Alright, John chapter 18, then
flip him back to Luke chapter 22. When Jesus had spoken these
words, that is all of the upper room discourse, chapter 13 through
17. When Jesus had spoken these words,
He went forth with His disciples over the brook Sidron, which
was a garden, into the which He entered and His disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed
him, knew the place, for oft times Jesus resorted thither
with his disciples. Now, in Luke the 22nd chapter,
let's look at verse 39 through verse 46, please. And he came out and went, as
he was wont, to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed
him. When he was at the place, he
said unto them, pray that ye enter not into temptation.' And
he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down
and prayed, saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this
cup from me, nevertheless not my will, but Thine be done. And there appeared unto him an
angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony, he prayed
more earnestly. And his sweat was as it were
great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose
up from prayer, came to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow,
and said unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest you enter
into temptation. Now this morning, I repeat, is
number four in our study on the last days of Jesus upon the earth. We're concentrating this morning
on that experience of our Lord in the garden prior to being
arrested and taken away. Now, we have an abundance of
information on this because all four Gospels give an account
of our Lord's time in the garden. It occurred after the upper room
discourse, just prior to His betrayal by Judas and arrest
by the band. And I was in a dilemma as to
which passage recording it to use as our opening text. For the question was, which gospel
gives us the more facts and the fuller account of our Lord's
misery in the garden? But since no one gospel gives
every single detail or fact. Our best way, therefore, is to
study it in harmony, bringing all four of the Gospels to bear
upon it. Now, the written record of the
Lord in the garden is found in these places in the Gospel. Matthew 26, 36-46. It is in Mark
14. and verse 32 through 42. We read Luke's account here,
and John mentions it in chapter 18, 1 through 11 in the garden. Now I think only Mark and only
Matthew, the two out of the four, tell us that they sung a hymn
before they went out of the upper room into the garden. Matthew
26 and 30, Mark 14 and verse 26. And it is Luke chapter 22
and verse 43 and 44 that tells of an angel of God coming. from heaven to strengthen him. And also, it is only this gospel
that mentions the fact that his sweat was as drops of blood falling
down. John 18 and verse 2 tells us
that Judas was familiar with this place in the garden, because
it was where the Lord often went with His disciples as well as
by Himself to pray. No doubt Judas had been there
in the company of Christ and the other disciples of the Lord,
but we're going to save this for the study when Judas leads
a band of men to come and apprehend our Lord. with lanterns, and
with torches, and with weapons against the Lord. It says in
John 18 and verse 3, Before they came to take the Lord away, however,
unto His death, before Judas appeared with a band, he experienced,
that is our Lord, experiences the deepest agony of the soul
that he probably had had in all of his earthly existence. Now, at times, this garden had
been a classroom where the Lord would take and pray and instruct
his disciples. Other times it had been the sleeping
chamber of our Lord, Luke 21 and verse 37. Sometimes our Lord
would spend the night in the garden, Luke tells us in 21 and
37. But now it is a place of agony. It is no longer a classroom,
no longer is it a sleeping chamber. It is a place of agony where
the soul of our Lord was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death."
Matthew 26 and verse 38. Luke 22 and verse 44, being in
agony, describes the Lord. We don't see this word again
in the New Testament, agonia, which can be called anguish or
it can be called a struggle. But we see that the root words
that lead up to the word agonia from a root again meaning a place
of assembly, a place where assembly is made, where a contest is held. Sometimes it is used in that
way. Great effort is exerted and deep
and intense competing in these places is the description of
that word. Then it means also to be anxious
or to be in agony. And the tense, Luke 22 and verse
44 is, and becoming in agony. There in that garden, our Lord's
agony deepened as never before. Becoming in agony. And Linsky
renders it, Jesus reached the point where he was in agony. Matthew 26 verse 37 tells us,
He began to be sorrowful and to be very heavy. I read Marshall's interlinear,
they have it like this. He began to grieve. and to be
distressed there in the garden. Barry's interlinear has it, he
began to be sorrowful and deeply depressed. The NIV renders it,
he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Our Lord in so. Now, the prophet Isaiah chapter
53 and verse 3 had called our Lord what? A man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief. The last phrase is expressive. Familiar with it as an intimate
association is the meaning of the word. whom one said of the
Lord, grief was his close companion, particularly in this night and
time. And yet, this agony is not restricted
to our Lord's death, but it began in heavy and in earnest in the
garden. But tonight, or that night, death
is drawing near, for our blessed Savior, the Holy Soul of the
God-Man, Jesus Christ, experienced here a greater degree of sorrow
than ever before. For you remember, Nebuchadnezzar's
furnace was heated seven times hotter than ever before to punish
the three Hebrews. So the grief and the agony of
the Lord was greatly increased these hours in the garden. I can't remember reading in the
gospel where the Lord expressed, where the Lord complained in
any matter about His law, did not complain about this bitterness
of soul or heavy sorrow. like He did there in the garden. Here it gripped Him as never
before. But in the garden His own words
are, again Matthew 26 and 38, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful,
even unto death. Mark 14 says the very same thing
in verse 34. Now, dare we ask ourselves the
question, why did the Holy Son of God seem to shrink from death
as it was nearing Him? What, did He find it abhorrent? Of course He did. Some have thought,
mostly of our men in persuasion, that the Lord is asking now whether
there be some other way that the salvation of men might be
accomplished, as if to say, if there's another way, O Lord,
let it be so. This is a foolish notion indeed,
since this was fixed before the foundation of the world. The Lord said in John 12 and
verse 23, the hour is coming that the Son of Man should be
glorified. Way back in John 12, in verse
27. Now is my soul troubled, and
what shall I say? Shall I say, Father, save me
from this hour? But for this cause came I unto
this hour. But please note that these words
follow there in John 12, the similitude of the corn of wheat
falling into the ground to die, and then bringing forth much
fruit. Even some, like those reprehensible
heretics by the name of Celsus and Julian, wrote about our Lord
in the garden that He was nothing else but cowardice on the part
of our Savior in the Gethsemane scene. Could it be though that
the Lord found His death to be bitter because of the injustice
of it? Is that part of it? That He was
innocent? That He was holy? That He was
without sin? Should He be executed as if He
had been the world's worst sinner? The death of the cross. A man
who had done nothing amiss is about to be put upon the cross. I cannot remember again the Lord
protesting his innocence in order that he might avoid the sentence
of death and the cross. Never did I read, don't put me
to death, I am innocent. The prophet said he opened not
his mouth. Isaiah chapter 53 and 7 quoted
in Acts chapter 8 and verse 32. Or could it be,
on the other hand, He would leave His alone in the world? Is that part of the agony? That
He will go away from them? That they will be left all alone? Or could it be that our Lord
knew that some would deny Him even that night. Oh, the shame
of the cross, the humiliation that being stripped of all of
their clothes and beaten and then nailed or fastened to that
cross, to the gaze of those wicked ones who passed by, to the jesters
and the hooters and the mockers who came by our Lord, while He
were upon the cross. I submit that something more
than these things put the agony in the soul of our Savior. He shrank not from what men could
do unto Him, but what was to proceed from the hand of God
directly when He was upon the cross. We'll come back to that
later in our study. But first let's go to a passage
in Hebrews chapter 5, kind of an interesting passage where
he mentions something that I think is pertinent unto this that we
have here, Hebrews the fifth chapter, and it is verses 7 through
9 that we are interested in. Look what the writer of Hebrews
said about this. Who in the days of his flesh,
when he had offered up prayers and supplication with strong
cryings and tears unto him that was able to save him from death
and was heard, in that he feared. Though he were a son, yet learned
he obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect,
he became the author of eternal salvation unto all of them that
obey him." One thing to remember about Hebrews is the context. which is to convince those first
century Jews of the more excellent priest and ministry that they
have in Christ. There are two conclusions here
drawn from a statement of fact. One is in verse 7 and the other
is in verse 8. Verse 7. While here in the flesh,
He offered up, and by the way, that's an expression that is
sacrodotal. It means as a priestly offering. What He offered was prayers and
supplication. How He offered was with strong
tears and crying. And someone then might say, there
is no record of this anywhere in the gospel. No mention there
of a loudness of voice, nothing of tears except those at the
grave of Lazarus. However, let us not overlook
those times when the Lord prayed in solitude. Not every prayer
was public or heard by others. Mark 14 and verse 22. When He had sent the multitude
away, He went into the mountain apart to pray, and when even
was come, He was there alone. Our Lord spent a lot of hours
in the garden. Mark 1.35 also, And in the morning,
rising a great while before it was yet day, he went out and
departed into a solitary place, and there he prayed by himself. Luke 6 and verse 12, Came to
pass in those days that he went out unto a mountain to pray,
and continued all night in prayer unto God. Plenty of times our
Lord prayed that are not recorded. Then Luke 22 and verse 39, it
was His custom, it was the usual thing with our Lord to go to
the Mount of Olives and there spend time in prayer. In other
words, the Lord prayed often. in the days of His flesh. But all of these mentions, not
a word of the solitary prayers is recorded for us unless Hebrews
gives us a hint. Could it be one of these sessions
where there came strong crying and tears. Anyway, Hebrews 5
and verse 7 says, He was heard. He was heard by God. That is,
His prayers were answered. For as He said at the grave of
Lazarus in John chapter 11, Father, I thank You that You hear me
always, but for the sake of these that stand by, I said it. So the first conclusion is, he
offered up prayers and was heard, Hebrews 5 and verse 7. The second
conclusion, Hebrews 5 and verse 8, that even though he were a
son, even though He was the eternal Son of God. For in Hebrews 5.5,
quoting from Psalm 2 and verse 7, You are my Son, this day have
I begotten You. We might express it like this
in order to give a fuller meaning. He to whom God said, You are
a priest forever, is the very eternally begotten Son of the
Almighty God. One of the most amazing statements
concerning Christ, the Christ of God, is there in the end of
Hebrews 5 and verse 8. Yet learned He obedience by the
things that He suffered. Whoa, what do we do with that?
This cannot mean that Jesus attained new knowledge which he did not
have before. For being God, he knew all things. But it said he learned obedience. Now there are two ways for one
to learn something. Two ways that one might come
to learn something. One, to be taught it. or to read
it, or to see it, or to hear it, or to observe it. And two,
and this I think is the meaning, to learn something by experience. What John Brown called, quote,
to become experimentally acquainted with obedience, unquote. Owens wrote, to learn obedience
on account of having an experience of it in actual exercise." And
he became obedient to the death of the cross, Philippians chapter
2 and verse 8, and dying and being raised. Being perfected,
he has become the author of eternal salvation. But let's go back
to the agony of the garden just prior to being taken away. We
want to consider the Lord speaking here of a certain, quote, cup. Unquote. A certain cup and it
passing away. Now of course this is not a literal
cup. This is not a literal cup that
is made of some material or it is not a refreshing drink that
is in the cup before our Lord. In John 18 and verse 11. Jesus rebuked Peter for his attempt
to save the Lord from death. He says to the Apostle Peter,
put up the sword. The cup which my Father hath
given me, shall I not drink it? I shall drink that cup the Father
has given unto me." This declares beyond dispute that the agonies
were assigned to him by the Father and to a specific end. He must drink it, drink it down. no matter how bitter, no matter
if it be to his soul as bitter as wormwood itself. Proverbs 5 and verse 4, no matter
if it involves the suffering and the death of the cross. Let's
consider a passage from Matthew, chapter 20, verse 20-33. It's
found also in Mark 10, 35-39, The request, you remember that
silly request, the request of the mother of James and of John,
that when our Lord set up his kingdom, they might have the
most honored places in that kingdom. One on the right hand, and the
other on the left hand. By the way, Mark says it was
the sons themselves who asked that favor of the Lord. Now why did I read that or refer
to it? This indicates that they were
still expecting and still hoping for a glorious temporal kingdom
upon the earth. And the Lord tells them in Matthew
20 and 22, that he has a cup to drink and a baptism to be
baptized with. Or as it is in Luke 12 and 50,
I have a baptism to be baptized with, how shall I be straightened
till it be accomplished? The word straighten can have
a broad meaning when it appears in the Scripture, such as it
can mean to be compressed, it can mean to be contained, it
can be restricted on all sides. Even to be sick, this word can
mean. Held together. This same word
is in the New Testament. 12 times, a dozen times. Paul uses it himself. It's the
same word that Paul uses in Philippians chapter 1 and verse 23, excuse
me, I am in a straight B. Twix 2, literally said, I
am pressed. The Apostle did. In Acts 18 and
5, Paul was pressed in his spirit as he saw the idolatry. In Luke
4 and verse 38, it is rendered, taketh with. And in 2 Corinthians
5 and 14, the love of Christ constrains us. Clearly, the baptism that our
Lord speaks of is neither a baptism in water nor a baptism in the
Spirit. But it refers to His coming,
suffering, and death upon the cross. It is the word baptism. He was to be immersed in suffering,
covered over as he was immersed in the agony that came upon his
soul in the garden. The agony, the shame, and the
death involved in our Lord's agony of the cross. We know that
Jesus said in John 18 and verse 11, this cup of bitter agony
and death was given to him by the Father. In John Gill, wrote
at Luke 12 and verse 50 on his father's account. It was his
will. It was his decree. It was enjoined
upon him as a mediator. Now this in no way suggests that
Christ was unwilling to give himself to the baptism or to
drink the bitter cup. In all four Gospels it is recorded,
O Father, nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. It is in all four of them. Despite
the bitterness of the cup, He freely, voluntarily drank that
cup that the Father had set before Him. Do we realize I hope, as
did the Lord, that he was down to the last day of his life upon
the earth. And some expositors think that
the arrest of Jesus was no more than one hour away when he was
in this agony in the garden. One hour! and Judas would come,
and the officer band would come, the chief priest would come,
John 18 and 3, carrying their lanterns and their torches and
their weapon as if they had come out against the worst thief. Also the question of the Lord
to his disciples, can you watch with me one hour? Let's say it another way, using
the words of David Brown, that Jesus had passed through every
stage of his appointed suffering except the last one. He had passed
through every stage that the Father hath appointed. Now comes
the last one. Consider, he had been despised
and rejected of men. He was what John Brown called
an object of general contempt among so many of the people. He came to his own and his own
received him not. John chapter 1 and verse 11. In fact, as Isaiah wrote in his
great prophecy, they hid their faces from him, Isaiah 53 in
verse 3. And in the context of Isaiah
the 53rd chapter, because of his lowly appearance and descendancy,
and because of his sorrow, they turned away from him when he
appeared as if he were detestable. The religious leaders despised
him. They called him a Samaritan,
a demoniac. They called him an imposter,
a desecrator of Moses' law. Now here in the hour of his agony,
his disciples are asleep while he agonizes the coming death
of the cross. Could you not watch with me one
hour? Let's try to get a hold of the
words that are here in the garden. My soul is exceedingly sorrowful
unto death. I must drink the cup which the
Father has given me. Now he faces the last stage of
his great suffering. At this point he is only ours.
hours away from the death on the cross. By this time tomorrow
night, He will have been crucified, taken down, prepared for burial,
and put in a borrowed tomb, now being in agony. And I'll tell you in a minute,
I hope, why that agony was so bitter. Pardon the digression
just a minute or two. I want to make an example. Sometimes
I think, what must go through the mind of a man on death row
as he approaches the hour of his death? He's been condemned,
he's been sentenced to die, the date has been set for his execution. At first, the day is a way off,
and the agony is not as bad as it will be. But the days draw
on. One passes another. The day finally
draws near. And then comes the execution
date when it's time to go into that chamber. He's moved to the
holding cell on that day. He's given a last meal of his
choice, if he would. And then comes the warden, comes
the officer, maybe a chaplain. He is led then to the place of
execution. He pays for his crime with his
very life. Then his corpse is sent out.
in an unmarked ambulance and made ready for burial. Outside
the walls yonder are those burning candles and holding signs. Some say it's justice, others
are saying that it's murder. You see, Jesus caused a great
division. And I'm not suggesting that our
Lord was a criminal awaiting the date of His execution. He
was a holy Son of God appointed to die by the Lord. But how many
things are there that are analogous one to the other? Now the Lord
was under a sense of debt. not because he was a sinner or
a criminal, but as a sin-bearer for the elect of God was he to
die. He prayed on the one hand, Father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, for having to die
as a criminal is a bitter thing for the sinless one who knew
no sin at all. On the other hand, he prayed,
not my will, but thine be done. And the final end resigned unto
the dead upon the cross. Now this cup could not pass from
him except he drink it. Isaac was about to be slain and
then a substitute was provided for him in Genesis chapter 22. But for the Lord there is no
substitute. None else who could drink this
bitter cup was appointed by the Father. And the Son gave Himself
to drink of this bitter cup, all of it, all the way down to
the bottom. And this involved Him being made
sin. and being made a curse. He must give his soul as an offering
for sin, Isaiah said, or make with his soul an offering for
sin. He must submit to the wrath of
God that is due against the sin of the elect. But this aspect
we will save until we consider our Lord actually upon the cross. Think of the words of our Lord
in John 17 and verse 1, Father, the hour is come, Jesus, and
the scriptures speak of a special hour. And they do so in a two-fold
way. Number one, that His hour was
not yet come. As in John 7 and 30, they sought
to take Him, but no man laid hands on Him because His hour
was not come. In John 6, 15, when Jesus perceived
that they would come, and by force, take him away to be a
king. He departed again to the mountain
himself alone. Several things they made, several
attempts rather, they made on the life of the Lord during his
ministry. For example, In John 10, verse
31, they took up stones to stone him, as was the Jewish matter
of stoning, because he said, I'm equal with the Father. In Luke 4 and 29, they took him,
carried him to the brow of a cliff, and were going to throw him off
down the cliff and be rid of him. Nothing and no one. could take the Lord before the
time appointed by the Father. Not all the Jews, not all the
soldiers in Jerusalem, but now His hour or His time is come. Manton says it like this, hour,
that hour, he says in the Greek, that hour that was appointed
from eternity by the Father, the hour for which he became
incarnate. For he was born to die under
the sentence of death as he came into the world. In the garden
he gave himself up in this agony to the will of the Father to
drink the cup and then he went and awoke The weary and sleeping
disciple tells them in Mark chapter 14, 42 and Matthew 26 and 46,
Arise, let us go, he is at hand that will betray me. And he went
forth and he met Judas' band of thugs coming after him. And this melts into our next
study as he is taken. The Lord did not hide from them.
He did not resist them. He did not wait for them to come.
He went out, the scripture said, and he met them as they were
coming. Now therefore, we ought to do
two things in closing. His full submission to the will
of the Father ought to bless our hearts that He's in full,
full submission to what the Father has appointed to be the way to
remove our sin. And the last thing to say is,
behold how He loved His own. He loved His own in the world
for them. He's experiencing this. For them,
this agony is on our Lord. For them, He will hang upon the
cross and He will die. And I'm going to say this, with
the exception of the cross, the agony of the garden deeply grieved
the soul of the Son of Man as never before. Father, I've come
to this hour. Thy will be done.