His Emotional Surrender to the Will of God
Mat 26:36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to the disciples, "Sit down here, whilst I go yonder and there pray."
Mat 26:37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zabdi. Then He began to be full of anguish and distress,
Mat 26:38 and He said to them, "My soul is crushed with anguish to the very point of death; wait here, and keep awake with me."
Mat 26:39 Going forward a short distance He fell on His face and prayed. "My Father," He said, "if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou willest."
Mat 26:40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and He said to Peter, "Alas, none of you could keep awake with me for even a single hour!
Mat 26:41 Keep awake, and pray that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit is right willing, but the body is frail."
Mat 26:42 Again a second time He went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is impossible for this cup to pass without my drinking it, Thy will be done."
Mat 26:43 He came and again found them asleep, for they were very tired.
Mat 26:44 So He left them, and went away once more and prayed a third time, again using the same words.
Mat 26:45 Then He came to the disciples and said, "Sleep on and rest. See, the moment is close at hand when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men.
Mat 26:46 Rouse yourselves. Let us be going. My betrayer is close at hand."
Introduction
The Climax of Jesus’ Life is fast approaching. The weight and pressure of what was about to take place was heavy upon His soul. He knew what was about to happen. Then they came to the place called Gethsemane. v.36 Gethsemane comes from the the hebrew for “oil-press”. This presumably means that olive trees were growing there. Thus there was an orchard or Garden. Jesus here undergoes great emotional and spiritual PRESSURE.
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| Ancient Olive Tress in the Garden of Gethsemane Jerusalem. |
Comments
Mat 26:36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to the disciples, "Sit down here, whilst I go yonder and there pray."
Notes
Jesus had come to this pace to pray and talk to His Heavenly Father. This was no light occasion. Jesus was facing rejection and an agonizing death L.M.
"Sit down here, whilst I go yonder and there, pray."
while I go over there or over yonder and pray,
When you are facing a desperate situation the best thing to do is to remove yourself from contact with others and to pray.
Mat 26:37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zabdi. Then He began to be full of anguish and distress,
Notes
He took Peter James and John with Him further into the Garden. These were His closest disciples.
Then He began to be full of anguish and distress,
he began to fret and be anxious. ABP+
and began to be sorrowful; his soul was troubled on the same account six days before, Joh_12:27, but was now sorrowful. He was a man of sorrows all his days, and acquainted with griefs, being reproached and persecuted by men: but now a new scene of sorrows opened; before he was afflicted by men, but now he is bruised, and put to grief by his Father: his sorrows now began, for they did not end here, but on the cross; not that this was but a bare beginning of his sorrows, or that these were but light in comparison of future ones; for they were very heavy, and indeed seem to be the heaviest of all, as appears from his own account of them; his vehement cry to his Father; his bloody sweat and agony; and the assistance he stood in need of from an angel; and the comfort and strength he received from him in his human nature: all which, put together, the like is not to be observed in any part of his sufferings:John Gill
full of anguish and distress,
And very heavy - Overwhelmed with anguish - αδημονειν. This word is used by the Greeks to denote the most extreme anguish which the soul can feel - excruciating anxiety and torture of spirit.
Mat 26:38 and He said to them, "My soul is crushed with anguish to the very point of death; wait here, and keep awake with me."
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| Jesus praying in the garden |
Notes
"My soul is crushed with anguish to the very point of death;WNT
, "My anguish is so great that I feel as if I'm dying. GW
death This latter word explains the two former: My soul is so dissolved in sorrow, my spirit is filled with such agony and anguish, that, if speedy succor be not given to my body, death must be the speedy consequence.
Now, the grand expiatory sacrifice(which makes amends for sin) begins to be offered: in this garden Jesus enters fully into the sacerdotal (priestly) office; and now, on the altar of his immaculate divinity,(free from spot or shame) begins to offer his own body - his own life - a lamb without spot, for the sin of the world. St. Luke observes, Luk_22:43, Luk_22:44, that there appeared unto him an angel from heaven strengthening him;A.C.
Mat 26:39 Going forward a short distance He fell on His face and prayed. "My Father," He said, "if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou willest."
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| Jesus Surrender to the Father's Will Regarding being in God's will -- yes, you definitely must be willing to give up your desire if God asks you to. Like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane |
Notes
"My Father," He said, "if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou willest."
This is a very touching conversation with His Heavenly Father.
"if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me…. This is the Cup of Suffering, Torture and Pain which He knew He must drink. He was dying as a man and felt every little bit the terrible agony and crushing coming upon Him.
It seems to be an allusion to a very ancient method of punishing criminals. A cup of poison was put into their hands, and they were obliged to drink it. Socrates was killed thus, being obliged by the magistrates of Athens to drink a cup of the juice of hemlock. To death, by the poisoned cup, there seems an allusion in Heb_2:9, Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, Tasted death for every man.A.C.
“The sufferings of death are the greatest of which 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 great that under their burden I am ready to die; such is the anxiety of mind, that I seem to bear the pains of death!” Barnes
"if it is possible,..... Humanly speaking He cannot face the situation. There was no way that he could be released from this agony and yet accomplish the reason for His Coming to Earth in the first place.The redemption of Mankind depended on Him going through with this whole ordeal to the Bitter end.
nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou willest."
The Surrender of the Will to the Will of God is the Secret of victory in this life. Whatever the Lord throws at us even the most difficult can bring glorious Victories if we are surrendered to Gods Will.
Joh_7:17 Those who want to follow the will of God will know if what I teach is from God or if I teach my own thoughts.
Rom_15:32 Also pray that by the will of God I may come to you with joy and be refreshed when I am with you.
1Co_1:1 From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and from Sosthenes, our brother in the Christian faith.
2Co_1:1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and from Timothy our brother. To God's church in the city of Corinth and to all God's holy people everywhere in Greece.
That there are two wills in Christ, human and divine, is certain; his human will, though in some instances, as in this, may have been different from the divine will, yet not contrary to it; and his divine will is always the same with his Father's. This, as mediator, he engaged to do, and came down from heaven for that purpose, took delight in doing it, and has completely finished it, J.Gill
Mat 26:40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and He said to Peter, "Alas, none of you could keep awake with me for even a single hour!
Notes
Human strength and support was lacking in this hour of deep suffering and desperation. He was to bear this burden alone. How could He rest upon human friendship in such an hour.
Mat 26:41 Keep awake, and pray that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit is right willing, but the body is frail."
Notes
Keep awake, and pray that you may not enter into temptation:
Pray is the key to overcoming in such distressing circumstances. When you are tempted to recant orm back away from suffering then it is time to pray.
That ye enter not into temptation - If ye cannot endure a little fatigue when there is no suffering, how will ye do when the temptation, the great trial of your fidelity and courage, cometh? Watch - that ye be not taken unawares; and pray - that when it comes ye may be enabled to bear it.
The spirit - is willing, but the flesh is weak - Your inclinations are good - you are truly sincere; but your good purposes will be overpowered by your timidity. You wish to continue steadfast in your adherence to your Master; but your fears will lead you to desert him. A.C.
Mat 26:42 Again a second time He went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is impossible for this cup to pass without my drinking it, Thy will be done."
Notes
All He knows is to pray the same thing. This is uppermost in His mind. His humanity is pressing so hard on His spirit that he is crushed by it. This is the OIL-Press of Gethsemane
Mat 26:43 He came and again found them asleep, for they were very tired.
Notes
Sometimes sleep just dominates and no matter what you may do you collapse. They were very tired, they were exhausted.
Mat 26:44 So He left them, and went away once more and prayed a third time, again using the same words.
Notes
Jesus is persisting in Prayer when all the disciples were asleep. There is a time to push through in prayer and surrender to the Will of God.
Mat 26:45 Then He came to the disciples and said, "Sleep on and rest. See, the moment is close at hand when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men.
Notes
See, the moment is close at hand when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men.
Sleep on now, and take your rest - Perhaps it might be better to read these words interrogatively, and paraphrase them thus: Do ye sleep on still? Will no warnings avail? Will no danger excite you to watchfulness and prayer? My hour - in which I am to be delivered up, is at hand; therefore now think of your own personal safety.
The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners - Αμαρτωλων, viz. the Gentiles or heathens, who were generally distinguished by this appellation from the Jews. Here it probably means the Roman cohort that was stationed on festivals for the defense of the temple. By the Romans he was adjudged to death; for the Jews acknowledged that they had no power in capital cases. See the note on Mat_9:10. A.C.
Mat 26:46 Rouse yourselves. Let us be going. My betrayer is close at hand."
Now the Time had come and the Soldiers with Judas were approaching.
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