“Drink from it, all of you;
for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins…”
After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Matthew 26:27b-28, the words of Christ Jesus to the Apostles; v.30 NASB
Departing for Death
The Lord blessed the Apostles in an upper room of Jerusalem in a High Priestly Prayer, institutes the Last Supper with the Twelve, reveals Judas as the one who will betray Him and finally departs the City of David one last time for Gethsemane with the eleven chosen Apostles.
As we learned previously from John 18 in Jesus Leading Toward Gethsemane, the Gospels provide witness of much detail about this time of Jesus. All of this so far has happened in one day, mostly in the evening and what follows in the darkness of night.
Although we have looked back mostly through John’s eyes, tonight we will fill in some detail from the other Gospels.
Prayer before DEATH~
Can any consequence common to man be any more daunting than facing death?
The Messiah Jesus had known every temptation to men of dust except that which as we flee death denies our mortality.
This night as the Son of Man and His eleven Disciples leave Jerusalem they are all certain that the Lord will be betrayed to death.
Matthew 26:
31 Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.[b]
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
Denial of Death’s Near Approach
Matthew, John and the others must have wondered, yet known in their hearts, what Jesus now prophesies. The Messiah must die – the Christ they know may be mortal! (For Jesus has already told them more than once.)
Certainly Jesus is not going to Galilee this night of all nights just two days before the Passover festival. The Disciples would have dismissed it and the ‘after I have risen’ part seemed far into the future.
Peter however, brash leader anointed by Jesus who must later act in absentia for Christ, reacts boldly before all.
Peter told him, “Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.”
Matthew 26:33 CSB
In essence Peter states: “You can count on me!”
Sure, you do that to comfort your friend and so do I.
How do you respond to the questions at death’s door?
Like Peter, would we feign faithfulness to a dying friend we cannot accompany through death’s door?
We all know how it turned out when push came to shove by a charcoal fire a few hours later. Peter slinked away from confession of his love of Jesus while the Lord was accused falsely.
His fellow Apostle, Matthew records that in response to Peter, Jesus prophesies his three denials.
Mark 14:
The first Gospel writer and apostolic scribe, John Mark, later records what may have been Peter’s post-resurrection confession:
31 But Peter kept saying insistently, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
Mark adds reactions of the other ten as well:
And they all were saying the same thing also.
Let us not forget our tendency to ‘follow the leader’ when a bold representative speaks of some cause from which we will likely fall away by our faithlessness.
Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com – regarding Peter’s denials of Christ Jesus
Luke 22:
28 “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials…
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!”
What do you about Jesus?
Is this YOUR witness for Christ Jesus? ” — “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!”
Will you really do it…
Or like Simon Peter, will you shrink back from your defense of the Lord when Jesus is under attack by the world’s accusers?
Jesus’ plea in Prayer
Mark:
32 They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.”
Their dear friend who will soon die asks them to be with Him.
Luke:
40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Matthew:
(who had been to this place with Jesus several times)
37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.
Then He said to them,
“My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death…
“… remain here and keep watch with Me.”
39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying,
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me…
… yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Luke
The agony of imminent death!
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
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…
Reaction to sorrow..
STRESS! The terrible personal confrontation of DEATH!
The Lord Jesus reacts to it by praying more intently.
And the Disciples, even His closest three friends on earth?
Well… they failed their dear friend when He desired their understanding and compassion most.
‘The flesh is weak..
Jesus’ Disciples fall into a resigning sleep at the prospect of complete change — the Sacrifice, ending the life of their beloved friend.
Matthew
& the others, awakened from sleep..
40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter,
“So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?
I must confess: Rare is the hour I do not fall asleep while praying for a time.
The Lord Jesus continues with caution to His friends:
“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away again a second time and prayed…
Mark:
39 Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words.
40 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
Do you know what to say to Jesus when you fail Him in prayer? My guilt grieves me in my severe shortcomings in prayer.
41 And He came the third time, and said to them,
“Are you still sleeping and resting?
It is enough; the hour has come…
.. behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
Luke:
47 While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them…
John:
3 Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them,
“Whom do you seek?”
They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
He said to them,
“I am He.”
So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
John 18:6 NASB
To be continued...
What to you have to say about Jesus?
Please comment here on what you have to say about prayer.
How can I pray for you, dear friend — beloved brother (or sister) in the Lord?
