Jesus in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-46; Luke 22:41-46)

Jesus knows that he is on the way to the cross. How would we expect him to prepare for going there? We can see from this incident that the preparation was one of prayer with his Father. Yet he also retained something of his normal practice when he went to the Garden of Gethsemane. John tells us that Jesus and his disciples often met there (John 18:2). Apparently, pilgrims attending the Passover had to stay within the city bounds on Passover Day, which meant that Jesus and his disciples could not make the short journey to Bethany where they had stayed on previous nights of this week. Moreover, they were poor in financial terms and probably could not afford to pay for lodgings in the city.

As far as I know, we are not told anything about how Jesus prayed during those other occasions when they met in the garden. We can assume that it was according to his usual elevated, assured, calm, devout and loving manner that had so impressed his disciples on other occasions. Now they saw something very different in the prayer life of their Master.

We should recall that this set of prayers in Gethsemane was not the only time of prayer he had that evening. Shortly before he entered the Garden he had prayed the prayer recorded in John 17. That prayer is in three parts, but it is a prayer marked by calmness, order and anticipation. If we did not know that Jesus was the person who prayed then, we would have assumed that they were offered by two very different people in very different situations.

Gethsemane was a garden near the foot of the Mount of Olives. The garden contained olive trees and since its name means ‘oil press’ we can assume that olive oil was produced there. One can visit the traditional site in Jerusalem, although it cannot be proved that it is the actual place. Yet even in its name we can see a pointer to what happened there to Jesus. Olives were crushed there to produce oil for the benefit of others. Jesus’ soul experienced crushing there even as he was preparing to be the source of great blessing for others.

It was a cold evening. Later when Jesus was arrested and taken to the High Priest’s house the servants had a fire in the courtyard. There was not a fire in the Garden. Yet we see from Luke’s account that Jesus was sweating to an incredible extent. Something was happening here that was very different from any other time in the life of Jesus.

The prayer pattern of Jesus

The description that is given indicates that Jesus did not pray with his disciples. Since they did not see anything unusual in his instruction to sit in a spot away from where he prayed, this may have been his usual method. We can understand why that would be the case. Inevitably, aspects of his prayers would be very different from theirs. He would never have included confession of sin in his prayers. Yet it is striking to observe that the only sinless man regarded prayer as important. Indeed, we can also observe that the only One with a divine and a human nature prayed.

On this occasion, Jesus took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. The Saviour did not ask them to pray for him, but he wanted their nearness. He had done this before when he went up the Mount of Transfiguration. Yet he still ensured that he moved a short distance from them when he prayed, perhaps to avoid distractions.

It is also the case that while Jesus did not want his disciples to pray for him, he did want them to pray for themselves. He rebuked them for not taking seriously the opportunity for prayer that they had on this occasion. He had warned them of what was coming later that evening, when all of them would flee and leave him to himself. They had reasons to pray, but they did not.

How he prayed in Gethsemane

Luke tells us that initially Jesus knelt to pray on this occasion. As he prayed, his posture changed to lying on the ground face downwards. Does posture matter in prayer? Obviously we can adopt a posture without thinking. Jesus did not always kneel when he prayed, although it is possible that he always did in private. The point that is being made here is that our posture should say something about our prayers.

Kneeling in prayer would say that Jesus acknowledged the sovereignty of the heavenly Father. Is there a contrast between the way that Jesus prayed and what happened to Peter, James and John? It had been a long day, and they were tired. They sat, and they fell asleep. Jesus would also have been tired, but he did not fall asleep. Instead he knelt. Yet his posture changed to lying on the ground in great distress, and Luke tells us that Jesus prayed more fervently as time went on. What do those descriptions mean?

Matthew tells us in verse 37 that after Jesus had separated the disciples into two groups, one of the groups saw that he began to be sorrowful. The sorrow was increasing rapidly because the next verse tells us that Jesus described himself as very sorrowful, as engulfed in sorrow. Sorrow was all round them. Here we see what it means to call him the Man of sorrows. He had experienced sorrow before – when the rich young ruler went away without believing in him, when his friend Lazarus died, and when he saw the masses of the city travelling on the broad road to a lost eternity. But his sorrow in Gethsemane was different.

In addition to being sorrowful, he was troubled. One commentator suggests that the meaning of the word translated ‘troubled’ means ‘not at home’. Sometimes we meet a person whose mind is elsewhere, concerned about a matter. Did Jesus seem to be elsewhere to his disciples? Mark uses a word that indicates Jesus was greatly surprised at what he was experiencing. Of course, surprise by itself is neutral. We can be pleasantly surprised or we can have a terrifying surprise. It is the latter that Jesus had.

Luke adds to the description when he says that Jesus was in agony. The word was used normally to describe a wrestling match in which the wrestlers’ muscles and strength were fully involved. Jesus was not wrestling with a physical opponent, but he was wrestling in prayer. His holy humanity was appalled by the prospect that he faced, while at the same time he loved those whose penalty he had to pay. 

Yet despite his own concerns, Jesus showed great concern for the three disciples. Three times he breaks of from praying and goes to see how they are. It is true that he rebukes them, yet we can also see his sympathy with them. He knows that they are tired, that their physical weakness had hindered their capability for prayer.

The petitions of Jesus

We can see from the account that Jesus used the same petition three times. The repetition indicates the urgency that he felt in the situation. What concerned him was the increased awareness he now was given of what was going to happen to him shortly. His concern was not about his arrest, the ill treatment that he would receive, the rejection of the people, the shame of him dragging his cross along the roads, or even the physical distress of crucifixion. Rather, his distress was caused by the prospect of undergoing divine judgement. How did he pray in such a situation?

The way he spoke to God

We can see from the account that he called God ‘Father’ and ‘Abba’. He had taught his disciples to pray to God using this paternal title. No doubt, he had used this title for God throughout life. It is a statement of dependency and intimacy. I would suggest that we can see in this expression the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Paul informs us in Galatians and Romans that the Spirit leads believers to address God in this way. And we know that the Holy Spirit was strengthening Jesus in various ways during his last day of life. So as Jesus prays with unexplainable longing, we should admire the graciousness of the Trinity. The eternal Son speaks to the heavenly Father under the influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The petition he made to God

What is the most frightening sight we could imagine? I recall visiting the ruins of Pompeii and listening to the guide describe the moment when the ash from Mount Vesuvius fell unexpectantly and smothered the inhabitants in a moment. Perhaps they had a few seconds to see it coming, but as they did they would have realised that there was no escape. Who can describe the terror that they experienced? Yet it was nothing in comparison to what Jesus saw in front of him. It was not tons of ash that was going to engulf him, but the punishment of God that was due to his people because of their sins.

In this petition we see the mystery of the person of Jesus. We have always to remember that he is God and man. As God he knows everything, as man he learns new things. As the eternal Son, he knew the mind of the Father completely. But as the Mediator, who is God and man, he asks the Father if it is possible for another way to be found of delivering his people.

The submission of his prayers

Yet Jesus remained aware that his request would only be granted if it was possible in the Lord’s will. In the deepest crisis, he remained devoted to God and submissive. The Saviour did not try to through the cup away. The petition in verse 42 can be read as a prayer for divine enablement. He was determined to do the will of the Father.

The visit from the angel

At some stage in the process, an angel was sent from heaven with a message for Jesus. We are not told what the message was, and in a sense there is no point in trying to guess. From the way Luke describes the incident it looks as if the angel came in answer to the prayer that the cup be taken from him. Did the angel say that it could not, but that he would be strengthened for the ordeal? Who can say? The appearance of the angel was followed by an increase in intensity in the prayer activity of the Saviour. That was when he sweated, as he wrestled.

Lessons to learn

There are five brief lessons that we can mention. First, there is the danger of missing moments of significance. Peter, James and John slept while their Master prayed in desperation. They did not fully witness his agony and probably did not see the visit from the angel. What could they say in later years when someone asked them what it was like to be in Gethsemane? They missed the moment, and it never came again.

The second lesson is the necessity of heartfelt prayer. Whatever else can be said about the prayers that Jesus made in Gethsemane, it is obvious that they came from his heart. His prayers were marked by intimacy, desire and submissiveness.

Third, remember the reality of the humanity of Jesus, seen in many ways, including his prayers. His need of human company, even although they did not understand what was happening. His desire to avoid the awfulness of the judgment of God.

The fourth lesson is to beware the penalty for sin. What will it be like to experience it? Beforehand Jesus dreaded the prospect of experiencing it on the cross. He knew that however strong it would be short for him. But what about those who will endure it forever. 

Lastly, we should come away from our meditation on Gethsemane with a fresh appreciation of the greatness of the love of Jesus. How far he was willing to because he loved his Father and because he loved his people.

Preached on Sunday, 2nd October, 2016