How perfectly the Lord Jesus knew ahead of time all that was to be done to Him, and even what would be said! Before they came to Jerusalem He told the disciples that He must suffer. At the Passover supper He said, “Truly the Son of Man goeth, as it was determined” (Luke 22:2222And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! (Luke 22:22)).
Those words were written several hundred years before by the prophet, about the holy Servant who was to come to earth. It is plain that Jesus was that holy One; He knew He would be put on trial as one who disobeyed God’s laws, a transgressor, and be said to be guilty. Yet in Him was no sin.
He knew the disciples would be badly treated because they believed in Him, and He gave them many words of comfort. More of His words are written by John (John 14-17). But He spoke plainly that He would yet rule in His kingdom, (Luke 22:3030That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:30)), which also was written by the prophets (Zechariah 14:99And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9)).
The Events on the Mount of Olives
We are not told what time Jesus and the eleven disciples left the house where they ate the Passover, but it was night. Judas had already gone to lead the soldiers who were to take the Lord Jesus. Although Jesus knew that, He did not change to a different location. He went to the same place outside of the city on the side of the Mount of Olives.
That place is called a garden, but perhaps it is more what we would call an orchard, as many fruit trees grew on these slopes. It was early spring, but in that climate people could wrap in their cloaks and sleep on the ground. The disciples did not realize what was to happen, though they were sad because Jesus had said He would suffer, but they were sleepy and laid down and slept.
Jesus went a short distance from them and knelt down in prayer to God His Father. He knew fully the cruelty He would soon suffer from the soldiers and the priests and more terribly what He must suffer to take the punishment for sin from God. That we cannot in any way understand.
He spoke of it as taking “a cup.” We dread to take bitter medicine; sometimes children cry to see one spoonful of what they do not like. The sorrow was real to the Lord as a most bitter cup. Yet His prayer to God was, “Not My will, but Thine, be done.”
Great sorrow causes a person to become weak. Jesus prayed so earnestly in deepest sorrow, or agony, that an angel came from heaven to give Him strength. Yet when He rose from prayer, He went to the disciples, thinking of how they would feel when He would be taken from them.
Jesus had said that the things written of Him had an end, and the next words and chapter show how quickly all happened and was fulfilled.
As we read how fully the Lord Jesus knew all that was to happen, yet how firmly He kept on to suffer, our hearts must thank Him and trust Him for all He has said is yet to come.
Further Meditation
1. Where can we find the Lord’s words of comfort to His disciples?
2. We read of the Lord being in agony but never of Him being afraid? Why? What does He tell us in His Word about fear?
3. Any believer would be strengthened by the lessons found in the pamphlet Fear Not by H. H. Snell.