the same exactprayer
three times, and eachtime He was resolvedthat whateverwas the Lord’s will
that He was willing to do it.
8.2. We see here that when Jesus returned after this third time of praying
this same prayer that He againfound Peter, James, and John sleeping instead

of staying up with Him and praying for themselves as He had just told them to
do.
8.3. Here Matthew records that ‘their eyes were heavy’, for they were in
that deeply fatigued mode where sleepis all you desire and the only thing that
can provide what you need.
8.4. In those times when we are struggling in our ownhearts to submit
ourselves to God’s will for us, we must remember Jesus and the struggle that
He went through for us in order that we might be saved. We see this
proclaimed by the author of Hebrews in Heb. 12:1-4, “12:1 Therefore, since
we have so greata cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside
every encumbrance, and the sin which so easilyentangles us, and let us run
with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the
author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God. 3 ForconsiderHim who has endured such hostility by sinners against
Himself, so that you may not grow wearyand lose heart. 4 You have not yet
resistedto the point of shedding blood in your striving againstsin.”
8.4.1. Jesus is the author and the ‘perfecter of faith’ for He faithfully endured
the cross andall of the temptations that were associatedwith it, and thus as
we look to Him for strength and help during our struggles He can give us that
help that we need.
8.4.2. Further, because ofHis love for you and me He resistedsin to the point
of His shedding of His blood on the cross.
9. VS 26:45 - “45 Then He *came to the disciples, and *saidto them,
“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand and
the Sonof Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.” - Fornow the
third time Jesus came back to Peter, James and John and found them sleeping

Jesus was in agony in gethsemane

Jesus was in agony in gethsemane

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