Mark 14:26-42 — Jesus’ Gethsemane experience
In His Gethsemane experience, Jesus left eight of His disciples in one spot in the garden, going with Peter, James, and John to another place. Telling them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death” (Mark 14:34), Jesus left the three there. “Watch with me” (Matthew 26:38), He told them as He went on by Himself to a third location about a stone’s throw away.
Alone, God’s Passover Lamb seemed to alternate between kneeling and lying prostrate on the ground (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35; Luke 22:41). He begged the Father to consider the possibility of avoiding that cup and hour (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35). “Nevertheless,” He said, “not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36).
His disciples slept. The Son of man was left without any man’s support. Three times Jesus prayed and agonized. Each time He went to check on James, John, and Peter, they were sound asleep. He urged them, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation” (Mark 14:38). To no avail. They just dropped off to sleep again.
During His third prayer session, the Father sent an angel to strengthen Jesus (Luke 22:43). In His agony, He prayed “more earnestly” (Luke 22:44), sweating profusely. His sweat actually fell to the ground resembling “great drops of blood.” It must have been around midnight.
His praying done, His will freshly surrendered to the Father, Jesus rejoined all His disciples.
Part of Jesus’ Gethsemane experience: “If it be possible”
Jesus surely knew the Father had no Plan B. Yet it seems the sorrow and weight came on Him with such magnitude that His humanity asked for relief. If the Father had a workable alternate route that took Jesus around the cross, that’s what He wanted. But even more, He wanted to continue doing the will of the Father.
We know the verdict of the Father: It was not possible to let that cup pass. Jesus would have to accept it fully. Not merely taste it, not simply take a little sip — He would have to drink from the cup till it was drained. So, “for the joy that was set before him” (Hebrews 12:2), He submitted to the Father’s will and accepted the cup.
Times and situations come to us that cause us to flinch from God’s plan. We still want to accomplish His purposes, but we hope for a different plan. That’s OK, as long as our hearts still declare our acceptance of whatever His will is. And by God’s grace we shall!
Excerpted from Jesus Agonizes in Prayer
"The Gethsemane Experience" is the CLP Sunday School lesson for April 7, 2019, and uses Mark 14:26-42 as the Scripture passage.
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Unless noted otherwise, the material above is copyrighted by CLP and/or Mark Roth.
Mark's first ebook: Panting (Faith Works 1) (available on Amazon via this affiliate link)
