Matt. 26:30-5730And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 31Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. 36Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little further, 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. 40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42He 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. 43And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45Then 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. 46Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. 47And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 51And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. 52Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? 55In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. 57And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. (Matthew 26:30‑57). John 18:1212Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, (John 18:12)
WHEN Jesus came to the garden, He told all His disciples to stay where they were till He came back. But He took three of them with Him.
Who were they?
Peter, James and John. He took them further on in the garden. Then He said to them, ‘I feel very sad indeed. I am going to pray. Do you stay here. Do not go to sleep, but pray while I am praying.’
Then Jesus went a little way off by Himself, and fell upon the ground and began to pray to His Father to help Him. He ended His prayer by saying, ‘O Father, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.’ He prayed very earnestly, and He felt so unhappy that the blood came out of His skin and fell onto the ground. Then He got up and went back to Peter and James and John, but He found them asleep. He woke them and told them to pray.
Then He went back and prayed again to His Father. He asked His Father to help Him in His great sorrow. When He came back to His disciples, they had fallen asleep again.
Then Jesus prayed again, and His Father sent an angel from heaven to comfort Him. I do not know what the angel said, but I know the angel loved Him. The angel could speak sweet words to Him and tell Him how His Father loved Him. The angel did not stay long; he soon went back to God.
Then Jesus came again to His disciples and found them asleep again. But Jesus woke them and told them to get up. ‘Judas,’ He said, ‘is near.’
While Jesus was saying this, many people came walking into the garden. These were the servants of the wicked men in Jerusalem. They had swords and sticks and lights in their hands. And Judas went in front of them to show them where Jesus was. But Judas came up to Jesus in a very sly way. He gave Him a kiss, pretending to love Him.
Jesus knew what Judas was doing, and He said, ‘Friend, why do you come here? And why do you kiss Me?’
Jesus did not run away, but He went up to the wicked men and said, ‘Who are you looking for?’
They said, ‘For Jesus.’
He said, ‘I am He.’
When He said that, God made all the wicked people fall on the ground on their backs. Then Jesus could have run away. But He chose to stay, so that He might die for His people.
The wicked people soon got up. God let them get up; but Jesus said to them, ‘If you want to have Me, you must let My disciples go away.’
It was kind of Jesus to think of them, and they were frightened and glad to get away. They did not wish to stay to die with Jesus.
But Peter took a sword and cut off one of the wicked men’s ears. Peter wished to fight; but Jesus said, ‘Put up your sword. If I were to pray now to My Father, He would send thousands of angels to help Me.’ Then Jesus touched the man’s ear, and made it all right again.
Why did not Jesus pray to God to send the angels?
Because He chose to die to save people from their sins. If the angels had come and taken Jesus back to heaven, then we should all have gone to hell.
Peter and all the rest of the disciples ran away and left Jesus all alone with the wicked men. They took ropes and tied His hands and feet, and they led Him away into Jerusalem. Jesus went along as meekly as a lamb.
‘What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?’
Could they not watch one little hour
With Him they soon should see no more
Upon this earth beneath?
Not watch with Him in His distress,
Who was all love and tenderness,
And still did pity breathe?
But hear the Savior gently speak;
He says, though willing they are weak,
And bids them rise and pray.
Oh, now the hour of prayer is past,
The enemy is come at last
To take the Lord away.
Oh, how I love the patience rare,
With which I see the Savior bear
His friends’ unkind neglect!
Though He to them such love has shown,
He might when suffering thus alone
Their tenderest care expect.
And when my angry passions rise
I’ll set the Lord before my eyes,
His gentle voice I’ll hear;
And the same patience try to show,
If left alone in pain or woe
By my companions dear.
Questions
How many disciples did Jesus take with Him to another part of the garden?
What did Jesus tell them to do while He was praying?
What did Jesus pray to His Father about?
Did Peter and James and John pray while Jesus was praying?
How many times did Jesus come back to Peter and James and John?
Who came from heaven to comfort Him?
Who came into the garden at last?
Why did Judas kiss Jesus?
Did Jesus know why Judas kissed Him?
What did Jesus call Judas?
Did Jesus run away from the wicked men?
Who made the wicked people fall down on the ground?
Did they get up again soon?
Did the disciples run away?
What did Peter cut off with his sword?
Did Jesus wish Peter to fight for Him?
What did Jesus do to the man’s ear?
Where did the wicked people take Jesus?
What was Jesus like, when He went so meekly with them?
The meekness of Jesus when He died.
A verse from the Bible for you to learn: