Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” – Matthew 26:42
Torment
Do you find it difficult to read the account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as His soul is so tormented? From the outside, it appears that perhaps for the first time in His life, Jesus may be experiencing some trepidation. For instance, as He entered the Garden with Peter, James and John, Jesus asked them to remain and stay awake with Him because His soul was very sorrowful, even to death. What was the cause of such soul rending sorrow?
After leaving His inner circle at their “post”, Jesus proceeded a little further into the Garden alone. Without any support from His dearest friends, Jesus fell on His face and poured out His heart to His Father. In His great anguish Jesus prayed that if it was possible, the cup that was soon to touch His lips might instead pass. But Jesus knew this wasn’t possible. Accordingly, He prayed that the Father’s will would be done. For Jesus, this was always priority number one.
Even though Jesus knew He would “acquiesce” to the will of the Father, His anguish was so great that Luke records an angel was sent from Heaven to strengthen Him. Yet even with the support of the angel, His prayers became even more intense. So much so that, “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44b). Such intense anguish as He pleaded with the Father to have the cup pass seems so far removed from the nature of Jesus as we see recorded in the rest of Scriptures. Hence we have to ask ourselves about the contents of the cup that struck such “terror” into the heart of Jesus.
Nature
One day, Jesus got into a boat with His disciples. As their boat was sailing across the lake, Jesus decided to take a nap. However, while He was sleeping, a storm came up. But not just any storm, rather a storm so severe that even the seasoned fishermen on board feared for their lives. In their minds, they were at the mercy of nature.
In their frightened condition, the disciples decided to awake Jesus and warn Him of their impending death. But Jesus did not share in the fear of His disciples. Rather, Jesus calmly rebuked the raging wind and waves and immediately they became calm. And after rebuking the wind and the waves, Jesus rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith (see Luke 8:22-26).
What power does nature have over the Son of God? Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Not only can He calm the wind and waves, but if He chose to do so He could even make the rocks cry out His praise (Luke 19:40). In fact, as Psalm ninety-six tells us, the heavens will be glad, the earth will rejoice, the seas will roar, the fields will exalt and the trees will sing for joy before the Lord. Certainly, there is nothing in nature that could possibly put any semblance of trepidation into the breast of Jesus.
Man
I am not sure that there is any polite way of calling a person or family psychotic, but from all appearances, I think it is safe the say that the Herod family may have been worthy of the diagnosis. After the birth of Jesus, it was Herod the Great who ordered the slaughter of the innocent babies in Bethlehem in attempt to eliminate Jesus. Unfortunately, Herod’s insecurity knew no bounds. Later in life, he would kill his wife, her mother, and three sons. Apparently he saw everyone as a potential threat to his throne.
Not to be outdone by his father, Herod Archelaus began his reign by ordering the extermination of three thousand prominent citizens. Later, when Jesus began His ministry, it was Herod Antipas who was ruling. It was this Herod who beheaded John the Baptist, but Jesus wasn’t intimidated. Rather, when Jesus was warned to flee because Herod Antipas also wanted to kill Him, Jesus calmly dismissed the threat and referred to Herod as a fox. Jesus explained that His Father’s work had to be done and would not be interrupted by the likes of a madman like Herod.
The Herod family certainly had a violent reputation. As rulers they wielded great political authority. But when Jesus called Herod a fox He was putting things in perspective. Jesus wasn’t implying that Herod was sly or crafty, but rather he was calling him inept. In comparison to a little fox like Herod, Jesus was a lion. What right does a fox have to threaten a lion? The Herod lineage may have struck fear into everyone under their jurisdiction, but to Jesus they were merely insignificant posers. Jesus had no more fear of any political madman than He did of the Roman soldiers or religious leaders of the day. No man, sane or psycho, could ever make Jesus sweat. Much less sweat like drops of blood.
Satan
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil. And, for forty days Jesus fasted while the devil tried to trip Him up. But Jesus was filled with the Spirit and the Word of God. Despite his best efforts, the devil was no match for Jesus. Jesus is so far above the devil that even forty days without food could not “level” the battle field. Nothing ever will.
When the serpent was cursed for deceiving Eve, he was warned that the woman’s offspring would bruise his head, while he would only bruise His heal. Consequently, we see the superiority of Jesus over the devil displayed all throughout the pages of Scripture. Whenever Jesus encounters someone under demon possession, the demons are cast out by a mere command. In fact, the demons recognize and tremble at the authority of Jesus.
With Christ and His word as her firm foundation, the gates of Hell can never prevail against the Church. Satan may be a formidable foe, but Christ has always been the “stronger man” (Mark 3:27). Therefore, although the devil may roar and strike terror into the hearts of men, he has no ability to intimidate Jesus.
Sufferings & Martyrs
As we have seen, as Jesus walked this earth it appeared that there was absolutely nothing that could intimidate Him or strike fear into Him. With His face set (like flint) to go to Jerusalem, knowing that His execution awaited Him, it also appeared that nothing could make Him waver in His obedience to His Father’s will. So again, we have to ask ourselves, why such a struggle in the Garden? Why does He pray that the cup may pass? What is the cause for the great sorrow and anguish of soul? What could cause Him to pray so intensely that He sweat drops of blood?
We have to realize that Jesus did not fear the betrayal of Judas. Nor did He fear the Roman soldiers that were quickly approaching. In fact He could have called a legion of angels if He had chosen to do so. Likewise, Jesus was not afraid of any of the authority figures, political or religious, that would take part in His mock trial.
Certainly, the physical abuse, the scourging and the crown of thorns would be painful beyond description, but even these did not cause even a hint of fear in Him. Nor do I believe even the cruel cross or cold nails themselves, could cause our Savior to fear. In fact, history is replete with martyrs, none of which could have possibly had more boldness than Jesus, who have faced various forms of execution with a song on their lips. But their lips would never drink from the bitter cup.
The Cup
The cup that awaited Jesus, consisted of one ingredient and only one ingredient. And nobody knew its content better than Jesus did. The cup that caused our Savior to be so sorrowful and troubled; the cup that caused Jesus to sorrow to the point of death; the cup that caused Jesus so much anguish that He needed an angel to strengthen Him; was filled with the wrath of God. And Jesus knew He had to drink this cup to the dregs.
Jesus was God in the flesh. As such, He had no sinful human weaknesses. He did, however, have a perfect understanding of the stench of sin and the perfect Holiness of God. Likewise, Jesus knew perfectly the justice and righteousness of God and the consequences of mankind’s sins against Him. Although the wrath of God is not a popular subject matter today, it is a critical Truth we must heed. How can we understand the love, grace and mercy of God if we ignore His wrath?
Take a long hard look at Jesus in the Garden on His face before His Father. Listen to Him praying in anguish that the cup may pass if possible, yet submitting to the Father’s will. Watch as the angel descends from heaven to support Christ in the midst of His anguish. The hearts that beat within us must indeed be stone if we are not moved by the sorrow and anguish of our Savior. How can we read about Jesus in the Garden and not have a great fear and respect for the wrath of God?
Our salvation came at a great price to Jesus. On the cross, God unleashed the torrent of His awful wrath. The cup may have been bitter. It’s contents were certainly potent. But the cup did not pass. The will of God was carried out. Christ drunk it to the dregs, and then when they were swallowed shouted, “It is finished.”
No, we can never begin to understand the love, mercy and grace of God until we seriously consider the wrath of God. The wrath that Christ bore for you and me.