MARK 14: 27-52
Jesus predicts Peter’s denial
27 ‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them, ‘for it is written:‘ “I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.”
28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’
29 Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’
30 ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘today – yes, tonight – before the cock crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’
31 But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the others said the same.
Gethsemane
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 ‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Simon,’ he said to Peter, ‘are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’
39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Returning the third time, he said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’
Jesus arrested
43 Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ 45 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. 46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him. 47 Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
48 ‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.’ 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.
51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
“Where there is sorrow, there is holy ground” (Oscar Wilde)
At the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem, in the place called Gethsemane, Jesus “began to be deeply distressed and troubled”. He said to the disciples Peter, James and John, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death.”
Hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Isaiah had written about the Servant of the Lord, describing him as “a man of sorrows, and familiar with grief” (Is.53:3)
In the gospel accounts of Jesus, we read that as he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it (Luke 19:41). And Jesus wept at the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus (John 11:35).
But in Gethsemane the grief of Jesus reaches a new level, an unfathomable depth. He is in great distress. Why?
Distress because of what his disciples will do
At the Last Supper he has just shared with the 12 disciples, he told them that one of them would betray him. Then as they went out to the Mount of Olives he said, “You will all fall away”. Jesus knew that Peter would disown him three times, but Peter insisted that he would never do that, and all the others said the same.
What happened? Jesus was betrayed by Judas. All the disciples deserted him and fled. And Peter denied Jesus three times.
Distress because of what his Father will do
In prayer to his Father, Jesus asks that if possible “the cup” may be removed from him; the cup of God’s holy wrath and judgment against sin (Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:22). That judgment will be experienced by Jesus himself on the cross, as he cries out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
But in Jesus’ terrible distress in Gethsemane, he prays for his Father’s will to be accomplished. That means death on the cross for him – then resurrection. And it means life for us.
Man of Sorrows! What a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!