Why was Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane? This is a most important question. Let’s discuss.
“They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch (Mark 14:32-34).”
Jesus Hung on a Tree
Why was Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane? He knew His destiny was dying on the cross to endure God’s curse in our place:
“If a man has committed a sin worthy of death,…and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, (for he who is hanged is accursed of God) (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).”
God Promised Jesus an Eternal Kingdom
God had promised that David’s descendant (Jesus) would reign over an eternal Kingdom, saying in 2 Samuel 7:16: “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever.” But God planned that before Jesus would receive that eternal Kingdom, He’d have to die on the cross before resurrecting and receiving it.
Satan Offered the Kingdom Apart from the Cross
If Jesus Would Worship Him
Satan knew God’s plan and Jesus’ fate. He realized the horror that any human would feel knowing their fate was to die a death on a cross. So, the devil knew he could tempt Jesus into avoiding the cross by promising Jesus all the kingdoms in the world if Jesus would worship him:
“The devil…showed Him (Jesus) all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me (Matthew 4:8-9).”
Through Peter’s Rebuke
The devil tempted Jesus to receive the kingdom apart from the cross through Jesus’ disciple Peter:
“And He (Jesus) began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer…and be killed….And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But…He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s (Mark8:31-33).”
Jesus’ Major Temptation is Faced in Gethsemane
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus’ primary temptation is to avoid the cross. The apex of that temptation and its resolution is in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus asked God to Remove His Cup
“And He (Jesus) went a little beyond them (Peter, James, and John), and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour (of Jesus’ ordeal on the cross) might pass Him by. And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will (Mark 14:35-36).”
Three times Jesus prayed and returned to His disciples.
“Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words…. (Mark 14:39).”
Jesus in Agony
When Jesus left the disciples and went to pray, He asked them to pray that they wouldn’t enter temptation. But each of the three times He returned, He found them sleeping.
“He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” …And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation (Luke 22:40, 44-46).”
Jesus Shepherds His Disciples
Why was Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane? He faced torture before the cross and on the cross. Yet, He was still concerned and shepherding His disciples, knowing they could fall into temptation. Luke bracketed the passage above, saying, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” His brackets mean that all the information between them relates to the central theme of the passage. Luke’s telling us that, even realizing what Jesus was facing, His main concern was for His disciples’ spiritual welfare!
The Cross: No Other Way
Jesus prayed that, if possible–if there was any other way!–the Father might spare Him the imminent physical and spiritual agony. Since God didn’t remove the cup He faced, we know there was no other way to provide salvation. Paul says the same:
“For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe (Galatians 3:21-22).”
No Law can give Life
There is no law; there are no works that can impart life. Instead, because of Jesus’ sacrifice and God’s promise, God saves believers through faith in Jesus’ Name. There was no other way.
No Saving Himself
When Judas came with the soldiers to arrest Jesus, Peter bravely attempted to save Jesus from the cross.
“Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave….So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it (John 19:10-11)?”
Ready to Claim His Kingdom
Jesus, fully God and fully human, struggled with facing the agony of death on the cross. But He submitted to the Father’s will. And He also was resurrected and will come again soon to claim His Kingdom:
“Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
“Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him (Psalm 2:8, 12)!”
Accept this gift of salvation today. Please watch the short Great News video on this page to find out how you can be saved right now.
