Luke 22:39-53
Q.1. Why did Jesus go to Gethsemane with His disciples? Did Jesus want to die? Did He go willingly to the cross? – (Lk.22:39-42)
It seemed that that whenever Jesus visited Jerusalem, He preferred the Garden of Gethsemane over the Temple, for prayer (Lk.22:39 c.f. Lk.19:45-46). The disciples came along with Him but were ignorant of the momentous events about to unfold. In the garden, Jesus urged His disciples to pray – that you may not enter into temptation (Lk.22:40). He told them that He was deeply grieved. His soul reacted to all the horror that the Cross represented (c.f. Mt.26:36-38). He grappled to align His will with God’s plan, saying – Father, if You are willing remove this cup from Me; Yet not My will but Yours be done (Lk.22:42). At Gethsemane, Jesus submitted to the Father’s plan to be the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (Jn.1:29).
Q.2. How great was the suffering of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane for us? How did Jesus cope? – (Lk.22:43-46)
Though He knew He would rise from the dead, Jesus recoiled from – becoming sin for us (c.f. 2 Cor.5:21). He was in agony as He – prayed very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood falling down on the ground (Lk.22:44). All the thoughts of our Saviour were for lost sinners. He only survived Gethsemane because – an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him (Lk.22:43). The disciples were sound asleep during Christ’s greatest crisis. Nevertheless, He knew what was about to happen (Lk.22:45-46).
Q.3. What made the betrayal by Judas particularly wicked? Why did the betrayer kiss Jesus? – (Lk.22:47-48)
Judas, one of the twelve, was the one who led the accusers to the place where Jesus and His disciples had often prayed together. Worse still, was the signal Judas had arranged with Christ’s enemies to identify Him, as they came out in the darkness with staves and fiery torches. A kiss is an expression of love and endearment. Judas used it treacherously, to sign the death warrant of Jesus (Lk.22:47-48).
Q.4. What attitude did Jesus display toward His assailants? Why did Jesus stop any resistance to His arrest? – (Lk.22:49-53)
Jesus knew what Judas had done. He informed him that he had betrayed the Son of Man (Lk.22:48). When Peter cut off the ear of the High Priest’s servant, Jesus disapproved such action, and healed the servant’s ear. He would not refuse to go to the cross (Lk.22:50-51). Jesus also drew attention to the contradiction of the arrest – an army of men complete with swords and clubs, against a teacher of peace and healer of the sick. For years Jesus had said that His time had not yet come, but all that changed at this moment in time – While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours (Lk.22:52-53). Jesus accepted and submitted to His mission.