Matthew 26:36-46 describes Jesus in the Garden, praying that His Father may remove the crucifixion cup from His lips. Jesus prayed with exceeding heaviness and sorrow for this cup to pass from Him.
His disciples went into the garden with Him; but He selected only three of them (James, John and Peter) to go with Him to a secluded spot as He began to pray. They observed and heard their Lord praying with a heavy heart; but they didn’t fully understand that Christ was about to be crucified on a Roman cross.
Jesus told them to ‘watch’ with Him as He left them and moved farther into the garden to be alone. His soul was in agony over the suffering He knew was forthcoming. The disciples might have prayed for awhile, but their weary bodies soon drew them into a sound sleep. Jesus was left alone to wrestle with His flesh not wanting to suffer on a cross.
Jesus had to discipline His human body of flesh to ‘watch’ and ‘pray’. He denied Himself of much-needed sleep and rest. He expended great amounts of energy trying to express the agony of His soul. He not only had to face the suffering of a Roman crucifixion, but as the Lamb of God, He also carried the weight of all the sins of every human being who ever had and ever would walk the earth. While His disciples rested and recharged their fleshly bodies and minds, Jesus went without rest, knowing that within a matter of hours He would have to endure unfathomable pain.
-Jesus knew He was about to be arrested, tried, beaten, and crucified.
-He was bearing the spiritual weight of the sins of the whole world on His shoulders.
-He knew He was to be the Lamb of God, redeeming the world from Satan.
-His mind and body screamed out in agony for fear of the pain and suffering ahead.
-Demons of darkness were tempting Him to surrender to His flesh and refuse the cross.
-The disciples felt none of this and were unaware of what was ahead for Christ.
-Jesus was bearing this tremendous load alone, without the support of others.
-Jesus prayed three times for this cup to be removed from Him, and it wasn’t.
-Jesus prayed so intensely that His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Lk 22:44)
Jesus actually sweated drops of blood. (The clinical term is “hematohidrosis”. Around the sweat glands there are multiple blood vessels in a net-like form. Under the pressure of great stress, the vessels constrict. Then as the anxiety passes, the blood vessels dilate to the point of rupture. The blood goes into the sweat glands. As the sweat glands are producing a lot of sweat, it pushes the blood to the surface, coming out as droplets of blood mixed with sweat.)
Each time that Jesus prayed for this cup of suffering to be removed from His path, He also surrendered His will to the will of His Father. His third prayer was: “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done.”
When Jesus returns from His prayer, He finds the disciples sleeping. He says to Peter: “What, could you not ‘watch’ with me one hour?” “Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The word ‘watch’ is the Greek ‘gregoreuo and agrupneo’, meaning to stay awake and to be sleepless, to be vigilant and on guard, fully awake, alert and intently focused.
Paul said that he had spent many times in ‘watchings’. (II Corinthians 6:5 & 11:27)
Colossians 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”
I Peter 4:7, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”
I Thessalonians 5:1-28, “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
Luke 21:39-40, “And this know, that if the goodman of the house has known what hour the thief would have come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
Mark 13:30-37, “Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, ‘Watch’.”
Is your spiritual house secure? Are you doing those things that are pleasing to your heavenly Father?
Are you on guard against the enemy of your soul? (I Peter 5:8)
Are you fully awake looking for the signs of His soon coming? Are you living for the night or for the day?
Are you listening for the voice of your Shepherd and Lord to say, “Come up here!”? (I Thessalonians 4:13-18 & Acts 1:9-11)
Our spirit man is willing to obey the leading of our Lord. Our fleshly man rebels against anything that is pure and holy. We have to deny our flesh before we can obey the will of our heavenly Father. Can you pray, “Not my will, but thine be done?” Can you pray it three times or thirty times, until your fleshly man submits to the desires of your spiritual man?
May we all with clean consciences be able to say, “Maranatha!” (Our Lord, come!) (I Cor. 16:22 ESV)