Focus:
kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
(
FaithOfJesus thread begun by r
RandyP )
Today's Verse:
kjv@Matthew:26:36-46
kjv@Matthew:26:36 @ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
kjv@Matthew:26:37 @ And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
kjv@Matthew:26:38 @ Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
kjv@Matthew:26:39 @ And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
kjv@Matthew:26:40 @ And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
kjv@Matthew:26:41 @ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
kjv@Matthew:26:42 @ He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
kjv@Matthew:26:43 @ And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
kjv@Matthew:26:44 @ And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
kjv@Matthew:26:45 @ Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
kjv@Matthew:26:46 @ Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Today's notes: Exceedingly Sorrowful unto Death
Context:
- Before - thrice denied
- After - the arrest
What is man believing/doing?:
- sleeping when supposed to be on watch
- sleeping when asked to pray that they not be tempted
- (marching toward the garden as lead by Judas)
What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:
Notes:
Jesus is to suffer the full wrath of God in our stead. When did that begin? Already He is acknowledging atypical distress and is pleading for it to pass. Is this in anticipation or because it is already upon Him? He is mentioning extreme sorrow and heaviness. What does He have to be sorrowful of? Physician Luke is chronicling the sweating of blood and the ministering of an angel to strengthen Him for the continued end. What is this sudden change if not the transfer of wrath begun?
It is our mind to think of the punishment as a scourging or a crown of thorns or the difficult hours hung on a cross or these things in conjunction, even time in death. Some would even place Him in hell to suffer the demon's wishes (though not scriptural). If all this is that which any one man individually can suffer, what then is that which is due all men collectively that could not be suffered as one? The answer is that there is much more to this punishment than we allow ourselves. These things though substantial to us are the things that we ourselves or devils could inflict upon Him, not per se what God could inflict upon us if not for His substitutionary sacrifice.
There is the contemplation of Divine wrath and infliction. How could God do that? First, HE is doing it upon one so that HE doesn't have to do it upon all others; therefore that is merciful. Second, if the method of infliction was simply for HIM to step aside, the implication would be that there would be nothing that HE typically does through grace as far as providing for hunger, calming pain, reducing/withholding consequence, healing, holding still sanity, so much more that we barely comprehend or realize; all things HE does in this present state for righteous and wicked alike. Would not HIS absence be unbearable pain and turmoil? If such is the case, it could be legally said that HE did not inflict this, HE made acceptable provision which while in HIS general and universal good grace one chose not to accept. Who then is inflicting what on whom?
Key Messages:
What does this say about our present condition?
- Temptation seems inevitable. The pull of the flesh is near inescapable unless by the power of God pulling us through. The spirit or morality wants for strength to pull itself out, but that desire with it's limited resources can only go so far. Prayer is the human spirits' surrender to the will and action of the Father above upon us. This does not say that the inner circle did not begin to pray, thus suggests that they didn't make it far enough into it to subject their own effort to God's.
- Betrayal from within is the sign of weakness that the opponent can not resist; they said they were not going to do this during the feast, the feast continues through Sabbath. It is likely that they can see the symbolism of Passover and would be cautious of promoting it, just as likely that they are not seeing far enough to think that He would be put to death before the end of this day. They take their opportunity when it is given just as man does in so many other areas. That it all works out the way it did is a sign that it is God and not them directing it.
- It never says that the chief priest similarly anguished over this, that he likewise fell to his face and prayed, that he did ask of his circle to pray for themselves to overcome temptation, that he did confirm three times before his Lord this action to be the Will. How is it then that we would suppose that the priest, high as he has become, has overcome the strength of the flesh and the weakness of his spirit? How are we to assume that his circle is not acting upon the same? How then be it different amongst ourselves?
- It is much easier for us to reduce the size of our sin conceptually if we can whittle down the size of Christ's suffering because of it. A savior that suffers only physical affliction on the scale of what any other man can and has suffered is a savior of huge convenience or confusion. A savior whom even the Father must stand aside from suffers alone every lack/void/chaos we would have eternally suffered if not for the appointed deliverance from such testified of in His resurrection.
Further Resources:
Comment Board:Matthew:26:36-46
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:26:36-46 rwp@Matthew:26:36-46 mhcc@Matthew:26:36-46
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index
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