p. 3 | GETHSEMANE by Birdie Watson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 11, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 15.

GETHSEMANE.

By Birdie Watson

THEN cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here, and watch with Me.

"And He went a little farther, 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.

"And He cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.

"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. And He came and found them asleep again; for their eyes were heavy. And He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words."

"And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

"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." See Matt. 26:36-45; Luke 22:39-47.

Here we have, in most solemn words, portrayed before us the awful conflict which the dear Son of God endured for us—the "just suffering for the unjust." And not only do we have a view of His suffering for us, but we are given bright hope that as He came off a conqueror, we too, through faith in the spilled blood, may conquer every besetting sin, and, having "suffered," "reign with Him."

Let us consider what Jesus here bore for us, and may we realize more than ever the cost of our redemption! Jesus had often visited this garden for prayer and meditation, but never with a heart so full of deep sorrow and loneliness as upon this occasion.

Throughout His life on earth He had walked in the light of God's presence. When in conflict with men who were inspired by the very spirit of Satan, He could say, "He that sent Me is with Me; the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him."

But now He seemed to be shut out from the light of God's sustaining presence. Now He was remembered with the transgressors. The guilt of fallen humanity He must bear. Upon Him "who knew no sin," must be "laid the iniquity of us all." So dreadful does sin appear to Him, so great is the weight of guilt He must bear, that He is tempted to fear it will shut Him out forever from His Father's love. Feeling the terrible wrath of God against transgression, He exclaims, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."

Near the entrance of the garden He leaves all the disciples, except Peter, James, and John. These three seem to have been His closest companions. They had beheld His glory upon the mount of transfiguration; they had seen Moses and Elias talking with Him, and had heard the voice from heaven. And now in His great struggle He desires them to be near Him. But He could not bear that even they should witness His agony, so He said, "Tarry ye here, and watch with Me." Then He went a short distance, about a "stone's throw"—not so far but what they could both see and hear Him—and fell prostrate on the ground. He felt that He was being separated from the Father. The gulf was so black, so deep, so broad, that His Spirit shuddered before it.

But this agony He must not exert His divine power to escape. As man He must suffer the consequences of man's sin. As man He must endure the wrath of God against transgression. His sufferings are well described by the prophet, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts."

Christ was now standing in a far different attitude from that in which He had ever stood before. As the substitute and surety for sinful man, He was suffering under divine justice. He tasted of what justice meant. Heretofore He had been as an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself.

Where is Satan now? is he asleep?—Ah, no, he was putting forth his greatest efforts to destroy our Saviour! He now presses in every thorn to its fullest extent, and endeavors by every means within range of his supernatural possibilities to overthrow Christ. The conflict was terrible. Its measure was the guilt of His nation, of His accusers and betrayer, ay, the guilt of the whole world lying in wickedness. O! the sins of men, you and I included, weighing so heavily upon Jesus, were crushing out His life.

So terrible is the temptation to step aside, and let an ungrateful world bear its own guilt, that three times He uttered, in agony of mind and body, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." But this was not all the prayer. Had it closed here, man would have been instantly cut off from heaven. No; Jesus added, "Nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done."

As the agony of soul came upon Jesus, "His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

How exquisite must this anguish have been, when it forced the very blood through the coats of the veins, and enlarged the pores, in such a preternatural manner as to cause them to empty it out in large, successive drops! Bloody sweats are mentioned by many authors; but none was ever such as this—where a person in perfect health (having never had any predisposing sickness to induce a debility of the system), and in the full vigor of life, about thirty-three years of age, suddenly, through mental pressure, without any fear of death, "sweat great drops of blood."—Clark.

It was now, during this fearful struggle, our Saviour having become weak, pale, and haggard in appearance, that the words apply, "His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men."

In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, when the destinies of the world trembled in the balance, the heavens opened, a light shone forth, and, amid the darkness of that solemn hour, a mighty angel came to the side of Christ. The angel came not to take the cup from Jesus, but to strengthen Him to drink it.

Where now are the disciples whom Jesus had sought twice for comforting words—when now He needs them to lift His fainting form and bathe His blood-stained brow—they who had just a short time before boldly affirmed that they were "ready to go with Him to prison and to death"?—Ah! they were asleep.

Let us search our hearts to see if we too are spiritually asleep. As with the disciples during those closing hours, this is the watching time. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation," is the admonition now given to God's people. But how many there are who, as were the disciples, are confident that they will pass through the times of trouble, who are now asleep! They are indifferent to the gracious calls being made. Time after time the gentle Spirit has appealed to them to awake, but they again fall back into the sleep of indifference.

Reader, erelong Jesus is coming to you, and may He not say, "Sleep on." For the disciples there was still hope, but when that word shall be spoken in this time, it shall mean eternal ruin; the angel of mercy will have taken her flight, never to return. Let us each take earnest heed to the words, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation."

BIRDIE WATSON.

Gladstone, Manitoba.