LUKE 22: 39-71

Gethsemane. What are your thoughts when you hear of that Garden? As a part of the Mount of Olives, it can be considered a special place. The Mount of Olives is where Christ ascended, and where He will physically return. But really, on this last night of Jesus’ human ministry, it was simply a place where he retreated to pray. He often retreated to pray. He was easy to find by Judas and the Roman cohort, because Judas knew where He would go to pray.

So I think of this dark, sullen, gray, smoky, yucky place when hear the name. In actuality, it was likely a very pleasant place to be, with a great view of Jerusalem. Secluded and quiet, it was a good place to relax.

Besides Jesus’ propensity to pray and pray often, I am reminded of His always doing so according to the Father’s will. His human nature did not want to face crucifixion. Yet He subjected Himself to the will of the Father. For you and for me.

Here’s another word: heamtohidrosis. A somewhat rare physical condition, in times of great stress capillaries near sweat glands can rupture, allowing blood to escape the skin through the open sweat glands. Jesus’ anguish was of such a level, that this condition could very well be what is literally meant in verse 44. I believe this to be the case. Luke, a physician by trade, would have had reason to make mention of this, though the condition would not have been named then. Not a theological issue, if the term “sweating drops of blood” is figurative. Either way, Jesus was deeply distressed.

In the middle of His personal anguish, He prays for the disciples to not be taken in temptation. He encourages them to pray likewise. Humanly-speaking, He had every right to be concerned with what faced Him, and He kept His focus on what He was doing for everyone else.

We know from verse 38 that this group had two swords. When Jesus is betrayed, hundreds of men came to arrest him, mostly armed soldiers. Peter plans, I suppose, to fight them off, as he strikes one soldier (Malchus, from other accounts). Jesus even takes time to minister to this soldier by healing his ear.

Jesus is arrested at night, to avoid confrontation by crowds in Jerusalem.
The initial trials before the Jewish leaders take place at night, illegal according to Jewish law. And when He most needs support, his disciples have fled, and Peter denies knowing Him. I imagine the mental pain and fatigue Jesus felt as a result of that abandonment hurt as much, if not more, than everything else up to that point.

When Jesus is questioned as to whether or not He is the Christ, He answers as shown in verse 67. His answer would not have mattered, is what I get from that passage. But those questioning Him follow up with “Are You the Son of God?” to which He says “Yes”. For anyone who thinks the Bible never teaches that Jesus is God, here is one great text, where those asking the questions understood clearly that the terms “Son of God” and “God” were equal. In this way, He called Himself God, and the Jews believed such blasphemy to be worthy of death. He was not “like” the Son of God”, but rather He WAS and IS the Son of God. He is God.

Gethsemane. I used to picture this sad and gloomy place. Now I see it as a place where Christ performed perhaps His greatest ministry. He prayed for His followers. He healed an enemy. He succumbed to the Father’s will, completely, for you and me.

SO WHAT…?

So, if people want to find me praying, where would they do that? Or a different twist: if it is 8:00 p.m. on a Wednesday, or 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, will people who know me call me, thinking I am at home? Would they know where to find me?

So, in the middle of my meager trials (relative to those of Jesus), can I remember to pray to keep from temptation? Can I remember to think of and pray for others?

So, what will it take for me to honor God’s will for my life? When it gets tough, will I succumb to Him, or to me?