This is an excerpt from my book “40 Moments From Christ’s Final Days.” Click here to get it from Amazon using my affiliate link.
Find this moment in: Mt. 26:42, Mk 14:35-36, Lk. 22:41-42
After supper, Jesus returns to a grove of trees called Gethsemane in the Mount of Olives. This is a difficult scene for anyone who loves Jesus and must have been especially heartbreaking for His followers who were present. Many things happen in Gethsemane, but Christ’s prayer can be especially confusing.
And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me, yet not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:41-42)
At first glance, Jesus seems out of step with God the Father. He willingly submits, but not before stating His objection. This seems to show Christ’s humanity coming to the forefront, perhaps overshadowing His divine side, and leading Him to doubt or want to turn away from what He knows awaits Him at the cross.
However, we must consider what we’re saying when we read His prayer that way. Jesus wasn’t just part man and part God, nor was He two separate natures at war with one another. We call this the “hypostatic union,” understanding that Jesus was fully God and fully man. So when we examine His prayer and conclude that His human and divine natures were somehow opposed to one another, we accidentally believe that Christ’s natures were two separate things.
Instead, we can better understand this prayer by looking at a previous prayer that He gave before raising Lazarus from the dead.
So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the crowd standing around I said this, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” (John 11:41-42)
Jesus was a teacher. Even in His prayer, He was mindful of those around Him. Before raising Lazarus, He specifically says that He prayed for the sake of those around Him.
Now consider the scene in Gethsemane. Matthew 26:37 show that Jesus took Peter, James, and John deeper into Gethsemane and then had them wait while He went “a stone’s throw” away. Although not an exact measurement, the saying doesn’t mean “the maximum distance someone can throw a stone,” but instead is a casual reference to something being nearby. Thus, we must assume that the disciples could hear Jesus praying clearly enough that they could quote it later.
So what’s the point of Jesus praying, “If possible, take this cup from me”? Rather than assuming He took three men with Him and went far enough away so they could hear Him argue with the Father for the first time in all eternity, it’s far more likely that He did this for their benefit. Jesus was likely strengthening them and preparing them for what was coming.
He was letting them know that there was, indeed, no other way to carry out God’s plan. Furthermore, nothing about to happen was a failure on God’s part. Although the disciples would still scatter for a time, they would spend the rest of their lives knowing that Jesus modeled absolute submission to the Father and that His impending arrest, trial, and execution were God’s will.
Stop and think: Christ’s sacrifice on the cross wasn’t just one of many options, nor was it a last-ditch attempt after everything else had failed. Even before creation, Jesus knew He would come to the world as a man and take our sins upon Himself. How does knowing this has always been God’s will help you marvel at His sacrificial love?
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