In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 because of His reverence.
If we read this in context, it seems that God delivered Jesus from death. If this is true, then this death cannot be the Cross.
We were all taught to think like human when it comes to Jesus' emotions. But Jesus IS the mind of Christ. He thinks like heaven, because He came to represent the Father. He rebuked Peter for thinking like human.
Why do we lower Jesus' standard to conform into our standard, when we are supposed to think like Him?
“Father, if You are willing, 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐞. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐦. And being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 falling down to the ground. - Luke 22:42-44
This is the famous prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (read also in Matt 26 and Mark 14). In the book of Mark, Jesus used 'this hour' instead of 'this cup', since Mark was written in a way that focused on urgency and action.
What if this cup (or this hour) had to do with premature death in the Garden before the Cross? What if the stress and the burden of the sins of humanity rejecting & betraying Him (Mark 14:41; Heb 12:4) were weighing on Jesus in the Garden such that He was sweating blood? What if satan, who waited for opportune time, (Luke 4:13) was tempting Him in the Garden to the point of death?
And He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 (also in Matt 26:38). Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, He fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐢𝐦. - Mark 14:34-35
The word 'hour' is used for 'the fatal hour of death' in this context according to Thayer's Greek Lexicon. This was a crucial hour for Jesus in the Garden, which is differentiated from the hour of the Cross in many other passages.
The hour was so important that Jesus rebuked Peter. “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫?" - Mark 14:37
It seems that Jesus wasn't asking the Father to save Him from the hour of the Cross, but the hour of premature death in the Garden.
Look over here...
“Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour." - John 12:27
Jesus was clear on His purpose of going to the Cross. He made this rhetorical question, proving that He would NOT ask the Father to save Him from the hour of the Cross. Read also Luke 9:51 (Jesus set His face to go towards the Cross) and John 17:1-4 (the High Priestly Prayer).
What if Jesus, our courageous and bold Saviour, did NOT waver in the Garden about the Cross? What if He was so focused and intentional, and was looking forward to the Cross (Heb 12:2)? What if He didn't want premature death, so that He could be perfected on the Cross and become the Source of our eternal salvation (Heb 5:9)?
Maybe we need to raise our standard in seeing Him for who He really is. Our God and King.
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