Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” 39 He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!” 43 Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. 44 He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. 45 Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. 46 Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”
Jesus took Peter, James, and John (Mk. 14:33) with him to Gethsemane and instructed them to sit and keep watch while he went off to pray. He said to the disciples, “My soul is sorrowful even to death (v. 38),” reminiscent of the Psalmist’s prayer, “Why are you downcast, my soul; why do you groan within me (Ps. 42:6)?” Jesus was distressed because he knew what was about to happen to him, that he would drink of the cup of suffering and endure a horrible death, yet he prayed, “Not as I will, but as you will (v. 39).” Jesus’ human will instinctively pulled back from the suffering and death he was about to face but nevertheless he accepted his Father’s will for the redemption of mankind (Mt. 6:10b). The disciples still did not know what was about to happen and they fell asleep (v. 40). In his hour of need they did not support him. Jesus warned Peter to pray so that he would not undergo the test (Mt. 6:13a).
Jesus withdrew twice more praying to his Father in the same way and twice more he accepted his Father’s will but was disappointed to find the three disciples closest to him sleeping. They had been with him the longest and were present at the Transfiguration where they saw his Glory and had heard the Divine voice say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him (Mt. 17:1-8).” They were also with him when Jairus’ daughter was raised from the dead (Lk. 8:49-56) and when Lazarus was raised from the dead (Jn. 11:1-44). Now the hour for which he came into the world had arrived. The disciples were sleeping and provided no human comfort, and it appeared as if, “God abandoned him as a test, to know all that was in his heart (2 Chr. 32:31).” In his humanity, Jesus was tempted to see what was in his heart and he showed that he loved his Father perfectly with his soul (v. 38), his will (v. 39), and his whole being even unto death (Phil. 2:8). He was totally alone, but strengthened by prayer he was ready to face the “hour (v. 45)” of his destiny. He woke the disciples and went to face his betrayer.
The first Adam, a living being formed from the earth (Gen. 2:7) disobeyed God, and mankind fell from God’s grace (Gen. 3:1-6). The last Adam, the life-giving spirit (1 Cor. 15:45-47), was the heavenly Son of the Father (Lk. 1:30-32) who submitted his will in obedience to God’s will even though in his humanity, “He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground (Lk. 22:44).” The three disciples experienced the willingness of the spirit and the weakness of their humanity at Gethsemane (v. 41).
The Lord’s Prayer - Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one (Mt. 6:9-13). Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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