Knowing The Word in Luke 22:39-46, Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

During the last week of his life, Jesus regularly went to the Mount of Olives to get outside of Jerusalem and away from the crowds. Matthew and Mark call the place he goes to the Garden of Gethsemane while Luke is less specific. Jesus asks his disciples to pray that they will not fall into temptation. What temptation are they praying about? Jesus does not say it overtly, but it ties back to his prophecy of Peter’s denial. The custom was to pray standing rather than kneeling; yet here we find Jesus kneeling and praying alone. The cup he requests God to take away has associations of suffering and the wrath of God that can be found in Psalm 11:6; Isaiah 51:17; and Ezekiel 23:33. Animals preparing to be sacrificed had no say in the matter, but apparently Jesus does, or does he? There is an angelic presence to strengthen Jesus in this time of human need. The Greek word for “agony” only appears here in the New Testament. Why does Jesus experience such agony when other humans have faced death with such calmness? He knows, Christians believe, that he is preparing to bear the sins of the whole world on the cross. This causes him to sweat blood. The disciples, worn out by grief, have fallen asleep. They have failed the test to stay awake and pray, so Jesus tells them to keep on praying against temptation.

Luke 22:39-46

39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Prayer

Suffer me never to think that I have knowledge enough to need no teaching, wisdom enough to need no corrections, talents enough to need no grace, goodness enough to need no progress, humility enough to need no repentance, devotion enough to need no quickening, strength sufficient without thy Spirit; least, standing still, I fall back for evermore.

Eric Milner-White, 1884-1963