Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Ms 184, 1901

A Man of Sorrows and Acquainted with Grief By Mrs. E. G. White.

[Typed] Feb. 17, 1901

Previously unpublished.

“And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and he saith to his disciples, sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy; and saith unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death; tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little and feel on the ground and prayed.” [Mark 14:32-35.] 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 1

“And cometh and findeth them sleeping; and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst not thou watch one hour?” [Verse 37.] 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 2

Again the suffering Son of God left his disciples and again he prayed, pouring out the burden of his soul with strong crying and tears. His soul was filled with agony beyond the power of unaided humanity to bear and live. The sin of the world was resting upon him, pressing him down with its heavy curse. He knew how difficult it would be for man to realize the terrible sinfulness of sin. He knew how few would accept the salvation he had come to bring. He knew that the great majority of me and women would take no pleasure in the righteousness which at an infinite cost to himself he was now making it possible for them to obtain. The load of the world's guilt was upon him. Doubts in regard to his oneness with Jehovah rent his soul. He felt as if he were being separated from the Father's love. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 3

In this hour of trial, Christ longed for the sympathy of his disciples. Rising from the ground, he went to them the second time, and once more found them asleep. For a moment he bent over his beloved disciples with a look of inexpressible love and pity. He was acquainted with the power of the prince of darkness, and he knew that this foe had paralyzed their faculties, so that when they should be watching, they were fast asleep. “Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation,” he said; “The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [Matthew 26:41.] 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 4

Once more the power of darkness pressed upon the Saviour with almost irresistible force, and giving his sleeping disciples a look of peculiar tenderness, he left them, with the earnest purpose to conquer the prince of evil, that man might be set free from the slavery of despair. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 5

For the third time, the Saviour bowed himself to the earth in prayer. A strange and mysterious terror filled his soul. It is not possible for the human mind to conceive the anguish which tortured him. The Son of God, he had no sin to bear for himself. It was the sin and shame of others that he was carrying. On him was laid the iniquity of us all. In his divine sympathy, he had connected himself with humanity as the representative of the race, to be treated as a transgressor. Looking into the abyss which sin had made between earth and heaven, he had determined to bridge the gulf. In Gethsemane the sin which he was bearing rose before him in all its blackness. The peril of the race was so great that the plan of redemption seemed difficult to accomplish. This brought a great horror upon him and caused his spirit to faint. The anguish of his soul forced from his skin great drops of blood, which fell to the ground, moistening the sods of Gethsemane. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 6

It was at this time that the mysterious cup trembled in Christ's hand. The destiny of a fallen world hung in the balance. Shall the Son of the infinite God drink the humiliation and agony appointed to the race? Shall the innocent suffer to save the guilty? Christ may even now put the cup from his lips, and leave man to perish under the wrath of a just God against transgression. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 7

But from the lips of the Redeemer fell the words, “Not my will, but thine be done.” [Luke 22:42.] He saw man's inability to break away from the power of sin. He saw that if he did not drink the cup of suffering, the race would perish. He would not leave them to themselves, but would descend to the lowest depths of woe to rescue them. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 8

Exhausted by the struggle, Christ fell to the earth. Where were his disciples? Why were they not there to place their hands tenderly beneath the head of their suffering Master and bathe the brow marred by unselfish sorrow? They did not know that their beloved Teacher had fainted. They were asleep. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 9

Our Saviour trod the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with him. Yet he was not alone; for God was with him. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 10

Who can comprehend the sacrifice God made in giving his Son up to reproach and agony? Thus he showed his measureless love for man. Angels beheld with astonishment the object of their adoration suffering for sinners. They longed to comfort him, but what could they do? It was beyond their power to alleviate such sorrow. They had never felt the weight of sin. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 11

For the third time Christ came to his disciples, to find them still overcome by sleep. Looking sorrowfully and pitifully upon them, he said, “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.” And even while these words were on his lips he heard the footsteps of those in search of him, and rousing his disciples, he said, “Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.” [Mark 14:41, 42.] The Saviour's face wore an expression of calm dignity. No trace of his recent struggle was to be seen as he stepped forth to meet his betrayer. 16LtMs, Ms 184, 1901, par. 12