Monday, February 14, 2011

Mark 14:32-42 Jesus' Prayer in Gethseme

32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.” 35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” 37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 “Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

Devotional (cont.)
Having left Bethel, after keeping the Passover and instituting the New Covenant; Jesus and the disciples now come to the Mount of Olives. To a place called Gethsemane. Though not mentioned previously in the gospel it will soon become one of the most infamous places on the planet. Not for the location itself. The place by all accounts was simply a small peaceful grove or “garden” if you prefer. But rather for the dastardly deed which is about to be hatched there, as Jesus will be betrayed by one of His one. And so it is as they arrive at Gethsemane, Jesus says to His disciples “Sit here while I pray.” Vs. 32 And having asked them to wait. Jesus then takes with Him Peter, James, and John. His three closest disciples and with that the passage says that Jesus begins to be “troubled and deeply distressed” (vs. 33).

Now the word translated troubled in verse thirty three has two distinct shades of meaning, generally given as “to throw into terror or amazement.” With the fear element “to be struck by or with terror” (Enhanced Strong’s) or “Sudden fear or terror” (New Strong’s) maybe best indicating the Lord’s "troubled state" in that moment, as He anticipates what He is about to go through. Interestingly only Marks gospel uses this strengthened verb to describe Jesus’ state at that moment. Matthew not being a close up eye witness to the Lord, as Peter was, emphasizes Jesus Words which declare His deep sorrow. As does Mark’s gospel as the passage goes on. Which is important to note since the word that follows troubled, and is translated deeply distressed in the NKJ is, according to Enhanced Strong’s the strongest word used for depression in the N.T. (See STR 85, 916, 3076). And knowing that is important since there is a link between fear and depression. Therefore Jesus realizing the cross is imminent enters into the heights of fear then the depths of human despair. Here in the NKJ described as being “troubled” or “distressed” as the NINDTT gives it. Troubled though is the rendering given by NKJ, with “very distressed and troubled” or “greatly distressed and troubled” or “deeply distressed and troubled” word order coming by the NAS, ESV and NIV respectively; while the NLT paraphrases this as “filled with horror”.

In many ways then what is being described is Jesus’ Humanity being fully expressed and experienced. Yet the silent intensity of the moment that we are privy too because of the disciple’s witness, does not allows us to experience it. But only imagine it. If ever so imperfectly, Jesus’ heightened awareness of what was soon to unfold, which then brings Him into a deep and seemingly overwhelming depression. And so the Scripture gives us a taste of Jesus’ inner struggle through His Words as He says to Peter, James and John, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.” And with those Words Jesus moves a little farther away from them; a stone’s throw as Luke records it. And falling to the ground Jesus prays that if it is at all possible, the hour might pass from Him (vs. 35). In His moment of deepest despair Jesus seeks His Father. Yet in some ways not wanting His friends to be far removed from Him, as Matthew records Jesus saying for them to watch with Him, before He moves from them to seek the Father (Matt. 26:38). Yet to simplify this moment as something like Jesus is seeking the Father would be untrue to what was at stake. For in that dreadful moment Jesus is wrestling with His Human desire to save Himself from the horrific suffering ahead of Him, and His Heavenly desire to save His closest friends. Indeed save innumerable lives yet unknown to them. And so Jesus gives His closest friends the exhortation to watch. For already Jesus is experiencing the precursor effects of what the cross would entail. Jesus’ suffering then did not begin on the cross, it began right then, the moment when He had to face in His own heart and mind what was now to happen to Him. And so as the moment is upon Him, Jesus finds Himself first troubled then deeply distressed. For He has a way out, He is the Son of God. And if Jesus in that inner struggle yields to His fears and wills it to end, His Father would’ve ended it. And so Marks gospel tells us Jesus passionately prays: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” Vs. 36
The Lord Jesus’ Words are almost startling if not for the intensity of the backdrop that surrounds them. For it was that cup that Jesus pronounced the New Covenant as coming through His blood. Yet now in His darkest hour He requests its remittal. For God can fulfill the Scriptures in any way. As Jesus says: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You…” vs. 36 Yet in requesting His cup be removed from Him. Jesus having never failed to submit to the Father’s will. Again concedes to its Perfect Wisdom by saying: “…nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” Vs. 36
Now Luke’s gospel says when Jesus was praying that an angel appeared to Him from heaven strengthening Him. Then being in agony the Scriptures says that Jesus’ sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:42-44). For Jesus to do the Father’s Will on this night would be the ultimate act of trust. Not only to bear the sins of humanity. A suffering which none of us could even begin to imagine (Isaiah 53). But something far more distressing would be His separation from the Father; for that is what the cross would entail; something that had never occurred, and something that never again will. Marks’s gospel then says that Jesus having prayed once now returns to the disciples. And coming to them Jesus finds them sleeping, and doing so Jesus says to Peter: “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Vs. 37-38

Jesus Words here might be a rebuke of Peter’s earlier assertion of following Jesus to death if not for Jesus’ exhortation: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus Words to Peter then on this night should not be lost on any of us as every believer can attest to the struggle of our spirit and our flesh. Yet it is the victory that Jesus Christ effects on our behalf on the cross that makes not only our redemption possible. But also our victory over sin and death possible, by His later resurrection from the dead (Please read Rom. 6-8).

Now in His command for the three to watch, here for the second time, Jesus uses a word that that always indicates being alert; watchful. It is the antithesis of causally watching something occur or unfold. But rather indicates all vigilance (Col. 4:2; 1 Peter 5:8). The Lord Jesus uses this Word in several key passages warning us all to be prepared for His Second Coming and not be caught unaware (Matthew 24:42-43, 25:13; Mark 13:34-36; Luke 12:37-39; Rev. 3:2-3; 16:15). Likewise the Apostle Paul uses the same word to warn us not to become complacent in watching for the Lord’s coming and or watching out for sin in our own lives as we do (1 Thess. 5:6).

So returning to Mark’s gospel at verse thirty nine, it states that Jesus went away and prayed the same words. And having done so Jesus returned again to the disciples, “And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 “Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” Vs. 41-42
Jesus then having three times found the disciple sleeping now declares to the disciples that the hour has come, that the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Notice that the all disciples had failed to watch as Jesus commanded them, even after He exhorted them to do so. I mention this not as a critique of them. But rather so that the Apostle Peter’s later failings are not look down upon as an act unique to himself. All the Apostle’s failed Jesus, just as surely as you and I will. For nobody, no matter how zealous for the Lord stands either by their own resolve, goodness, good works, prayers, or anything else. For if the Apostle’s failed Jesus Christ, so will you. The question then is what do we do about it when we do? Will we try to conceal them from God and others like Adam did in the garden? Or will we play the hypocrite and act like we are have always been perfectly pious and pure and without sin or fault before God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? I certainly hope not! For Jesus' suffering here and later completed on the cross was not so that we would do that. But rather that we would bring our sins and failures to Him, as the Book of Hebrews says: 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4:14-16

Have you then come to the throne of grace and received God’s mercy and salvation so that you might be forgiven and set free from your sins and given new and everlasting life the moment you believe. It all begins by acknowledging ones is a sinner to God then receiving the Lord Jesus Christ into ones heart and life. For God commands everyone to repent and look to Jesus Christ crucified and trust what He suffered to satisfy all of God’s just and holy wrath against all of our sins. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Now Jesus being crucified to death for us did not remain in the grave. But three days later Jesus rose from the dead. And after spending forty days with the Apostle’s and instructing them on the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord Jesus then ascended back to God the Father in their presence waiting until all His enemies are made His footstool. But also He did so that He might pour out the Holy Spirit on everyone who believes in Him, beginning at Pentecost even to this day; so that all who believe in Him might be partakers of the Divine Nature and be sanctified for eternity by His Presence within us. For the Lord Jesus Christ came first to pay for all of our sins, then to be the Person who would transform our lives, by His very Person living inside us. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ’s cross is where the repentant sinner who looks to Him in faith finds not only the mercies of God, but also the everlasting life of God dwelling inside them. If you have not yet received the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ why not do that? Why not want invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life to be your Lord and Savior? If you would like to do that please pray something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. I believe you were crucified in My place to pay for my sins and rose from dead so that I might have everlasting life with You. I now invite You into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior, In Jesus' Name, amen.


Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

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