COMMENTARY ON MARK

LESSON NUMBER 154

^{Mark 14:32} “And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and He saith to His disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. ³³ And He taketh with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; ³⁴ And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. ³⁵ And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. ³⁶ And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.”

(Mark 14:32-36; Matt 26:26-30; Luke 22:39-42; John 18:1)

THE GREATEST TRIAL OF ALL

INTRODUCTION

               The awesome nature of the events that will transpire at this hour are staggering to consider. In a short time the powers of darkness will be given leave to do their will, permitted to go no further than has been established by the “determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). Satan will make every effort to dissuade Jesus from obeying the Father, seeking to work through His humanness. The salvation of the world is at stake, and the eternal purpose of God is in the balance. Is God all-powerful or not? Is His counsel immutable? Can He really do what He has determined, and are His promises faithful and true? Has the enfleshment of the Word put Him at too great a disadvantage? When the powers of darkness are loosed, precisely what will they do? What will they be permitted to do? Will Jesus have to struggle with temptation, for there is no evidence that He had before. He was able to repel the devil with a word in the wilderness – what about now? The record has been given to us to dissolve all doubts, and establish to our hearts that Jesus at His weakest point was more powerful than the devil at his strongest point. From this point on, let there be no doubt about the superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has been announced to be “Lord over all” (Acts 10:36) – and there is no exception to that rule.

               Now we will behold Jesus put into the crucible of His greatest trial. He will not address the devil at this time. He will not rebuke the devil, or command demons to depart. He will speak to the Father, having solely to do with Him, thereby setting the tone for the manner in which the fiercest trials are to be addressed.

THEY COME TO A PLACE NAMED GETHSEMANE

               “ ^{Mark 14:32} And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and He saith to His disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. ³² And He taketh with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy.”

               A PLACED NAMED GETHSEMANE. Matthew and Mark refer to this as “a place” named Gethsemane (Matt 26:30; Mk 13:32). Matthew tells us it was located in the “Mount of Olives” (Matt 26:30). Luke also tells us this is where Jesus was accustomed to go frequently (Lk 22:39). John tells us it was a “garden” (John 18:1). The word “Gethsemane” means “an oil-press,” and refers to the place where the olives were pressed, causing their rich oil to come forth. It was in this place that the means through which the rich oil of joy and grace would be made accessible to us would be revealed. Here the dark saying of Isaiah would begin to be fulfilled: “I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment”. (Isa 63:3). Something of what is involved in denying the human will is see in the experience of our Lord. Those who insist on living shallow lives, always pampering the flesh and giving in to its whims, will never receive the blessing that comes only after self-will is put to death.

               SIT YE HERE. What Jesus was going to experience required that He be alone. Here He could not be surrounded by His disciples, as He was earlier in the evening. He will allow them to come as close as they could, but this time they would not be privy to His prayer, as they were the prayer John records as being prayed earlier (John 17). There does come a time when the follower of Jesus must learn to “sit,” waiting on the Lord.

               HE TAKES PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN. Even now, there are some disciples who are given the privilege of coming closer. They are among those who were first called to be apostles, and had been close to Him throughout His ministry (Mk 5:37; 9:2; 13:3 [in the latter text (Mk 13:3), Andrew is included, yet excluded in the Garden]). 

               We have learned a valuable lesson when we perceive that Jesus does not treat all of His followers the same. There are some who are granted special privileges that are not enjoyed by the masses. This is the Divine manner. Joseph was given more than his brothers. Moses received privileges that were not enjoyed by Aaron and Miriam. Aaron had greater privileges than the rest of the Levites. David was blessed above his brothers. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego received more than the other Hebrew captives. Daniel was given a greater measure than his three companions. Jesus confirmed this truth in one of His parables, speaking of one servant that received more than the others – five talents (Matt 25:15).

               HE BEGAN TO BE SORE AMAZED. The expression “sore amazed” comes from a word meaning, “to throw into amazement or terror, to alarm thoroughly, to terrify.” ^THAYER Other versions read “troubled” ^NKJV “very distressed,” ^NASB “deeply distressed,” ^NIV “to fear,” ^DOUAY “to be gloomy,” ^MRD “wax abashed,” ^TNT and “struck with terror and amazement.” ^AMPLIFIED Matthew says Jesus “began to be sorrowful,” using a different word that accents grief. Thusly was Jesus responding to the contemplation of the sins of the world being laid upon Him, and the stroke of Divine wrath being leveled against Him. There is no human language that can fully portray the impact of this consideration upon Jesus. The awfulness of the time when sin would be judged and condemned in Him was disturbing beyond measure. Here was a man who had never once felt the contamination or defilement of a single sin. Never did He have to repent from so much as a single rash word, or a solitary sinful expression of any sort. And yet, He was going to feel the magnitude and weight of the“the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). In a society in which there is a dulness toward sin, this kind of response is totally strange – to say nothing of Christ’s contemplation of being “stricken” and “afflicted of God” for the transgressions of the world (Isa 53:4-5; 1 Pet 2:24; 3:18). Those who opposed him judged Jesus to be suffering for His own sins (Matt 27:39-44). Yet, they did not have the faintest conception of the judgment that was taking place before their eyes. They saw only the outward sufferings of Jesus, and did not have a single valid notion about what He was suffering within. The forethought of that judgment caused Jesus to be thrown into a state of terror and complete alarm. Even for Him – the Righteous One – it was a “fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God” (Heb 10:31).

               HE BEGAN TO BE VERY HEAVY. The words “very heavy” are translated from a word meaning “to be upset, distressed, and deeply troubled.” ^FRIBERG The picture is of a great weight pressing down upon the Savior, from which there was no escape. Other versions read, “deeply distressed,” ^NJKV “agitated, ^NRSV “anguish came over Him,” ^CJB and “oppressed in spirit.” ^DARBY It is as though His Spirit sought to free itself from His body, which was the appointed vehicle for the removal of the sin of the world. Yet, there was no way of escape made for Him, for this was not a temptation, but the appointed work of the Father. Laying down His life involved Jesus being “made to be sin for us,” then being “made a curse” for us by God, as the “sword” of God fell on Him (2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; Zech 13:7). For Jesus, this was obedience, but there was not pleasantness in it.

EXCEEDINGLY SORROWFUL UNTO DEATH

               SAITH UNTO THEM. Jesus did not share these words with the other disciples – only with Peter “and the two sons of Zebedee” (Matt 26:37). Matthew also records these words, uttered only to the inner circle of disciples (Matt 26:38). If the other disciples were ever to learn of them, it would be through those who heard them. There are some aspects of the truth that can only be learned that way – from those who, in the more immediate proximity of the Lord, come to see uncommon things. This is why God has placed certain teaching gifts in the church: “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that . . . ” (1 Cor 12:28). These are not administrative gifts, for such gifts come “after” these; i.e. “helps, governments,” etc (1 Cor 12:28b). The primary gifts have to do with insight and spiritual understanding – with being privy to things that are intended to be told. Thus, Peter, James, and John heard words the others did not hear – words concerning Christ’s “sufferings.”

               MY SOUL IS EXCEEDING SORROWFUL. While the preceding words speak of the experience of Jesus (“began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy”), these are the words He expressed concerning the experience itself. As is characteristic of Jesus, His words are not an overstatement, nor are they an understatement of the case. They are precise and intended to provoke deeper sustained thought. Those who prefer to cavort about on the surface of truth will not be able to dwell on these words, for they testify of the time when “deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy waterspouts” – a time when the sense of Divine judgment is at hand, and the soul is greatly agitated because of it (Psa 42:7).

               This expression is a very weighty one, confirming the limitations of language. Other versions read, “deeply grieved,” ^NASB “overwhelmed with sorrow,” ^NIV “filled with sadness,” ^CJB “swallowed up in sorrow,” ^CSB “My anguish is so great,” ^GWN “My soul is crushed with grief,” ^NLT and “oppressed with anguish.” ^WEYMOUTH

               In this word Jesus is speaking of the dominance of sorrow, grief, and anguish. This is not sorrow mingled with joy – as when He, “for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb 12:2). In this dreadful hour our blessed Lord was, to the fullest extent, “pressed on every side” (2 Cor 4:8). This is when, for the very first time, it is written that “He feared” (Heb 5:7) – which is an expression encompassing the words “sorrowful and very heavy,” and “exceedingly sorrowful.”

               It is at this point that Jesus commenced to engage the enemy in His initiative to die – because for him, death was an initiative, for He was to “lay down” His life (John 10:17-18). Jesus must enter the fray with the weight of unprecedented sorrow and fear pressing down upon Him. His death will not be an easy one, even though it was an ordained one. His obedience in laying down His life will not be attended with easy and joyfulness, for he will be treading the winepress of the wrath of God “alone” (Isa 63:3). An angel of God will minister to Him before he treads this winepress (Lk 22:43), and there is a joy “set before Him” for after it has been trodden (Heb 12:2). However, the treading of the winepress itself will not be attended by any help from heaven!

               UNTO DEATH. Other versions read, “even unto death,” ^NKJV, “to the point of death,” ^NASB “it almost kills Me,” ^WILLIAMS and “My heart is so filled with sadness that I could die,” ^CJB and “so that it almost kills Me!” ^AMPLIFIED There are two different views promoted by these translations. The first is that this suffering is immediately associated with His appointed death. The second is that the suffering here appeared to be the prelude to an immediate death, though not the death to which He was appointed. While there may be an element of reality in the latter view, which accents the suffering itself, that is not a proper view of the text. Here Jesus places the accent on the death itself, and declares this suffering to be the necessary prelude to it. In other words, these sufferings would consummate in His death. He was not saying it merely felt as though they would end in this manner. It is in this sense that Peter referred to the sufferings of Christ: “Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1 Pet 1:11). These are not the sufferings in which the saved participate – sufferings that were “left behind,” to be filled up by those who take up their cross and follow Jesus (2 Cor 1:5; Phil 3:10; Col 1:24; Lk 9:23).

               TARRY AND WATCH. Other versions read “Stay here,” ^NKJV and “remain here.” ^NASB Matthew adds, “watch with Me” (Matt 26:38). The idea here is to stay there until He returned – that He was going to devote Himself to the work at hand. To “watch” means to be vigilant, staying awake and alert – “keep awake and be watching.” ^AMPLIFIED I do not doubt that Jesus also intended for them to be a witness of His sufferings to an extent that would allow them to later give a heartfelt report of what was taking place that night.

THE STRUGGLE OF THE AGES BEGINS

               “ ³⁵ And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. ³⁶ And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.”

               Luke adds that Jesus said to His disciples, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Lk 22:40). This was a night during which “the power of darkness” would be loosed (Lk 22:53), and the air would be filled with jeopardy as a result. Although less in magnitude, such hours still occur, and they require the utmost diligence and vigilance on the part of the saved.

               This is a picture of “the good fight of faith” at its apex. Ultimately, such a fight does not have to do with contending against foes, but with stretching the soul to do the will of the Lord. Too much of the conservative religion of our day has to do with avoiding sin rather than doing righteousness. Doing righteousness makes no provision for committing sin. However, conceptually avoiding sin does not necessarily involve the doing of righteousness. This is the mind set of the Law: “Thou shalt have no other . . . Thou shalt not . . . Thou shalt not . . . Thou shalt not . . . thou shalt not . . . Thou shalt not . . . Thou shalt not . . . Thou shalt not . . .Thou shalt not. . . Thou shalt not” (Ex 20:3-5,7,10,13-17). The only exception was the fourth commandment: “thou shalt honor thy father and mother” (Ex 20:12). Here, however, the battle is to fulfill the will of God, and to obey the commandment Jesus had received (John 10:18). Within the professed Christian of our day, one has made decided progress when he arrives at this place.

               HE WENT FORWARD A LITTLE. Other versions read, “a little farther,” ^NKJV and “a little beyond them.” ^NASB Luke says He went forward “about a stone’s cast” – probably 50-60 feet, adding that “He was withdrawn from them,” thus devoting Himself to the matter at hand (Lk 22:41). This was far enough to remain seen, yet not close enough to be heard.

               IF IT WERE POSSIBLE. Mark says Jesus “fell to the ground.” Matthew says “He fell on His face” (Matt 26:39). The words spoken by Jesus are not quoted. Rather, the Spirit provides us an overview of the matter Jesus addressed in His prayer: “He prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.” The word “hour” refers to a definitive period of time. In this case, it was a time of Divinely appointed duration. From the enemies’ point of view, it was the “hour” allotted to the “power of darkness” (Lk 22:53). From the standpoint of His own experience, it was the time of His betrayal and ultimate death (Mk 14:41) – a time after which He would “be glorified” (John 12:23). Such grief and sorrow (Isa 53:4) attended that time that his soul recoiled from it. If there was any way to save men apart from Him being abandoned and cursed by God, He now pleads for the experience of the hour to “pass” from Him, so that He does not have to undergo what lies ahead. Rather than accenting His weakness, this confirms the magnitude of what was required to deliver men from the power of darkness, and translate them into the Kingdom of God’s Son.

               “ABBA, FATHER.” Now, the words of Jesus are quoted – that is, how He plead for the hour to pass from Him. Here is the sanctified use of the expression “Abba, Father” – and the words are always used together – never is “Abba” used alone. The expression is found three times in Scripture. Once it is used to denote Jesus’ own expression (Mk 14:36). Once it is used to describe our cry to God (Rom 8:15). Once it is employed to describe the cry of the Spirit from within us (Gal 4:6). These are the only times this phrase is used in the Bible. Nowhere is there the faintest hint that it is an infantile expression – like “Daddy,” or the emotional and unintelligent cry of a baby. This is a cry of dependence, assurance, and acquaintance. It is provoked by personal familiarity with God: i.e. “all things are possible unto Thee.”

               TAKE AWAY THIS CUP. Mark reads, “Take away this cup from Me.” Matthew reads, “if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matt 26:39). Luke reads, “if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me” (Lk 22:42). Within the boundaries of God’s ability, authority, and will, Jesus asks for the hour during which He will be made a curse for us to pass from Him. If such a thing is at all possible, it will be possible with God. If men can be saved by any other means, a way will surely be found to avoid what lies ahead of Him. If Jesus being “made sin,” “made a curse,” and having sin “condemned in His flesh” is only an alternative, and Divine wisdom can find another way, Jesus pleads for an alternative way to be taken. “This cup” refers to the experience of having the iniquities of us all laid upon Him, and the curse that would attend it.

               NEVERTHELESS. Notwithstanding the plea, the great Savior senses that there are no other options. This is not merely the best way, it is the only way to effectively deal with sin and thus reconcile the world unto God. Here is the hallmark of faith: “not what I will, but what Thou wilt!” This was not a selfish will as ordinarily perceived – like wanting ones own way. It was rather desiring to avoid the curse of God, the condemnation of sin within Himself, and being forsaken by God. There is no strictly human experience that can parallel this. For Jesus, God’s will involved His sword being awakened against His Son (Zech 13:7). Jesus was wholly unwilling to subscribe to any method of saving men that would involve the compromise of the will and character of the Father. Oh, the depth of the struggle Jesus is experiencing!