The Weekend Word

Matthew 26:36-56

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

³⁶ Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”

• Jesus separates himself for prayer – this could have been a great time to let them all in on the secret handshake when talking to God.
• But he told the disciples to stay behind.

³⁷ And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

• He then takes Peter, James and John with him. Was the intent for them to see and learn and then pass it down to the others? Are 12 too distracting?

³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

• Now he tells the 3 to stay where they are and Jesus goes a little further up.
• What is the watch with me? How much pray is just the watching and waiting?

³⁹ And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

• Notice once again – Jesus does this alone.

⁴⁰ And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?

• This really is a bit funny here – again they all are asleep but it is Peter who gets the humiliation.
• This is one more time of Peter’s denial – in a different form.

⁴¹ Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

• Jesus gives great teachings; such Godly advice and the disciples just roll over and go to sleep.

⁴² Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

• What is the will of the Father? That Jesus dies.

⁴³ And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

• A 2^nd time – you would think that one would stay awake as a guard so when he saw Jesus returning he could poke the others – “wake up, the boss is back.”
• Note that the 10 virgins fell asleep also.

⁴⁴ So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.

• Oh no, is Jesus into repetitive prayer? Has he no faith that his first prayer was heard by the Father?

⁴⁵ Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

• What are we to do when the hour is at hand? Not sleep
• What is the hour at hand? Jesus betrayed into the hand of sinners.
• How many times has Jesus said “My hour has not yet come.”?
• Well now it has – the most important ‘hour’ in Bible history.

⁴⁶ Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

• From sinners to sinners – Jesus is surrounded by sinners.
• Who is his betrayer? We don’t see it here – we must be told that Satan (the betrayer) entered Judas Luke 22:3 – “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.”
• Judas, a member of Jesus Ministry Inc. is used by Satan – to carry out the work.
• John 13:27 has Satan entering Judas during the meal – Luke 22:1-7 prior to the meal.
• Here is the point – when Jesus says my betrayer is at hand, Jesus is confronting Satan face to face … alone.

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

• Satan kissing Jesus and calling him rabbi
• Here we have the beginning of Genesis 3:15. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
• They showed up with swords and clubs to go up against Jesus’ weapon – the word of God.

⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.”

• It was dark and the torches probably flicker, and we can’t account for how good or bad their eyesight was – so just pointing to Jesus was probably not a good option.

⁴⁹ And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him.

⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.

• As I said earlier in a study in Matthew, when someone calls Jesus Rabbi it is not because they want to learn from him.
• At the same time, I have said that when Jesus calls someone friend it is usually not a complement.

⁵¹ And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

• Notice the temptation of man to join the battle to save Jesus – to keep Jesus from going to the cross to his death.
• Peter did this earlier and Jesus called him Satan – Matthew 16:22-23

⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

• Another saying that continues on today in our language.

⁵³ Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

• How would you answer that? Do you trust God that much?

⁵⁴ But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

• Because scripture says it is to be so – so it will be God’s word does what it says … even hanging Jesus on a cross.

⁵⁵ At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.

• A Robber – in his day that designated a political revolutionary – a zealot – Barabbas who was called a robber (John 18:40) – a rebel (Mark 15:7) – Luke 23:19 – “a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder.”
• A robber as one who is trying to steal authority.
• The point is that you cannot gain religious benefits by usurping political power — as we see some groups attempting today.

⁵⁶ But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

• Everything falls into place – even the disciples abandoning Jesus as he had just told them an hour ago when they had left the upper room.