Section 152
Jesus' three agonizing prayers in Gethsemane
Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives
| Matthew 26:30, 36-46 | Mark 14:26, 32-42 | Luke 22:39-46 | John 18:1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. | 26And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. | 39Then Jesus went out and made his way to the Mount of Olives, as was his custom, and his disciples followed him. 40When he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” | 1After saying these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he entered along with his disciples. |
| 36Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and distressed. 38Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to the point of death0x3B stay here and keep watch with me.” | 32Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray.” 33He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly disturbed and distressed. 34He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to the point of death0x3B stay here and keep watch.” | ||
| 39And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me0x3B nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” | 35Going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me0x3B nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.” | 41Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw away and knelt down and prayed, 42“Father, if you are willing to take this cup away from me, do so0x3B nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” 43Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. | |
| 40Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? 41Keep watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” | 37Then he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38Keep watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” | 45When he rose from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping because of their sorrow. 46So he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” | |
| 42Again, he went away for a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass from me unless I drink it, may your will be done.” | 39Once again he went away and prayed the same prayer. | ||
| 43Then he came and found them sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy. 44So he left them and went away again and prayed for a third time, saying the same thing. | 40When he returned, he found them sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to say in response. | ||
| 45Then he came to his disciples and said to them, “Sleep on now and take your rest! Behold, the hour has drawn near, and the Son of Man is delivered up into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us go. Behold, my betrayer has drawn near.” | 41Then he came a third time and said to them, “Sleep on now and take your rest! It is enough0x3B the hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is delivered up into the hands of sinners. 42Rise, let us go! Behold, my betrayer has drawn near.” |
Notes
Mount of Olives
The mountainous ridge called the Mount of Olives stretches totay from the Hebrew University Mount Scopus campus in the north to the Jewish cemetery and beyond, to the village of Silwan in the south. Between these two ends of the mountain are the olive trees from which the mountain takes its name. The area at the bottom of the mountain would have been the place for the olive gardens and an olive press, “Gat shemen” in Hebrew, from which the name “Gethsemane” comes.
The gospels record on more than one occasion Jesus’ sorrow for Jerusalem as he made his way down the slopes of the Mount of Olives. It was a path he would have known from childhood from His many visits to Jerusalem.
Down the road from Bethphage He came riding on a donkey colt with palm branches symbolic of Judaea strewn along the way. “Hosanna!” (“save now!”) was the cry upon the lips of the people (Matthew 21:1-9). This prayer from Psalm 118:25 was a request for salvation. Yet Jesus knew that these cries would be changed within a week to “Crucify him!” He wept again for Jerusalem, for He knew what would befall the people in less than one generation as the city would be besieged and taken.
Garden of Gethsemane
Towards the end of Palm Sunday Road, we come to Gethsemane. Gethsemane means “oil press” or “oil stores”. In Hebrew it is gat shemanim. It is a place where we find ancient olive trees and olive presses and storage areas.
Gethsemane is the place of many events in the life of Jesus: his betrayal, teaching of his disciples, and time spent alone with his Father. Luke 21:37 tells us that Jesus slept here at night; Luke 29:39 tells us that it was his custom to go here, and John 18:2 tells that Jesus often met his disciples here. The present location fits the description of Gethsemane at the time of Jesus and this tradition has been maintained since about 330 A.D. In this area, we find the Garden of Gethsemane, the Basilica of the Agony, and the Cave of Betrayal.
The Franciscan Church of All Nations contains the Garden of Gethsemane outside and the Basilica of the Agony within. In the garden, there are eight olive trees that may well be over 1,000 years old. The olive tree does not die, but continues to live even if cut down, by producing new shoots from its roots.
The Garden of Gethsemane is the place where Jesus left his disciples and asked them to sit while he went to pray (Matthew 26:36). He then took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (James and John) and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. He asked them to wait there and keep watch for him as he went a little farther where he fell on his face and prayed (at the rock in the Basilica of Agony) (Matthew 26:37 46). It is interesting to note that Peter, James and John were the three who witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus and the glory of it, and now they were witnessing the agony and the perfect submission of Jesus to the will of his Father.