God of wisdom, as we listen to your Word recorded by generations of your people, fill us with understanding by the power of your Holy Spirit. Reveal the mysteries of faith to us, so that we may grow in faithfulness, following Jesus, your Living Word. Amen.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 26:36-46
In today’s Gospel reading we heard about Jesus’ suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane where he went to pray just prior to being arrested and taken to face the accusations of both the chief priests and the Roman Governor, Pilate. Now, if I were writing the Bible; I probably would have left this passage out. After all, we don’t have the image of the powerful Messiah that I’d like to show off, but rather a figure of fear and frailty. For centuries we have recognized that Jesus was all God and all man, but here it seems he is much more man than he is God. After all, Jesus is so crippled with fear and sorrow that he tells Peter, James, and John that his fear was strong enough to kill him. Not only that but he begs for God, his father, to change his mind about the suffering that lies ahead.
We know that the Bible was written by man but inspired by God. So why then would God allow such an embarrassing scene to be included. Why show the Messiah praying that his Father’s plan of salvation for all mankind be halted? Why show the King of kings so racked with fear and doubt that it nearly kills him? Well, let’s have a look at the passage and see what it teaches us.
As our reading begins, here’s where we find Jesus, “Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and agitated.” Now, Gethsemane was a garden on the Mount of Olives, and it was called that because there was a press there used to crush the oil from the olives, the word Gethsemane means oil-press in Aramaic. It’s a fitting name for the place where our Lord and Saviour would be at this time, as the pressure Jesus is about to go under was enough to cause him to sweat blood. This is how the Apostle Luke describes that event, “In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground” (Luke 22:44)
And with Jesus are three of his closest companions, Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John. Jesus brought them with him, asking them to keep watch and pray. Even Jesus sought companionship in his suffering. They are going to be firsthand witnesses of the stress and anguish which he is about to undergo. In fact, Jesus revealed this to them, saying, “‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.’” It’s in this moment when we can see that while Jesus was truly divine, he was also fully human. He was overwhelmed, even to the point of death, knowing just what he was about to endure. We get a glimpse of the fear within Jesus when he asks Peter, James, and John to stay awake while he prayed.
Here, in that Garden of Gethsemane, we see the depth of Jesus’ humanity laid bare before us. Facing the agony of the cross, he experiences sorrow so overwhelming that it feels as though the weight of the world rests on his shoulders. Yet, in this moment of sorrow, Jesus teaches us about faith, surrender, and spiritual endurance. We learn how to approach our own seasons of deep sorrow and uncertainty.
After asking Peter, James, and John to stay awake, Matthew tells us, “And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.’” Often, our greatest battles are not external but internal. Anxiety, fear, and temptation can overwhelm us, just as Jesus felt sorrowful and troubled. Yet, if Jesus, the Son of God, struggled, we should not be surprised when we face hardships. And Jesus doesn’t hide his sorrow, he takes his grief to the Father in prayer, demonstrating that we, too, can be honest with God about our struggles. His vulnerability reminds us that we don’t have to carry our burdens alone. Just as he sought God, so should we.
Jesus’ sorrow reveals the tension between his divine mission and his human emotions. While his spirit is willing to surrender, his flesh grapples with the weight of the sacrifice ahead. This shows us that even in the most challenging moments, it’s possible to choose obedience and faith. Despite the overwhelming sorrow, Jesus prays, “’yet not what I want but what you want’ “. This shows the depth of his faith, a trust that God’s plan, though painful, is ultimately good. In the same way, when the weight of sorrow feels unbearable, let us follow Jesus’ example. Let us approach God in honest prayer, wrestle faithfully with our struggles, and surrender to his will, trusting that he will give us the strength to endure.
After praying, Jesus returned to find his disciples sleeping, and he said to them, “‘So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” Despite his pleas for them to remain awake and pray, all three of them fall into a deep sleep. Unlike Jesus, they have no idea of the trials which lay ahead, Peter would soon deny Jesus three times. But the disciples failed him and surrender to the will of the flesh and fall asleep. This reminds us that people may let us down, but God never will.
And that was only the first time that they would let Jesus down, we’re then told by Matthew, “Again he went away for the second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.’ Again, he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?’” So, three times Jesus left the disciples and went off to pray by himself. And three times the disciples fell asleep after he was gone.
One thing we can learn from this is that Jesus, faced with the agony of the cross, does not run from God, he runs to him. So, are we taking our deepest struggles to God in prayer, or are we carrying them alone? And when Jesus prayed, he said, “‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.’” When we face trials, do we pray only for relief, or do we also pray for God’s will to be done? True prayer is not about getting our way but trying to understand God’s purpose for our lives.
Meanwhile, his closest disciples, Peter, James, and John, fail to stay awake. Instead of watching and praying, they give in to physical exhaustion. Jesus’ words to them are powerful, “‘Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” We may wish to follow God, but our human weakness often holds us back. Without prayer, we rely on our own strength and that is never enough. Jesus overcame his human weakness through prayer, while the disciples fell into temptation because they neglected prayer. If we want to resist temptation, we must strengthen our spirits through prayer. Let us commit ourselves to deeper prayer, greater vigilance, and complete surrender to God’s will.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus displays both the reality of human weakness and the power of divine strength. His surrender in prayer equips him to face the cross, fulfilling God’s plan of redemption for all humanity. For us, this passage serves as a reminder to seek God in our moments of trial, to trust his will, and to draw strength from his presence. Let’s commit to watching and praying in our own lives, trusting God in both joy and sorrow. May we follow Jesus’ example of faith and surrender, finding hope in the knowledge that God is with us in every trial.
Jesus then said to his disciples, “‘See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’” Instead of running away, Jesus rises to face his betrayal and suffering. He embraces his mission with courage, fully surrendered to the Father’s will. Jesus understood that everything was unfolding according to God’s divine plan. Even though he faced suffering, he accepted God’s perfect timing. There are moments in our lives when we must step into what God has prepared, even when it is difficult. How do we respond when challenges come? Do we avoid them, or do we stand firm in faith? Let’s not be caught sleeping when God calls us to act. Let us rise, trust in his plan, and walk in obedience, no matter the cost.
The lesson we can learn from this passage can be found in these words of Jesus, ‘‘’I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.’” It is amazing that the Lord would share this moment with any of his followers. Leaders generally want to be seen as bold and confident, not struggling and conflicted. And yet, as it says in the book of Hebrews, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus went through life as a human being, as a real person, who knew what it was like to struggle and face difficulties. Here, in the garden, he graciously gives Peter, James, and John, and now us, the opportunity to witness that struggle, to witness his humanity.
What we can learn from this passage is that the mission of Jesus was directed not only at saving our souls, but he also came to earth to share in our suffering. Just as Jesus’ death on the cross is essential to our salvation, so Jesus’ suffering is essential to our ability to relate to God. To know us and love us completely, God had to experience what we experience. He had to suffer in the ways we suffer. Jesus had to experience the power of shared suffering. God’s message for you today is that no matter how much it hurts, no matter how much you suffer, you do not suffer alone.
Let us Pray:
O Lord Jesus, in the stillness of the garden, you knelt in sorrow, your soul burdened with the weight of the world. In the shadows of Gethsemane, you chose love over escape, obedience over comfort, surrender over fear.Teach us, Lord, to watch and pray as you did, to find strength in surrender and peace in your will. When our hearts feel heavy and the cup before us is bitter, let us remember your agony and draw near to you. Amen.