The Prayer in Gethsemane (1)

[Luke 22:39-46]

Luke 22:39-46 records the words of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, a passage that appears in all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). We have already meditated on Matthew 16:21-23, where Jesus predicted three times to His disciples that He would go up to Jerusalem, suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise again on the third day (verse 21). Today’s passage, Luke 22:39-46, tells of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane as part of the fulfillment of that prophecy: He came up to Jerusalem, endured suffering, prayed in Gethsemane, and the next day He died on the cross.

In Luke 22:39 it says, “Jesus went out, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives...” In Matthew 26:36 it says, “Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane...” The word “then” serves as a link to the previous passage, which in John 17 contains Jesus’ prayer to God the Father as the high priest. That is, Jesus prayed to God as the high priest (John 17) before going out (Luke 22:39). Matthew 26:36 mentions that Jesus went out “with His disciples” to the Garden of Gethsemane, and “disciples” here means the eleven remaining disciples, excluding Judas Iscariot who had gone out to betray Him.

Luke 22:39 says Jesus went to the Mount of Olives “as was His custom,” meaning He had the habit of going there many times whenever He came to Jerusalem. Therefore, even though it was night, Jesus could go with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. John 18:2 says that this was a place where Jesus often met with His disciples, and Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place. That is why Judas came there with soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons (v.3). We too should imitate Jesus’ habit of prayer so that our prayer becomes habitual.

Luke 22:39 and Mark 14:26 say Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, while Matthew 26:36 and Mark 14:32 specify “Gethsemane,” because the Garden of Gethsemane is located within the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:36-37 says: “Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane and said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ Taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him...” Jesus reached the place called Gethsemane within the Mount of Olives (Luke 22:39). At the entrance, He told eight of His disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there,” and then He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (James and John, Mark 14:33) further into the garden (Matthew 26:36-37), saying: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me” (v.38). Then Jesus left the three disciples and went a stone’s throw away, knelt down, and prayed (Luke 22:41). The phrase “a stone’s throw” suggests that Peter, John, and James might have been able to hear His prayer.

Luke describes Jesus as kneeling in prayer (v.41), while Matthew 26:39 says He fell face down to pray. Jesus prayed, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36). In Luke 22:42, He says “Father,” but in Mark 14:36 He says “Abba, Father.” When Jesus prayed the first time in Gethsemane, an angel from heaven appeared to Him and gave Him strength (Luke 22:43). Jesus prayed more earnestly and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground (v.44).

This is from Luke 22:45-46:
“After praying, He rose and went to His disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and He said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.’”

When Jesus earnestly prayed His first prayer and went to the disciples Peter, James, and John, the three disciples were asleep. Seeing this, Jesus said to them, “Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (vv. 45-46). (Luke only records up to this point, meaning Luke records only the first of the three prayers of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane).

Jesus had already told the eleven disciples, “You will all fall away because it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” At that time Peter said, “Even if all fall away, I will never fall away” (Mark 14:27-29). Then Jesus said, “Truly, I tell you, tonight, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” Peter strongly declared, “Even if I must die with You, I will never deny You,” and the other disciples said the same (vv. 30-31).

However, Peter, John, and James could not stay awake even one hour with Jesus (Matthew 26:40). So Jesus said to them, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (v.41). (Matthew records Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane most extensively, and up to verse 41 is the record of Jesus’ first prayer).

Jesus then went away to pray a second time, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:42). Mark 14:39 says: “Again He went away and prayed the same words.” This is the second prayer recorded by Matthew in Gethsemane.

After praying this second time, Jesus returned again to Peter, James, and John and found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy (v.43). At that time, Peter, James, and John did not know how to answer Jesus (Mark 14:40).

Matthew 26:44-46 says:
“Then He left them again, went away and prayed a third time, saying the same words. Then He came to the disciples and said to them, ‘Now you can sleep and rest. Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us go; look, the one who betrays Me is near.’”

(Mark 14:41-42 similarly says:
“He came the third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us go; look, the one who betrays Me is near.’”)

These words are what Jesus said to His disciples after His third prayer in Gethsemane. At that time, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, arrived with a great crowd sent from the chief priests and elders of the people, armed with swords and clubs (Matthew 26:47; see also Mark 14:43).

After offering the High Priestly prayer in John chapter 17, Jesus went with the eleven disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, a place where He sometimes met with His disciples, and which Judas also knew because he planned to betray Him there (John 18:1-2).

Jesus knew that Judas was coming with the large crowd sent by the chief priests and elders to betray Him, but He went to pray in Gethsemane as was His custom.

Daniel 6:10 says:
“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home and opened his upstairs window toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to Him, and when He came forward and asked the large crowd, “Who are you looking for?” they answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said, “I am He.” Judas, who was betraying Jesus, was also standing with them (John 18:4-5, Contemporary English Version). When Jesus said “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground (v.6).

Jesus received the answer to His prayer and demonstrated His authority. Even then, Jesus told the large crowd, “If you are looking for Me, let these men go” (v.8). Though He was being arrested, Jesus made sure His disciples could escape. This was to fulfill the Father’s word that none of those He gave to Jesus would be lost (v.9).

At that time, the apostle Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear (v.10). Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?” (v.11).

Jesus had to be arrested to drink that cup. We must be confident that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.