The hour of crucifixion had almost come. Jesus had presided at the first memorial supper and had told the astonished disciples that one of them would betray him. It was with heavy hearts that they joined Jesus in singing a hymn before going out into the darkness of the night to the Mount of Olives.
None, but Judas, could believe it possible that he would betray his Master, but Jesus told them that they would all “fall from their faith” ( N. E. B. ) , and he quoted the prophecy of Zechariah: “I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered” (Mark 14. 27), and, even as he spoke, Judas was preparing the way for the fulfilment of this prophecy.
Meanwhile, the bold and self-assured Peter could not restrain himself from blurting out: “Everyone else may fall away but I won’t”. But Jesus knew him better than he knew himself, “Peter”, he said, “this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will disown me three times” (Mark 14. 30 N.E.B.).
The Master’s lack of confidence in him aroused Peter’s indignation. He saw himself as a bold and determined servant. He knew the sort of fierce opposition that was shown to Jesus and his followers. He could face all that: the Romans wouldn’t stop him from serving his Master. He would give his life before he would disown the one whom he loved.
Thus, impetuous Peter first gave expression to what all of them were thinking. No doubt Jesus appreciated their sincerity and loved them all the more for it. Nevertheless, as with the disciples, so with us: however sincere we are we can be misguided or mistaken. If one pathway leads to the Kingdom and the other to eternal destruction, it will not make one iota of difference how sincere we are, or how deep are our convictions: if we are following the pathway to destruction, sincerity alone will not save us from the dire consequences.
There was a lesson which the disciples had to learn—a lesson we all have to learn sooner or later: it is no use trusting in the arm of flesh. However strong we may consider ourselves to be; however much we ridicule the very thought of ever denying our Master, what we all must learn is that we can only have the power to resist temptation in the strength which God supplies through His eternal Son.
How dependent we all are upon our loving and gracious Heavenly Father! Today a brother may be a tower of strength to us, speaking boldly in words of exhortation. Tomorrow that same brother can be struck down by illness, laid low upon his bed, scarcely able to utter a word. It is at such John Ward, Sydney a time that our dependence upon God is forced home upon us. When we are not handicapped by such extreme physical hindrances, it is so easy to forget that we cannot rely upon our own strength.
“Man is like to vanity”, said the Psalmist, “his days are as a shadow that passeth away”. Such is the weakness of the flesh. David recognized this and therefore he said: “It is God that girdeth me with strength.” The disciples were still in the process of learning this and it was in Gethsemane that Jesus chose to teach them a lesson which would eventually remain fixed in their minds.
The Father’s Care
Taking Peter, James and John aside, he revealed his own physical limitations and dependence upon his Heavenly Father. If they felt strong enough to face the trials associated with faithful service, how much more could the sinless Son of God! But it was essential that the disciples see for themselves the effect which their shepherd’s experiences were having upon him.
He said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death”, or, as the New English Bible expresses it: “My heart is ready to break with grief.” Many were the thoughts that filled the Master’s mind at this hour. The shadow of the cross was already upon his path. Jesus knew what lay ahead of him.
Was it the thought of his personal pain and suffering that caused him grief the anticipation of being “brought as a lamb to the slaughter”, “oppressed and afflicted” by wicked men?
Did not the “joy that was set before him” take away any anticipatory grief associated with the physical pain of the cross? What was it, then, that so much grieved Jesus at that dark hour in Gethsemane?
Was it not the thought, firstly, that one who had associated with him was even at that very moment betraying him — the sad thought of human weakness? Was he not also grieved to think that Peter, after all that he had said, would soon deny him: in deed, that all the disciples would forsake him when the test came? I believe that our Saviour’s knowledge of human nature caused him much greater anguish, mentally, than the dreadful physical suffering which followed. He was saddened by the thought that his disciples would soon be as sheep without a shepherd, utterly perplexed, while he lay in the silent grave. It was essential, then, to prepare them so that they would not be completely overcome.
To Peter, James and John he said: “Tarry ye here and watch”, or, “Stop here and stay awake” (N.E.B.). At such a momentous hour one might think that sleep would have been difficult. They loved Jesus. Never had they seen him so troubled. He had specially asked them to stay awake while he communed with his Father. Nothing would have pleased them more than to help him in this hour of need, but when Jesus returned, he found them asleep — not once, but three times!
It was specially to Peter that the Master addressed himself, probably because, of all the disciples, he was the most self-assured and confident. In the Roman army a guard who went to sleep on duty would have suffered the penalty of death. But, to the disciples, Jesus spoke very gently and with a note of sympathy in his voice. The hour was late; they had had a very full and trying day; their minds were troubled. Luke indicates that sorrow caused them to fall asleep. They were just exhausted and could stand the strain no longer. Was there something they had forgotten?
Jesus had revealed his own physical limitations, yet he was still awake. What was the source of his strength? It is very easy for us to see now that he gained strength through communion with his Heavenly Father. But, when he told the disciples that he was going to pray yonder, it seems that it had not occurred to them to ask him if they might join him in prayer. I believe that Jesus, at that hour, had a special desire to be alone with God, but it would have given him great pleasure if the disciples had recognized their own need, and we may be sure he would have helped them. He earnestly desired them to realize the great power of prayer, but here they were asleep! So Jesus said, to Peter in particular: “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” As Matthew’s record has it: “Watch and pray, flesh is weak” (26. 41 ). Jesus was not telling the disciples here to watch the signs of the times, but to watch themselves; to be on guard against human weakness; to keep awake and pray.
Spiritual Sleep
When the power to think has gone, we cannot pray. That is true of both physical and spiritual sleep. If we continue to sleep when we ought to be on guard, the ultimate penalty of eternal death most surely awaits us. Jesus says to us, every whit as much as to Peter and his companions: “Stay awake and pray.” Nothing is too great or too small for God. If we have applied our minds to spiritual things, we shall always be mentally alert, watchful, wide-awake to our need of God’s help in things both great and small. And let us never forget that if there is a duty He wants us to perform, He is ever willing to help us, but He expects us to seek His help. “Whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Many are the occasions when even physical limitations have been swept aside through the power of prayer — through an approach such as the Master taught us: “Not my will but Thine be done.”
Peter and his companions had made the mistake we so often make. They knew and had experienced the infinite love and compassion of their Heavenly Father, yet they struggled against fleshly weaknesses without seeking His help. How little they could rely upon themselves was soon demonstrated to Peter who, to his continual sorrow, three times denied his Master. Matthew says that in the hour of trial they all “forsook him and fled” (26. 56). Because of their imperfect faith they became as sheep without a shepherd. But Zechariah foretold that, when this happened, God’s love would meet their needs. He would not forget them. His hand would be turned “upon” (or “towards”) His “little ones” for care and protection (13.7).
By the power of the Divine spirit, these disciples were enabled, in due course, to remember all that Jesus had said to them (John 14. 26). Their experiences, afterwards viewed in the light of the perfect life given in sacrifice, became a spur to constant endeavour and, because God’s hand is still turned towards His little ones, we are encouraged by the inspired words of the converted Peter, who laboured so diligently to corn-ply with the Master’s instruction to strengthen his brethren (Luke 22. 32). He gives us a much-needed reminder, not merely that Christ suffered for us, but that he left us an example. “When he was reviled”, Peter says, he “reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2. 23).
God grant that Peter’s experiences and his wise counsel may help in making us all more ready to commit ourselves to Him “that is able to keep us from falling”, not forgetting that He alone is able “to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy”.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One