Your Will Be Done
TRANSLATION
(32) And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” (33) And he took with him Peter, James, and John and began to be deeply distressed and troubled. (34) And he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and watch.” (35) And going ahead a little further, he fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass from him. (36) And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet, not what I will but what you will.” (37) And he came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? (38) Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (39) And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. (40) And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know how to answer him. (41) And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come. The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. (42) Arise, let us be going. Behold, my betrayer is at hand.”
(43) And immediately, while he was speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came and with him a crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priests and the teachers of the law and the elders. (44) Now the betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whoever I kiss is the one. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.” (45) And when he arrived, he immediately went up to (Jesus) and said, “Rabbi,” and kissed him. (46) And they seized and arrested him. (47) But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. (48) And Jesus asked them, “Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to capture me? (49) I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. However, the scriptures must be fulfilled.” (50) Then everyone deserted him and fled. (51) And a certain young man followed him, having only a linen cloth covering his body. And they seized him, (52) but leaving the linen cloth behind, he ran away naked.
OBSERVATIONS
Several repetitions are found in these two memorable paragraphs. First, in the description of Jesus agonizing in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, we find “pray/prayed” (four times in vss. 32, 35, 38, & 39), “watch” (three times in vss. 34, 37, & 38), “sleeping/asleep” (three times in vss. 37 & 40), and “hour” (vss. 37 & 41).
In Mark’s portrayal of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest we encounter “kiss” twice (vss. 44 & 45), “seize” (three times in vss. 44, 46, & 49), “sword(s)” (three times in vss. 43, 47, & 48) and “clubs” (vss. 43 & 48). Note the marked contrast between Jesus’ behavior and that of his disciples. In the moments before his arrest, he wrestled in prayer while they slept even though he had asked them to stay awake and watch with him. During his arrest, he maintained a calm, controlled demeanor while they at first resisted and then panicked and fled.
OUTLINE
I. Before his arrest, Jesus agonized in prayer while his disciples slept. (32-42)
II. During his arrest, Jesus was betrayed and seized by the authorities. (43-49)
III. After his arrest, the disciples fled, including the one who left his linen garment behind. (50-52)
IDEA STATEMENT
Jesus’ agonizing prayer prepared him to face his betrayal and arrest calmly while the disciples’ failure to pray left them weak and vulnerable.
APPLICATION
Jesus’ attitude in this segment models for us the attitude we should manifest in whatever circumstances we face in our lives. What he said after he pled with the Father to spare him from the suffering he would experience in his arrest, trial, and crucifixion was quite simply phrased: “Yet not what I will, but what you will” (vs. 36). As a human being, he longed to escape what he knew he would have to undergo. Yet, as the incarnate Son of Man and our redeemer, he submitted to God’s sovereign plan for accomplishing our salvation. Jesus essentially repeated the same thing in different words when he declared, “But let the Scriptures be fulfilled” (vs. 49).
We can never hope to know what is best for our lives simply because we are so severely limited in our capacity to reason, to assess our circumstances, to foresee what the future holds. With such limitations, we should never trust our attempts to map out our own futures. Rather, we should learn to yield to the one whose omniscience and steadfast love enables him to determine precisely what is best for each of us. Our praying, “Your will be done,” should never be considered an excuse or avoidance of personal responsibility. It should rather be seen as an admission of our need for God to show us the way forward whatever we may face, in whatever decisions we need to make.