Chapter XXXIV.—JESUS BETRAYED.
When Jesus had cautioned Peter, James and John, to watch and pray, "he went forward a little, and was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed"; in the earnestness of His prayer, "he fell on his face on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him." It was not the death upon the cross which Jesus prayed might pass from Him: human martyrs have borne bodily sufferings and cruel deaths, supported by the grace of God; and though in His human nature Christ might well shrink from the pain of Crucifixion, He was ready to give His body for our redemption.
But his sufferings in the garden of Gethsemane, were far beyond what any human being could suffer, or than we can understand. His heavenly Father saw fit to let Him suffer for a time, all the unspeakable agony which the just anger of God can lay upon the impenitent soul. And we may well believe that this agony was a hundred-fold increased for Him, Who was thereby to redeem countless myriads of souls. And might not this terrible agony be increased, by the foreknowledge that, in spite of His tremendous sacrifice, men would reject Him as a Saviour, and persevere in sin; until by their impenitence, they too would share those horrible agonies which for a time were laid upon Him, that by enduring them, He might save all men from so terrible a condition? When we thus consider of what nature Christ's sufferings in the garden of Gethsemane were, we can fully understand the prayer, that such an hour might pass from Him. But mark His inconceivable love, as shown in the words, "if it were possible"; that is, if man's redemption could possibly be secured without his passing through such dreadful agony; if that were not possible, then He was willing even to undergo that awful and mysterious extremity of suffering.
Let us not pass on without taking a practical lesson from what has been said: what made our Lord undergo such agony for us? Love. Then, if He so loved us, what should be our feelings towards Him? Love. Truly, love; sincere, heartfelt love; love that will show itself. But how? Hear His own words, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." This let us ever strive to do; and so, through the mediation of Jesus, shall we escape those agonies, which for us He endured in the garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus prostrate on the ground, prayed in the agony of His soul, and said, "Abba, Father—O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: all things are possible unto thee: if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done." All through this dreadful scene of agony, our blessed Lord sets us an example of perfect submission to His Father's Will, however much that Will may be contrary to our wishes and desires: this example we should do well to follow, in every time of trouble. We may pray, that God will, if He sees fit, remove from us the affliction or sorrow which we feel or fear; but, at the same time, our hearts must be perfectly submissive to His Will, and willing to continue to bear the suffering, should He not see fit to take it away from us. In this spirit our Lord in His human nature prayed to God; but though God saw fit to let Him for a time suffer all the agony which sin brings on man, He did vouchsafe to send Him some comfort, in this bitter time of trial; for "there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening him," to complete His work.
"And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping from sorrow."
Had they obeyed the words of their Lord, to watch and pray, their sorrow would not at such a time have made them sleep. But they had failed to do this; and Satan, who is ever watchful, had doubtless taken advantage of this, and tempted them to sit thinking sorrowfully of all that was coming upon their beloved Master, instead of obeying His command, to watch and pray. Overcome with such sad thoughts, they fell into a sort of stupor or heavy sleep, and were thus found by Jesus when He returned to them. He awoke them, and "said unto them, Why sleep ye? Simon, sleepest thou? What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" Peter had but lately declared his readiness to do some great thing, to give up his life for Jesus; and now he fails in doing a little thing, merely praying for one hour. This is another proof of man's weakness, and of the danger of self-confidence. Again our Lord repeated the needful warning, "Watch ye, rise and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak." Our Lord, who knew the weakness of man's nature, was thus merciful to the failing of His disciples: but let us remember, that the more we are convinced of the weakness of the flesh, and how it hinders the spirit, the more earnestly must we strive to overcome it, and be led by the spirit only.
"And Jesus went away again the second time, and prayed, and spake the same words, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done. And when he returned, he found them asleep again (for their eyes were heavy), neither wist they what to answer him. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words."
"Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest; it is enough, the hour is come: behold the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners."