The Grief Of Gethsemane
Walk-Line:
"Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
What was it that grieved our Lord, and Savior in the garden of Gethsemane? Jesus' deepest grief in the Garden of Gethsemane stemmed from several profound burdens:
The Weight of Sin.
He was about to take on the sins of the world, experiencing separation from the Father (2 Corinthians 5:21). Can we even imagine the weight of the poison of sin, that was contained in this spiritual cup of suffering? The murders, rape, deception, immorality, abuse, world corruption etc. Can we even begin to measure the weight of guilt that Jesus drank, when He paid the price for the world's sin?
The Suffering Ahead.
He knew the physical agony of the crucifixion was imminent. I have said this to myself, that if a cross was meant for me, I would have ran as far away from it as possible. The Gospel of Luke describes Jesus' journey to Jerusalem as He approached His time of being "taken up" (i.e., crucified and resurrected). Luke uses the phrase "he set his face to go to Jerusalem," which is interpreted as Jesus resolutely following God's will and the path laid out for Him, mirroring the determination described in Isaiah 50:7. Even though, Jesus knew the suffering He would be called to endure, He did not run from it, but faced it head on.
The Betrayal and Abandonment.
Judas' betrayal and the disciples' desertion weighed heavily on Him (Matthew 26:56). Just like all of us, betrayal is a very hurtful experience. And to think that you chose twelve men, to stand by you, and then to have one turn completely against you, and the rest run and hide, because of fear. What would that feel like? What would that do to us?
The Struggle to Submit.
His human nature wrestled with the divine plan, as seen in His prayer: "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39) As I mentioned earlier, the weight of the sin guilt of the world, was so deep, and would cause a holy, righteous God to turn away from His Son. This separation from His Father, was probably the hardest part of this suffering experience. So hard, that it caused Jesus to ask for another way. To escape the drinking of this extreme cup of suffering. We shouldn't think less of Jesus because of this request. What would we have done, if we were in His shoes?
The Spiritual Battle.
He faced intense anguish, sweating drops of blood (Luke 22:44), showing the depth of His distress. Sweating blood is known as hematidrosis or sometimes hematohidrosis. It's a rare condition where blood appears in sweat. It's often associated with intense emotional or physical stress, but the exact cause is not fully understood. The stress of this moment, was so intense, that (I wonder) if an angel hadn't come to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43) if He wouldn't have died right there in the garden? Stress can be a killer, as many can testify to. The spiritual battles we fight, can be intense as well. But thanks be to Jesus, who calls us to Him, as we fight such battles. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Yes, there was grief in the Garden of Gethsemane. And to think that personally, He grieved in the process of saving you and me. It was for us He grieved, and suffered, and died, to take away our sins. And in His resurrection, He brought eternal hope to our lives. From a time of grief, to a time of Joy! GP
to deal with the burden of suffering there.
He chose to do His Father's will.
To go to the cross, that we were all to bear.
_____g/Patterson 2025 All Rights Reserved.
2025 All Rights Reserved.
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