The Prayer in Gethsemane (4)

 

 

[Luke 22:39–46]

 

Where did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane? (The Place of Prayer)
When Jesus went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, He left eight of His disciples at the entrance of the garden and said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray” (Matthew 26:36). Then He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee—James and John (Matthew 26:37; Mark 14:33)—and went further into the garden. He went a stone’s throw away from them (Luke 22:41) and prayed there.

Jesus was deeply troubled and sorrowful, even to the point of death (Matthew 26:37–38). Would it not have been better if He had prayed together with at least the three disciples—Peter, James, and John?
Ecclesiastes 4:12 says:
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
[Modern translation: “One person can be overpowered, but two can stand against him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”]

However, Jesus did not pray with them. Instead, He went alone a stone’s throw away from where they were and prayed to God the Father by Himself.

Why did Jesus distance Himself from His disciples and pray alone?
According to Dr. Yoon-Sun Park, Jesus’ act of distancing Himself from the disciples reflects the structure of the temple. In the temple, there were three areas:

  1. The Court of the Israelites (for the people),

  2. The Court of the Priests,

  3. The Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies), which only the high priest could enter once a year.

Jesus left the eight disciples at the entrance of the garden (symbolizing the Court of the Israelites), brought the three disciples (Peter, James, and John) further inside the garden (symbolizing the Court of the Priests), and then went a stone’s throw beyond them alone to pray to God (symbolizing the Most Holy Place).

The Most Holy Place is where God dwelled, and it contained three elements:

  1. The Ark of the Covenant, which held:

    • (a) The Ten Commandments written by God on stone tablets,

    • (b) A jar of manna from the Israelites’ time in the wilderness,

    • (c) Aaron’s rod that budded.

  2. The Mercy Seat, the gold cover of the Ark, measuring 2.5 cubits long and 1.5 cubits wide (Exodus 25:17).

  3. The Two Cherubim, placed at the ends of the Mercy Seat with their wings covering it (Exodus 25:18–20; 37:6–9).

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place with the blood of the sacrificial offering and sprinkled it on and before the Mercy Seat to atone for the sins of Israel (Leviticus 16:14–19).

Exodus 25:22 says:
“There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.”

At the mercy seat (“there”), the Lord (“I”) met with the high priest Aaron (“you”).
So the mercy seat symbolized the place where God met with His people (Exodus 30:6; Numbers 7:89).

Therefore, the spot in the garden where Jesus went alone beyond Peter, James, and John represents the Most Holy Place—the place where God meets with His people.

What about us today?
The apostle Peter said:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).
This means we are a “royal priesthood.”

And the Bible tells us that Jesus is the Great High Priest.
Hebrews 4:14 says:
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”

Jesus is a greater high priest than Aaron.
Now, as members of the royal priesthood, through the death of our great High Priest Jesus on the cross, we are able to meet God at the mercy seat.

Leviticus 16:2 says:
“The Lord said to Moses: Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.”

This means access to the Most Holy Place was not open at all times, even to the high priest—otherwise, he could die.

But through the death of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, we can now enter the mercy seat at any time.

Matthew 27:50–51 says:
“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split.”

With Jesus’ death, the curtain that blocked access to the Most Holy Place was torn from top to bottom, meaning we now have free access to enter.

Hebrews 10:20 says:
“By a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body.”

Now, having been justified by faith (Romans 5:1–2), we are children of God who can always approach Him in faith through Jesus Christ.
This means we are greatly blessed to offer Him praise, worship, and glory at all times.

We are also able to pray always in the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 6:18 says:
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

The Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what we ought to pray for. But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans in accordance with the will of God (Romans 8:26–27).

Therefore, we must pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).