Agony In The Garden

WHEN Jesus finishes praying, he and his 11 faithful apostles sing songs of praise to Jehovah. Then they descend from the upper room, emerge into the cool darkness of the night, and head back across the Kidron Valley toward Bethany. But along the way, they stop at a favorite spot, the garden of Gethsemane. This is located on or in the vicinity of the Mount of Olives. Jesus has often met with his apostles here amid the olive trees.

Leaving eight of the apostles-perhaps near the garden's entrance-he instructs them: "Sit down here while I go over there and pray." He then takes the other three-Peter, James and John-and proceeds farther into the garden. Jesus becomes grieved and sorely troubled. "My soul is deeply grieved even to death," he tells them. "Stay here and keep on the watch with me."

Going a little way forward, Jesus drops to the ground and with his face to the ground begins earnestly praying: "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will." What does he mean? Why is he "deeply grieved, even to death?" Is he backing down from his decision to die and provide the ransom? Not at all! Jesus is not appealing to be spared from death. Even the thought of avoiding a sacrificial death, once suggested by Peter, is repungnant to him. Rather he is in agony because he fears that the way he will soon die-as a despicable criminal-will bring reproach upon his Father's name. he now senses that in a few hours he is going to be impaled upon a stake as the worst kind of person-a blasphemer against God! This is what sorely troubles him.

After praying at length, Jesus returns and finds the three apostles sleeping. Addressing Peter, he says: "Could you men not so much as watch one hour with me? Keep on the watch and pray continually, that you may not enter into temptation." Acknowledging, however, he stress they have been under the lateness of the hour, he says: "The spirit, of course is eager, but the flesh is weak."

Jesus then goes off a second time and requests that God remove from him "this cup," that is, Jehovah's assigned portion, or will, for him. When he returns, he again finds that they are sleeping when they should have been praying that they not enter into temptation. When Jesus speaks to them, they do not know what to say in reply.

Next time: Conclusion of Agony In The Garden

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991