In the month of March, I am honored to walk with you through a series of “snapshots” from the Passion of Christ. Passion comes from the Latin word pati meaning “to endure” or “to suffer”. The Passion of Jesus, in theological terms, refers to the last thirty-six hours or so of Jesus’ life including his horrible death on the cross. This week, let us begin with the Garden of Gethsemane. The very name of the garden, Gethsemane, means “olive press”. Jesus would endure unbearable pressure and stress in this place. It is important to note that Christ’s suffering, His passion, was real. It is not as though He simply appeared to suffer; He actually suffered, and he actually died. When Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me”, (Matthew 26:39) we see that this special place would be a place of pain and sorrow, but it would also be a place of resolve and strength.
One cannot imagine the pain and sorrow that Jesus felt, knowing what was soon to happen to him. He was so sorrowful that he felt as if he would die. He prays to the Father that it all may be taken away from him, but he also ends those prayers with “Not my will, but yours be done”. This is reminiscent of the way he instructed his disciples to pray: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). He was praying in obedience to His Father. Instead of running away from his purpose, he stays close to the Father in prayer. This is just the opposite of another garden scene, one where Adam and Eve decide to disobey God, and sin enters this world through their will to be like God (see Genesis 3).
Jesus also feels tremendous loneliness on that night. His disciples are sleepy and leave him alone in the night. Luke’s Gospel records that Jesus’ only comfort was a visit from an angel of heaven (Luke 22:43). What might have this angel whispered into Jesus’ ear? It is a powerful moment when Jesus rises from his knees to face his betrayer, Judas, and the angry mob ready to arrest him. He stands up resolved to face God’s will for himself and the world, bearing the sin and sorrow on our behalf.
Do you feel like you are facing a “garden” moment right now? If you are, I pray that you too may pray like Jesus did, submitting and surrendering to God’s will for your life. Gethsemane was turned from a place of sorrow to a place of strength through prayer. Jesus knows our every weakness, because He has experienced it. What a friend we have in Jesus!