Monday Devo
Scripture:
Luke 22:39-46
39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”
41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”
39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”
41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”
Commentary:
22:39 The Passover evening had to be spent in “greater Jerusalem” (cf. Deut. 16:1–7), which included the Mount of Olives.
22:40 when he came to the place. Luke assumes his readers knew that “the place” was the garden of Gethsemane. Pray that you may not enter into temptation. See notes on Matt. 6:13 and Luke 11:4. The temptation was to succumb to physical sleep (see 22:45–46) and thus fail in their responsibility to support Jesus. It may point also to the temptation to deny Jesus when he is led away to the cross (cf. vv. 54–62).
22:41 Jesus withdrew … about a stone’s throw, enough to be alone but close enough for the disciples to overhear him praying. knelt down.
22:42 this cup. A metaphor for Jesus’ future suffering (cf. Matt. 20:22–23; Mark 10:38–39). It is clear from the OT that the taking of the cup denotes that Jesus took upon himself the wrath of God (cf. Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15, 17, 28; 49:12; Lam. 4:21; Ezek. 23:31–33; Hab. 2:16; Zech. 12:2), so that he died for the sake of and instead of his people. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done. Jesus consciously, voluntarily, and obediently “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2).
22:44 Jesus was in agony (Gk. agōnia) in anticipation of bearing “our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24), and therefore he prayed more earnestly. his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Though the word “like” may indicate that this is to be understood metaphorically, there are both ancient and modern accounts on record of people sweating blood—a condition known as hematidrosis, where extreme anguish or physical strain causes one’s capillary blood vessels to dilate and burst, mixing sweat and blood. In either case, Luke’s main purpose is to highlight the intensity of Jesus’ emotional and physical trauma.
22:45 sleeping for sorrow. It had been a long day, and the disciples were emotionally and physically exhausted.
22:40 when he came to the place. Luke assumes his readers knew that “the place” was the garden of Gethsemane. Pray that you may not enter into temptation. See notes on Matt. 6:13 and Luke 11:4. The temptation was to succumb to physical sleep (see 22:45–46) and thus fail in their responsibility to support Jesus. It may point also to the temptation to deny Jesus when he is led away to the cross (cf. vv. 54–62).
22:41 Jesus withdrew … about a stone’s throw, enough to be alone but close enough for the disciples to overhear him praying. knelt down.
22:42 this cup. A metaphor for Jesus’ future suffering (cf. Matt. 20:22–23; Mark 10:38–39). It is clear from the OT that the taking of the cup denotes that Jesus took upon himself the wrath of God (cf. Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15, 17, 28; 49:12; Lam. 4:21; Ezek. 23:31–33; Hab. 2:16; Zech. 12:2), so that he died for the sake of and instead of his people. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done. Jesus consciously, voluntarily, and obediently “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2).
22:44 Jesus was in agony (Gk. agōnia) in anticipation of bearing “our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24), and therefore he prayed more earnestly. his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Though the word “like” may indicate that this is to be understood metaphorically, there are both ancient and modern accounts on record of people sweating blood—a condition known as hematidrosis, where extreme anguish or physical strain causes one’s capillary blood vessels to dilate and burst, mixing sweat and blood. In either case, Luke’s main purpose is to highlight the intensity of Jesus’ emotional and physical trauma.
22:45 sleeping for sorrow. It had been a long day, and the disciples were emotionally and physically exhausted.
Questions:
- Verse 39 jumps into that fateful night when Jesus went away to pray. He absolutely knew what was coming. He was moments away from being arrested, which He knew would lead to His brutal death. And though Jesus was all God, He was also all man. He had all the same feelings and emotions that we do. Image that scene where Jesus, who is about to face unimaginable pain and anguish for US, is under such stress that "His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood." Can you imagine being in that kind of anguish? What kinds of thoughts or emotions are stirred within you when you think about Jesus suffering in this way?
- Are you ready for some real talk? The reason Jesus had to die for us was because of the curse of sin. And Jesus didn't just suffer physically on that cross. He also suffered spiritually. Scripture teaches that Jesus, who was God in flesh, literally BECAME sin for us. He took upon Himself the most vile and detestable things... the sins of every person that will ever walk the earth. But how do WE treat sin? We laugh at it. We enjoy it. We're entertained by it. But it makes Jesus sick. This is why He is so overcome with grief in that garden. Does this change the way you might view your sin? Do you tend to treat sin too casually? Do you tolerate it too much in your own life?
Pray:
- That you would remember all that Jesus endured for you.
- That you wouldn't tolerate sin in your life.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
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