The Passover meal was finished. As was the custom, Jesus and his disciples sang the Hallel songs of Psalm 113-118. As Jesus sang these psalms of praise, He repeated the words the crowd had shouted to Him a few days before when He entered Jerusalem from Psalm 118:26:
“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord”.
Jesus knew that in a few hours, an angry crowd would be shouting different words to Him.
He led His men out of the city gate and across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives. They often stayed in the garden of Gethsemane when they were in Jerusalem. It was late when they arrived and He told the men to sit while He went apart to pray.
Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and said, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”
Jesus went on alone and fell on His face to pray.
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt,” He prayed.
Jesus had been honest with his inner circle of men that the human part of Him was struggling. He wanted the three men closest to Him to keep watch. But instead of praying for Jesus or even keeping watch over Him, they went to sleep. Even Simon Peter who bragged that even if everyone else fell away from Jesus he would not, and that he would die with Jesus.
Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus went away and prayed the same prayer for the second time.
When He returned, His men were asleep again.
Jesus went back for the third time to pray. He was in agony as He struggled to align His will with the Father’s will. All of history looked forward or backward to what Jesus would do in the next three days. The salvation of all mankind rested on Him to pay the price for every sin. Sweat like drops of blood fell to the ground.
The Son of God and Son of Man struggled alone in a dark garden. An angel from heaven came to Him to strengthen Him.
When Jesus rose from the ground after the third prayer, He was ready. His will was aligned with the Father’s. Victory over the cross, death and the grave was certain.
For the third time, Jesus found His disciples asleep.
“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come; behold the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
Carla Killough McClafferty