Season 5 Podcast 54 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew 26 D, “Gethsemane A.”

A New Voice of Freedom

Season 5 Podcast 54 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew 26 D, “Gethsemane A.”

In last week’s episode we explored The Last Supper. In this week’s episode we shall explore Gethsemane.

In a very touching scene, we have the last moments of peace in the Savior’s life. Matthew records.

“And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”

The greatest drama this earth has ever seen is about to unfold, yet Jesus leads them in a hymn. Perhaps nothing reveals greatness more than serenity in the face of crisis. The Savior is about to face a trial that no human on earth can imagine, a trial that only God can endure while the apostles sleep. Christ knows he is about to be betrayed, tried, and crucified. He knows that in only a few moments he will feel the full weight of the law of justice in which he will take upon himself the sins of the world, yet in preparation he sings a hymn to his father, honoring God though his Father is about to subject him to pain that only the damned in hell can feel.

Following the hymn, he leads the Apostles to the Mount of Olives. He had a choice. He could escape as he had done many times before when the leaders of the Jews sought to kill him, but this time, the greatest moment in the history of the world, He chose the path that brought him to earth in the first place, the path that had been laid before the foundations of the world, the path of salvation for all the children of God who would repent and take upon themselves His name and keep His commandments. He chose the path to the Garden of Gethsemane where in agony for the sins of the world he would bleed from every pore.

To add to his suffering, not only would he be betrayed by Judas Iscariot, but he would be abandoned by all his apostles.

“Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.”

Now Jesus and his disciples enter the Garden of Gethsemane. None but Christ understands the importance of this moment.

“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.”

We can see from the record of Matthew that the weight of the world suddenly begins to fall upon Jesus. He “began to be sorrowful and very heavy.” He tells his chief apostles, Peter, James, and John, what he is feeling. The other disciples he allows to sleep, but He asks his three chief apostles to tarry and watch with him. Never in the three years of his ministry had he asked the apostles to perform a greater task. Christ removed himself, apparently only a short way, referred to as “a little further.” Matthew records.

“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.”