Dear Student of the Word,
There are only three more installments of the Luke study after the one that is attached. This week, we look at Jesus' time in the Garden leading up to His arrest, as told by Luke. We see our Lord at His best when everyone else around Him was at their worst, which is what He requires us to do as well. In this week's study, I wrote in part two of this seven-part study (which you can download below):
Study Thirty-One, Part Two
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
22:39 – The Mount of Olives was a regular prayer and retreat venue for Jesus. The disciples followed Him there as was their custom. Are you willing to follow Jesus where He is going, even if it is to a place of solitude and prayer? Am I? The disciples were about to learn a lot about themselves. They weren’t following Jesus to any ordinary prayer meeting. You never know when you make a decision to stick close to Jesus where He will take you or what you will learn when you get there.
22:40 – Jesus was warning the disciples concerning what was to come, but they did not or could not heed His warning. What was about to take place was inconceivable, for their Messiah and Teacher was about to be killed. This was inconsistent with their theology and expectations. Has anything ever happened to you that went against your theology? There were times when I thought I had God all figured out, but then God did something to remind me that He is God and not some system to be analyzed so I can know how He operates at all times.
I have often said that if you have a system that can control or predict God, then your system is God. God is sovereign, however, and follows the counsel of His own will.
22:41 – Notice that Jesus didn’t ask them to go with Him to prayer, and they did not attempt to do so. I would imagine this was His custom to go talk to His Father alone. Why is this? Perhaps we find out in Hebrews: “During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission” (Hebrews 5:7).
Perhaps Jesus withdrew when He prayed because He made so much noise when He prayed with his “loud cries and tears.” Jesus was transparent when He prayed, being honest with the Father. What’s more, Jesus didn’t end His prayers by saying “in Jesus’ name.” Jesus did not pray formula or rote prayers. He spoke what was on His heart and poured out His anguish and grief to the Father. How do you pray? Do you cry out with a loud voice? Do you weep? Don’t try to impress God when you pray. He already knows where you are, so go ahead and tell Him. It’s not for His benefit that you do so; it’s for yours.
22:42 – Jesus didn’t pray to change God’s mind or get God to do something that Jesus wanted Him to do. Jesus prayed honestly that He preferred not to go through His impending suffering and death, but He also reiterated that He would endure God’s will, whatever that was. That’s a good prayer model to follow, don’t you think?
22:43 – An angel appeared from heaven to minister to Jesus! In His humanity, Jesus needed help and the Father sent an angel to perform the task. I would imagine the disciples saw this if they weren’t already asleep. I wonder how the angel strengthened Him? All I know that as I have traveled and ministered, I have encountered supernatural energy and strength from time to time. How this happens, I have no idea. I don’t understand how an angel can come and minister to my body, but I am glad that it does happen!
22:44 – It seems that Jesus’ earnest prayer produced a level of anguish that caused Him to sweat blood. I have never heard of anyone doing this, have you? Jesus must have been in a state of being that few humans have ever encountered. There is one other theory here, and that is that somehow the angel’s involvement caused this blood to flow. I have no idea how that could happen, so we will leave this verse and say that Jesus must have agonized over His coming separation from the Father and was traumatized by the very thought.
As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. For additional Bible studies, check out my website archive, which contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse New Testament studies, along with the daily devotional entitled Your Life Matters: Daily Reflections from the Book of Psalms. Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy this study of Luke's gospel from God's word.
P.S. I have published my entire study of John that can now be purchased in paper or Kindle format on Amazon.
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