Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Matthew 26:36-45 (NKJV)
No reasonable discourse on the sinless son of man could begin anywhere else than in the Garden. The suffering that was predicted hundreds of years before by the prophet Isaiah and the Psalmist begin in this very place. The Garden is at once beautiful with the obedience of Christ, and at once ghastly with the betrayal of a confidant, while the majority of His disciples abandon Him to His fate. Gethsēmanē (gheth-say-man-ay’), the very name of which means “oil press,” was situated at the foot of the mount of olives. (1) Olives, after being harvested on the mount were brought here for pressing. The wine press itself was the device used to crush fruits in order to make oil or juice. To extract the oil from the fruit, olives were placed in large shallow presses hewn out of rock and crushed with a large stone roller operated by two people. The oil was collected in a container, and then strained to remove impurities before being bottled in clay pottery jars. (2)
If you will, before continuing, place this book down, re-read Matthew 26:36-45 and place yourself in the garden with the King of Kings. Perhaps take a seat next to Peter, James, and John in prayer, peeking up from time to time, and strain through the darkness to see if you can catch a glimpse of the Christ on his knees. Tilt your head to see if you can hear the earnest prayers of the Son of God. What do you see? What do you hear? Bow your head in absolute submission, ask the Holy Spirit to give you as much insight into this picture as possible. Are you there? Can you feel the holiness cling to your soul and began to envelope you? Don’t run. Don’t hide. Let the perfect submis- sion and obedience of the Prince of Peace wash over you and at once grant you a clear understanding of the kind of sacrifice and suffering to which we are called (Philippians 1:29).
Do you begin to see the perfect Fruit, ripened, ready for the crushing? Do you begin to see the unfathomable weight of sin begin to spin, eager to press, to pulverize the Harvest? Do you begin to see the holy juices flow from this sinless Man as the weight of the sin He was born to carry is placed on His shoulders? Do you hear His cry as agony and sorrow rip and tear at His soul? Can you see great drops of blood fall to the ground as He lay prostrate on the ground even as an angel strengthens Him? In these very moments the tag team of sin and death assail Jesus from all sides. It is a death match in the most literal sense, for either He will overcome or sin and death will continue to buffet mankind. Do you see the Son of Man take the cup of sin and wrath and all things wicked and evil, drink fully the acts and consequences of your lies and thievery, adultery, homosexuality, rape, murder, war, genocide, and every conceivable and inconceivable sin known and committed by men, and willingly swallow?
I find it interesting that when talking about Jesus many Christians will harbor a belief that He somehow had an edge or advantage in not sinning due to His Godly nature which co-exists with His human nature. I submit to you that in the Garden, where the suffering was acute and intense, there were no advantages. As a matter of fact, the combined attribute of His omni- science and foreknowledge clearly meant that Christ knew what was coming. He understood this to be the beginning. He knew the beating, flogging, torture, and death that awaited Him. Thus, when we read, “my soul is exceedingly sorrowful,” and, “let this cup pass from me,” we dare not pass by flippantly and think in our finite minds that we should not want to go either. It was not, could not, nor ever will be an option for us. He had lived for 33 years preparing for this moment, living a sinless life that he might be a perfect offering for us. It was His life to lie down! (John 10:18)
The Hebrews writer touches on these very mysteries when he writes, “during the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedi- ence from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him...Hebrews 5:7-9 (NIV)
We see from the inspired writer of the Hebrew epistle what was intimated in the gospel accounts, namely, “he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears...” Isaiah prophesies, “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” (NKJV) The burden of guilt of the multi- plied millions for which He came to save brought the Son of Man to his knees, sweating great drops of blood, bringing forth from the deepest depths of His heart vehement cries and costly tears. The antici- pation of the separation from His Father so near, so real, was so ghastly, that He nearly died right there in the Garden (Matthew 26:38).
The Bible goes on to record that His prayer was heard. The Father still with the Son, answered the prayer with an angel sent to strengthen him (Luke 22:43), yet not with the alternative that Jesus had inquired about. The final fulfillment of this prayer would come 3 days hence. After the third prayer in the Garden, the Christ seems at peace even knowing the suffering and separation that is to follow. The silence from the Heavens roaring there was no other sacrifice by which man might be saved, lest the sacri- fice of the one Man in all of history who sinned not.
It is also important to note here that Christ was not merely praying that He might be delivered from the very thing He was sent to accomplish. For His fear was more culpable than that. His prayer was that He not be left lifeless in Hell separated from the Father. Christ’s prayer was not that He might be saved from dying; after all, to die for sinners was His very purpose in coming to the world (Joh_12:27). His prayer was that He might be delivered out of death (JND), that His soul might not be left in Hades. This prayer was answered when God raised Him from the dead. He was heard because of His godly fear. (3)
Equally incredible is the idea that the Son learned obedience. The application here is stunning. In His humanity Christ learned the exact same way we learn. We must remember that He was fully man and fully God, the exact nature of which we will likely spend eternity trying to fathom. It was a continuous process of making the will of God the Father His own. Jesus chose to obey, even though obedience led to suffering and death (4). And further, this life of learned obedience not only offsets the disobedi- ence of Adam, but also qualifies Christ to serve as the eternal High Priest (5).
He had opportunity and motive to save His life. He tells Peter this when He says in verse 53 of the 26th chapter of Matthew, “...do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”(NASB) “But if I did,” He immediately follows, “how would the scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (NLT) How could you and I be redeemed?
Again, in Chapter 12 of John Jesus is seen reclining with Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead. From there He enters Jerusalem, apparently victorious in His earthly kingdom. However far from basking in his triumph, Jesus foretells again of His impending passion. Some Grecians had come to worship at the temple and inquired of Phillip about the prospects of meeting with Jesus. His answer surely stunned all of those within earshot as they probably still heard the shouts of joy in the background as Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be My disciple must follow Me, because My servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me.” (John 12:23-26) (NLT) Look at John 12:26 alongside Hebrews 5:9. I will list both here for your convenience.
“...having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” Hebrews 5:9 (NASB)
“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”
John 12:26 (NASB)
In these passages salvation is conditional on obeying Him. In many other passages salvation is conditional on faith. How do we reconcile this seeming contradiction? First of all, it is the obedi- ence of faith (Rom_1:5; Rom_16:25-27): “the obedi- ence which God requires is faith in His word.” But it is also true that saving faith is the kind that results in obedience. It is impossible to believe, in the true New Testament sense, without obeying. (6) As James, the half-brother of Jesus well says, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:17-18) (ESV)
We see from these passages that Christ modeled for us the aspect of serving. Having touched on this earlier, in order to truly understand the Garden and the Cross, we must look back ever sooner in the life of Christ. We might even hasten to look back to the very beginning of time to see what Christ laid down from the very beginning.
When most people, Christians included, give Jesus some thought, they tend to think of the vicious way in which He died. Or perhaps they think back to the major miracles He performed. Once annually we’ll take a month to study the miraculous events surrounding His birth. For the next few minutes I’d like to hearken back ever further to the events that played out before His birth. I’d like to remind you that the selfless purging of the King of kings began even prior to that little stable in Bethlehem.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Phillipians 2:5-8 (NLT)
There are several passages in the Bible that describe the majesty of Jesus Christ and the royal position in which He reigns. He is often seen as “high and lifted up” His feet often resting on blue sapphire. Cherubim are often seen circling His throne crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” The manifest glory of God almighty is often seen as fire, and the glory envelopes Him. Take a minute and as you read the following verses meditate on the triune glory of God.
...and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity.
Exodus 24:10 (NKJV)
...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
Isaiah 6:1-5 (NASB)
And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and down- ward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. Like the appear- ance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
Ezekiel 1:26-28 (NKJV)
We learn in John 1 that Christ has always been, that He existed in the beginning with God, and that all things were made through Him. Furthermore we learn that in Him all light and life have its being, and this light will never be overcome. Additionally, we learn that only those who receive Him will He give eternal life. And finally we see in verse 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (ESV)
The Lord, sitting on His throne, could have easily seen man’s predicament and chosen to stay right there. His position of importance would never have diminished. The cherubim would have continued to worship Him. He would have remained in communion with His Father and the Holy Spirit. He would have continued to reign over all creation. The question begs as to why God stooped so low to lift man so high?
He not only humbled Himself in resigning His positional equality with God, but in the process He subjected Himself to slave status, and further humbled Himself being obedient to the very point of death, yes, even a death reserved for those cursed! In the span of a few short years Jesus Christ voluntarily emptied Himself of all glory and position, and went from “high and lifted up,” to a Man “of no reputation,” to “cursed” and “forsaken” by God, to “laid in a tomb.”
As Paul so eloquently reminds us, if this were the end of the story, we are the most miserable of men (1 Corinthians 5:19). Philippians 2:9 reminds us that God has lifted Him up, and placed His name above all names. His life is to be an example for us (Matthew 5:48 & Ephesians 5:1-2). Following verse 12 chapter 2 of Philippians Paul says, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (NKJV)
It is those thoughts we will spend the remainder of this book discussing. As we look back at this point I cannot help but marvel at all that has been done for us. Contrary to most modern day success books we need not spend precious time planning our future or mapping out what the next 5 years will look like. We need not even consider what tomorrow may look like or what we should eat and drink. All we need do is come to Jesus. Leave our worries, our pride, our insecurities, and our positions in the pew, and come to Jesus. He has already done all the planning and preparing, submission is our calling.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “I know this, that when ... I come to Christ today, for I feel it is as much a necessity of my life to come to the cross of Christ today as it was to come ten years ago...I have to come still as a sinner with nothing in my hands...Faith is getting out of yourself and getting into Christ...The only thing you can bring to Christ is your sin and your wickedness. All He asks is that you will come empty handed, except for your sin. If you have anything of your own, you must leave it all before you come. If there is anything good in you, you cannot trust Christ. You must come with nothing in your hand. Take Him as your All in All. That is the only ground upon which a poor soul can be saved- as a sinner, and nothing but a sinner.”
________________________________________________________________
By the 1870’s D.L. Moody had become a world famed evangelist but he badly needed a musician to lead singing at his meetings. On a Saturday night in 1870, he preached at a convention in Indianapolis. At the last minute, a tax collector named Ira Sankey was asked to lead singing.
The next day Sankey received a card from Moody, suggesting they meet on a certain corner that evening at six. Sankey arrived first. When Moody showed up, he said nothing but entered a nearby store for a large box. He asked Sankey to stand on the box and sing. Sankey dutifully hoisted himself up and sang Isaac Watt’s Am I a Soldier of the Cross.
Workers, going home from mills and factories, were arrested by Sankey’s beautiful voice, and the crowd grew. Moody ascended the box and preached for twenty-five minutes before announcing that the meeting would continue in the Opera House. The Opera House was soon packed, and Moody preached the gospel with great power. Finally he closed the meeting saying, “Now we must close, as the brethren of the convention wish to come in to discuss the question, ‘How to reach the masses?’”(7)
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name.
Must I be carried to the skies,
On flowery beds of ease,
While other fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas.
Are there no foes for me to face,
Must I not stem the flood,
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God.
Sure I must fight, if I would reign,
Increase my courage Lord,
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.
Continue to Chapter 5: The Call to Slavery
doulos ek Christos
Footnotes
1. Easton's Bible Dictionary
2. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary; Copyright 1995, 1986 by Thomas Nelson Publishers
3. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary; Copyright 1995, 1986 by Thomas Nelson Publishers
4. Life Application Study Bible, New American Standard Bible- Updated Edition; Copyright 2000 by The Zondervan Corporation. All Rights Reserved
5. The Reformation Study Bible; Copyright 2005 by Ligonier Ministries; All Rights Reserved
6. Believers Bible Commentary; © 1995, 1992, 1990, 1989 by William MacDonald. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America
7. Then Sings My Soul; Copyright © 2003 by Robert J. Morgan
No comments:
Post a Comment