The Hero

The Awesome Struggle in Gethsemane

Picture: The Awesome Struggle in Gethsemane 3TC 416.1

This chapter is based on Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-50; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-12.

The Savior made His way to the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples. The Passover moon shone from a cloudless sky. As He neared Gethsemane, He became strangely silent. Throughout His life on earth He had walked in the light of God’s presence. But now He was numbered with the transgressors. He must bear the guilt of fallen humanity. Its weight was so great that He was tempted to fear that it would shut Him out forever from His Father’s love. He exclaimed, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” 3TC 416.2

Never before had the disciples seen their Master so utterly sad. His body swayed as if He were about to fall. On reaching the garden, the disciples looked anxiously for His usual place of seclusion, so that their Master could rest. Twice His companions supported Him, or He would have fallen. 3TC 416.3

Near the entrance, Jesus left all but three of the disciples, asking them to pray for themselves and for Him. With Peter, James, and John, He entered the garden’s inner areas. In His great struggle, Christ wanted their presence near Him. Often they had passed the night with Him in this retreat. After a season of prayer, they would sleep undisturbed until He awoke them in the morning to go out again to work. Now He wanted them to spend the night with Him in prayer, yet He could not bear for even them to witness the agony He was about to endure. 3TC 416.4

“Stay here,” Jesus said, “and watch with Me.” He went a little distance—not so far that they could not see and hear Him—and fell facedown on the ground. He felt that He was being separated from His Father by sin. The gulf was so broad, so black, so deep, that His spirit shuddered as He faced it. He must not exert His divine power to escape this agony. As a man He must suffer the consequences of human sin. As a man He must endure God’s anger against transgression. 3TC 416.5

The Terrible Temptation

Christ was now standing in a different relationship to God from that in which He had always stood before. As our Substitute, Christ was suffering under divine justice. Before this He had been an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself. 3TC 416.6

As Christ felt His unity with the Father being broken up, He feared that in His human nature He would not be able to endure the conflict. The tempter had come for the last fearful struggle; if he failed here, the kingdom of the world would finally become Christ’s and he himself would be overthrown. But if he could overcome Christ, the earth would become Satan’s kingdom, and the human race would be in his power forever. 3TC 417.1

Satan told Christ that if He became the Substitute for a sinful world, He would be identified with Satan’s kingdom and would never again be one with God. And what would He gain by this sacrifice? Satan pressed the situation on the Redeemer: The people who claim to be above all others in spiritual advantages are seeking to destroy You. One of Your own disciples will betray You. One of Your most zealous followers will deny You. All will forsake You. It pierced Christ’s heart to think that those whom He loved so much would unite in the plots of Satan. The conflict was terrible. The sins of humanity weighed heavily on Christ, and the sense of God’s anger against sin was crushing out His life. 3TC 417.2

In His agony, He clung to the cold ground, as if to prevent Himself from being drawn farther from God. From His pale lips came the bitter cry, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” Yet even now He added, “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” 3TC 417.3

Jesus Hungered for Human Sympathy

The human heart longs for sympathy in suffering. Christ felt this longing to the very depths of His being. He came to His disciples yearning to hear some words of comfort. He longed to know that they were praying for Him and for themselves. How dark seemed the evil of sin! Terrible was the temptation to let the human race bear its own guilt, while He stood innocent before God. If He could only know that His disciples appreciated this, it would strengthen Him. 3TC 417.4

But He “found them sleeping.” If He had found them seeking refuge in God so that satanic agencies would not be victorious over them, He would have been comforted. But they had not heeded His warning, “Watch and pray.” They had not intended to forsake their Lord, but they seemed paralyzed by a stupor that they could have shaken off if they had continued pleading with God. When the Savior needed their prayers the most, they were asleep. 3TC 417.5

The disciples woke up when Jesus spoke to them, but they hardly knew Him, His face was so changed by anguish. Addressing Peter, Jesus said, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus feared that they would not be able to endure the test of His betrayal and death. 3TC 417.6

Again the Son of God came under superhuman agony, and fainting and exhausted, He staggered back to the place of His former struggle. His suffering was even greater than before. “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” The cypress and palm trees were the silent witnesses of His anguish. From their leafy branches heavy dew dropped on His stricken form, as if nature wept over its Author wrestling alone with the powers of darkness. 3TC 417.7

A short time before, Jesus had stood like a mighty cedar, withstanding the storm of opposition that exhausted its fury on Him. Now He was like a reed beaten and bent by the angry storm. Like Someone who was already glorified, He had claimed to be one with God. Now His voice rose on the still evening air, and it was full of human anguish, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 3TC 418.1

Again Jesus felt a longing for some words from His disciples that would break the spell of darkness that nearly overpowered Him. But their eyes were heavy, “and they did not know what to answer Him.” They saw His face marked with the bloody sweat of agony, but they could not understand His anguish of mind. “His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” Isaiah 52:14. 3TC 418.2

When the World’s Fate Trembled in the Balance

Turning away, Jesus went again to His place of seclusion and fell facedown. The humanity of the Son of God trembled in that trying hour. The awful moment to decide the destiny of the world had come. The fate of humanity trembled in the balance. Christ could even now refuse to drink the cup allotted for guilty humanity. He could wipe the bloody sweat from His brow and leave us to perish in our iniquity. He could say, “Let the transgressor receive the penalty of his sin, and I will go back to My Father. Will the innocent suffer the consequences of the curse of sin, to save the guilty?” “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 3TC 418.3

Three times He drew back from the last, crowning sacrifice. But now He sees that the human race is helpless. He sees the power of sin. The woes of a doomed world rise before Him. He sees its impending fate, and He makes His decision. He will save humanity at any cost to Himself. He has left the halls of heaven to save the one world that has fallen by transgression. And He will not turn from His mission. 3TC 418.4

Having made the decision, He fell dying to the ground. Where now were His disciples, to place their hands beneath the head of their fainting Master? The Savior trod the winepress alone, and from the people there was none with Him. See Isaiah 63:3. 3TC 418.5

But God suffered with His Son. Angels witnessed the Savior’s agony. There was silence in heaven. No harp was touched. In silent grief, the angelic host watched the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His beloved Son. 3TC 418.6

Satan and his allies in evil watched intently. What answer would come to Christ’s prayer, repeated three times? In this awful crisis, when the mysterious cup trembled in the hand of the Sufferer, the mighty angel who stands in God’s presence came to Christ’s side. The angel did not come to take the cup from Christ’s hand, but to strengthen Him with the assurance of His Father’s love. He assured Him that His death would result in the complete defeat of Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the Most High. He told Him that He would see a great number of the human race saved, eternally saved. 3TC 418.7

How Christ’s Prayer Was Answered

Christ’s agony did not end, but His depression and discouragement left Him. The storm had not lessened, but He was strengthened to meet its fury. A heavenly peace rested on His bloodstained face. He had borne what no human being could ever bear, for He had tasted the sufferings of death for everyone. 3TC 419.1

The sleeping disciples, suddenly awakened, saw the angel. They heard his voice speaking words of comfort and hope to the Savior. Now they had no further fear for their Master; He was under the care of God. Again the disciples yielded to the strange stupor that overpowered them, and again Jesus found them sleeping. 3TC 419.2

Looking sorrowfully at them Jesus said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.” Even as He spoke, He heard the footsteps of the mob in search of Him, and said, “Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” 3TC 419.3

No traces of His recent agony were visible as Jesus stepped forward to meet His betrayer. “Whom are you seeking?” 3TC 419.4

They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 3TC 419.5

Jesus replied, “I am He.” As He spoke these words, the angel who had ministered to Jesus moved between Him and the mob. A divine light illuminated the Savior’s face. In the presence of this divine glory, the murderous crowd staggered back. Even Judas fell to the ground. 3TC 419.6

The angel withdrew, and the light faded away. Jesus had opportunity to escape, but He remained in the midst of that hardened rabble, now on the ground and helpless at His feet. 3TC 419.7

But quickly the scene changed. The Roman soldiers, the priests, and Judas gathered around Christ, fearful that He would escape. They had had evidence that He who stood before them was the Son of God, but they would not be convinced. To the question, “Whom are you seeking?” they answered again, “Jesus of Nazareth.” The Savior then said, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way”—pointing to the disciples. He was ready to sacrifice Himself for them. 3TC 419.8

Judas the betrayer did not forget the part he was to act. He had given a sign to Jesus’ pursuers, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Now, coming close to Jesus, he took His hand as a familiar friend. With the words, “Greetings, Rabbi,” he kissed Him repeatedly, and he appeared to weep as if in sympathy with Jesus in His danger. 3TC 419.9

Jesus said, “Friend, why have you come?” His voice trembling with sorrow, He added, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” This appeal should have awakened the betrayer’s conscience, but honor and human tenderness had left him. He had given himself up to Satan and had no power to resist him. Jesus did not refuse the traitor’s kiss. 3TC 419.10

The mob now laid hold of Jesus and set about to bind those hands that had always been employed in doing good. 3TC 420.1

The disciples were disappointed and indignant as they saw the cords brought forward to bind the hands of the One they loved. In anger Peter drew his sword and cut off an ear of the high priest’s servant. When Jesus saw what had happened, He released His hands, though held firmly by the Roman soldiers, and saying, “Permit even this,” He touched the wounded ear, and it was made whole instantly. 3TC 420.2

Then He said to Peter, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?”—a legion in place of each disciple. “Oh, why,” the disciples thought, “does He not save Himself and us?” Answering their unspoken thought, He added, “How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” “Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” 3TC 420.3

The scheming priests and elders had joined the temple police and rabble in following Judas to Gethsemane. What a company for those dignitaries to unite with—a mob armed with all kinds of implements, as if in pursuit of a wild beast! 3TC 420.4

Turning to the priests and elders, Christ spoke words they would never forget: “You come out against Me with swords and clubs as you would against a thief or a robber. Day by day I sat teaching in the temple. You had every opportunity to lay hands on Me, and you did nothing. The night is better suited to your work. ‘This is your hour, and the power of darkness.’” 3TC 420.5

The disciples were terrified as they saw Jesus permit Himself to be taken and bound. They were offended that He would allow this humiliation to Himself and them. They could not understand His conduct, and they blamed Him for submitting. In their indignation and fear, Peter proposed that they save themselves. Following this suggestion, “they all forsook Him and fled.” 3TC 420.6