#1319 Matthew 26 Part 5 While You Were Sleeping 2

 

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” Matthew 26: 36-46 ESV

Matthew 26: 36-46 Man of Sorrows

14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.… Hebrews 4: 14-16

To a place called Gethsemane - They left the Mount of Olives where they were previously, where the disciples all pledged their undying devotion, where they said they would never deny Christ. This is a place where they went often, a place that the disciples know and this would include Judas. 

“And again, he chose that garden, amongst others contiguous to Jerusalem, because Judas knew the place. He wanted retirement, but he did not want a place where he could skulk and hide himself. It was not for Christ to give himself up-that were like suicide; but it was not for him to withdraw and secrete himself-that were like cowardice.” (Spurgeon)

And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee - Those sons would be James and John, also known as the sons of thunder, but John much preferred the title of the The one Jesus loved. People disagree on why he chose these three, but they are obviously leaders, and sadly, in the commentaries I read, there is a great common denominator of these three that the preachers miss, and that is that they were all fishermen. Peter also has a short temper, is quick to speak, and will later react violently to events that are fast approaching. These three are the most gangster in that respect, so it is probably better that they stay close to the Master to protect them from themselves as well. 

20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?” 21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!”… John 21: 20-22

He began to be sorrowful and troubled - Luke's account of this time is difficult to even read out loud. Jesus is God, but He has set aside the Divine prerogative in order to fulfill the human deficit. He experiences sorrow and pain, yet He is not ruled by them, and He is tested in every way like us but without sin. His whole life is lived in the shadow of Calvary, and servant to the divine will. Just as the Shekinah left the temple in the visions of Ezekiel, so here we see it return in the body and person of Christ, He is coming to be offered up. Knowing what is coming does not make the pain escapable if you choose to continue, if you see the Via Dolorosa and do not veer off this lonely path. 

Remain here and watch with Me - Simple enough, but this is how alone Jesus was in this, and these all made huge professions of loyalty earlier.

My Father - Jesus has been tempted by Satan in the wilderness as we read in Matthew 4, and so this is a great model for us. Each time He answers the temptation with the Word of God, and He spends much time in prayer. It is His life that allows us to call God our Father as well, and this is the greatest source of comfort, this familiarity, this closeness He has with His Father, yet this also bears the source of His greatest distress. We will see.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4: 1-4

If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me - God has provided One way which Christ is the Mediator of, and so this is a question within the provision. We see a cross and nails, He sees the wrath of His Father, being forsaken of  the Father, and He has lived every day in revulsion to the sin which we are accustomed, acclimated to. He will take this upon Him, and there is no one on this planet that has such a claim to unfairness as does He. This is the cup of God's wrath, the infinite God, poured out against that which He hates infinitely, and there is yet again, even amongst those in hell, who suffer God's eternal judgment, a thing I admittedly cannot comprehend, there is none there that suffer it all at once, but broken up over eternity, for they never cease at sinning, and God never ceases in opposing sin. He is infinitely Holy. Christ will suffer for the sins of the elect, and He will receive what was owed to me, the Just for the unjust. 

…6Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.… Philippians 2: 6-8

Not as I will, but as You will - Again we are met with the incomprehensible, no one has ever stooped so low to lift someone else up. We know that He is God, but this displays that He is also human, and it teaches us to trust God even in the face of what seems unbearable and especially where we don't understand. He does not wish to be separated from the Father, does not wish to know His wrath towards something He Himself is not guilty of and disdains, but this is the hope of glory, this is salvation. 

“‘Not your will but mine’ changed Paradise to desert and brought man from Eden to Gethsemane. Now ‘Not my will but yours’ brings anguish to the man who prays it but transforms the desert into the kingdom and brings man from Gethsemane to the gates of glory.” (Carson)

So you could not watch with Me one hour - They all talked a big game, but have yet to understand where the power to stand comes from. This is a hard lesson, but it will help break them of self reliance. They need, like their Lord demonstrates, to know God's word and to pray, that is how we meet these attacks. A necklace, a wooden cross, garlic and resolve will not keep these wolves away, but the kindness is that He has let them know they are going to fail, and He is still teaching them by pointing out their inconsistencies along the way. 

The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak - When you are born again, born of the Spirit, God's Spirit comes to reside in you, and this bond, this power is tied to the understanding of God's word and ceaseless prayer. If you rest your mind on your physical strength, your mental acuity, your own determination, you are banking on the flesh, what He call's, "weak". 

…16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”… Romans 10: 16-18

…5Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.… Philippians 4: 5-7

…16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.… Ephesians 6: 16-18

The tenderness of this plea is touching, Christ himself was well acquainted with the feeling of human infirmities (Heb. 4:15) - yet without sin. At that very moment he was locked in a struggle against human passions which, while not sinful in themselves, must be subjugated to the divine will if sin was to be avoided.  - J Mac

Again He found them sleeping - How long Oh Lord, and we should never be angry over repetition in correction, are there not four gospels, and many epistles after? We will look back from maturity, if ever we get to some part of that here, and see many a great moment squandered, so many opportunities to pray where we instead trusted our own gut.  

Rise, let us be going - It all seems like such a fog, and how were they able to sleep, or is it the sleep that is chosen when we want to avoid? Do they even understand that this is the moment?