The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 26 Part 8 Powerful Prayer Prepared Jesus For His Sufferings

Matthew 26:36-44  Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37  And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 

In our last lesson we connected the spiritual agony of Christ drinking the cup containing the dregs of all mankind's sins, to Psalm 88.

This reminded us that the life and ministry of Christ did not fail in any manner.

Jesus' death as the perfect, sinless, substitutionary Lamb of God, was planned and set in motion in eternity past.

Jesus' prayer was an exercise of His soul of such agony and a sorrow unto death, that He fell on His face before His Father as He prayed in that garden, so long ago.

Jesus asked Peter, James and John to accompany Him and to watch and pray for Him, but they fell asleep.

Three times, Jesus made the same request to His Father, for any other means of salvation, other than Christ bearing the sins of all people, but He also bowed to His Father's will each time.

I noted that this is the same test that Adam and Eve failed when they lived in the garden of Eden.

Jesus Christ is the second Adam, and He did not fail the test, which is why He could die in our place on the cross, bearing our sins, and able to save all who repent and trust Him.

Luke 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45  And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, 46  And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. 

Luke was a physician and his attention to detail is reflect in his gospel and the book of Acts.

Luke noticed a medical condition that pointed to the intensity of Christ's sufferings in prayer. 

It is from the Greek word “thromboi” which is translated “great drops.” 

No one will ever know the anxiety the Lord Jesus was suffering in the Garden. It was so intense that He was dripping great drops of blood. 

It is a medical condition which can happen to a person subjected to great stress. 

Small capillaries can break because of coagulated blood and exit through the pores. 

The word “great” describes very well the blood loss which was commensurate with the stress the Lord Jesus Christ was under because of His impending crucifixion.

His sufferings were for us and represent the literal fulfillment of "God so loved the world..."

Jesus was about to be separated from His Father for the first time in eternity, and was preparing to bear all the sins of humanity from Adam until the end of time. 

The word “great” is a proper description of the Lord’s bleeding through His pores.

I point this detail out because a couple of years ago, I sat in on a Bible study looking into Colossians 1 & 2. 

One man pointed out that Jesus sweat great drops of blood as evidence of His physical suffering, but the leader immediately dismissed the verse, claiming it was a "textual variant" that did not matter.

As soon as I returned home, I looked up the manuscript evidence supporting the reading, and it was frankly, overwhelming.

The vast majority of manuscripts contain the verse, and a large number of early church fathers who wrote about the passage, include the words as you read them above.

Simply put, there was no reason at all to dismiss words from the scriptures.

My advice to you is to be aware that so called textual critics cannot be trusted because their starting point is fatally flawed.

They do not believe that every word was inspired by the Holy Spirit (See 2 Timothy 3:14-17). 

They do not believe that God has preserved His word for us as He promised to do (Psalm 11:7-8; 12:6-7; 33:11; 89:34;93:5; 100:5; 119:89; 119:152; 119:160; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; 59:21; Matthew 5:18; 24:35).

Therefore, when they arrogantly proclaim that this text or that word are not really part of the Bible, we must reject them!

Matthew 26:45-46  Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46  Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. 

After the third prayer to His Father, Jesus came to His disciples and urged them to awaken because the moment of His betrayal was imminent.

Matthew 26:47-50  And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48  Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49  And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50  And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 

Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Christ, came with a large group of temple police armed with swords and staves which is a wooden club like a police baton.

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss which was a token of friendship in that ancient culture.

Wicked Judas told the mob to hold Jesus fast when he identified Him for them.

Judas said "Hail, master" which expresses the joy which one friend has when he meets another, especially after an absence. 

It was used by the Jews and Greeks as a mode of salutation among friends. 

It would here seem to express false or feigned joy of Judas at finding his Master since he plotted his betrayal.

John 18:4-6  Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5  They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 6  As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 

John's gospel records a notable event from that night.

When Judas brough the temple police and their mob of hateful people, He asked them a question: "Whom seek ye?"

They replied that they wanted Jesus of Nazareth and JEsus answered "I am he", however the word "he" is italicized, because it was added by the translators, but was not in the Greek manuscripts.

Therefore, what Jesus actually said was the holy, widely used Old Testament name of God, Jehovah (See Exodus 3:1-22). 

Thus, Jesus whose name means Jehovah saves, said "I am". 

The Son of God who is God manifest in the flesh, spoke that wonderful name, and all the strong and mighty mob fell backwards onto the ground.

This is a powerful testimony of the One whom they sought to kill.

Jesus again proved that He is God and they fell down backward because where they stood was holy ground.

However, they ignored this mighty miracle and its spiritual implications.

Matthew 26:51-53  And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. 52  Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53  Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?54  But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?  

John's gospel tells us that it was Peter who impulsively took a sword and cut off the ear of a priest named Malchus (See John 18:10).

Luke also tells us that Jesus immediately touched the ear of Malchus and healed him (See Luke 22:51).

This is the second miracle Jesus did in the presence of those who sought to kill Him.

This miracle proved again, that He is the Son of God, one with His eternal Father, just as He claimed to be, but the mob ignored the implications of this healing.

Jesus told Peter to put away his sword and then He made an extraordinary declaration, that He could pray to His Father and would receive 12 legions of angels to fight for Him.

This would equal about  82,000 mighty angels but if He did that, then all the scriptures about Christ the Messiah would not be fulfilled and God's plan of redemption would fail.

Once again, in a moment when most of us would panic and do something foolish, Jesus remained calmly committed to obeying and carrying our His Father's will.

The scriptures cannot be broken, and what God says He will do He always does.

Therefore, Jesus remained resolute and steadfast in moving toward the cross and His suffering and death for us.

Matthew 26:55-56  In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56  But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. 

Matthew's record of events leading up to Jesus betrayal and arrest concludes with Jesus asking them why they did not arrest Him when He taught in the temple each day. 

This put the guilt for their evil deeds upon their shoulders, for evil works are often done in darkness (See John 3:20-21).

All of these events unfolded as God said they would.

All Jesus disciples turned and fled, just as the prophet predicted (See Zechariah 13:7).

Jesus gave us a perfect example of earnest, fervent, effective prayer, and how we ought to obey God, even if doing so will bring hardship or suffering.

Bob