Mark 14:32-42--Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

Mark 14:32-42
English Standard Version
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Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

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Jesus knew His time had come and His soul was deeply troubled.  He asked His three closest companions--Peter, James, and John--to keep watch over Him while He prayed "about a stone's throw" away from them (so they could hear everything He said when He prayed aloud).  He prayed to the Father that this hour may pass, and that, if possible, there would be some other way made.  However, He concluded with "not My will, but what You will."  This was the plan from before time began, and the Father was not going to change His mind.

After praying for some time, Jesus came back to find the three that were supposed to be keeping watch all asleep (remember that as far as we know they haven't slept since the evening that was the beginning of Wednesday for them, but the end of Tuesday for us).    He woke Peter specifically and asked him, "Simon, are you asleep?  Could you not watch one hour?" Then he said to Peter, "Watch and pray that you may not fall into temptation.  The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak."  Remember that Jesus had said that Satan had asked permission to sift Simon Peter like wheat, but Jesus told Peter that He had prayed for him.  Jesus sees that Simon needs to be on guard and not asleep because He knows that Satan's attack is about to come, and Jesus knows the outcome, but, if possible, Jesus wanted Peter to make a different choice, Just like Jesus tried to give Judas a different choices before He left the Last Supper, even though Jesus knew that Judas was the "son of perdition" when He chose Judas Iscariot as an apostle from the very beginning.

Jesus stepped away from His three friends to once again pray to the Father, and He prayed the same words again.  He came back and found them asleep again "because their eyes were heavy" (they were very tired), so He left them sleep and returned to praying.  After the third time praying to His Father and getting no different answer, He returned to Peter, James and John and said, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Judas thought he and the mob that were coming to arrest Jesus were going to sneak up on Him, but Jesus knew they were coming before they set foot on the Mount of Olives.  Throughout all of this (and all of the gospel accounts) we see that Jesus was completely in control of the timing saying, "My time has not yet come" and now saying, "The hour has come."  Jesus also knew the place He must go to (Jerusalem), the time He had to be there (Passover), the people that would be involved in killing Him (the Jews would hand Him over to Herod and the Romans) and the means (He would be "lifted up" for crucifixion on a Roman cross).  He also prophesied that He would rise again in three days if (when) they killed Him.  He even told parables speaking to the heart of them as to why they wanted to kill Him.  While they thought that Jesus was an unwilling participant, He is the lead role in a script that has been written by the Father and Jesus knows the script from beginning to end, knows everything that every character is going to say and do, and knows every one of His scenes and lines perfectly.  Everything is unfolding perfectly according to the Father's plan, but that doesn't absolve those who participated in Jesus's false arrest, illegal sham trial, and murderous plot to execute Him of their responsibility.  Both things can be true at the same time.  God can use things that man means for evil and work them for His glory and our good.