Jesus at Gethsemane — Matthew 26:36-47 — from BibleGateway.com (emphasis DSC)
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 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.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
From DSC:
As I read these verses this morning, I was reminded how huge Christ’s suffering was at this point. Christ doesn’t use words like overwhelmed — another version says “exceedingly” — very often. In fact, I’ve often marveled at how understated He puts things. (Contrast this to today’s manufactures who have the nerve to play the Halleluhah Chorus for a new model of car or a new product; Christ didn’t do that kind of thing, though He had every right to).
He must have wanted this cup to pass without having to drink from it. Later, when a fight started to break out, He said to His disciples, “Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will Provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” In other words, I don’t need your swords. I need to drink from this cup in order to fulfill scripture.
I reminded of His bravery and courage; and most of all, His love for us.
Thank you LORD!