Matthew 26:36 – 38

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with me.'”

Read again, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” I have read these words dozens of times, maybe hundreds of times, without stopping right there to ask, “What is Jesus talking about?”

I hear him say it is not fear of death that is troubling him, but a profound and real sorrow that wants to kill him!  But he dare not let that happen.  The weight of all sin must fall on his holy shoulders!  That prospect that loomed in the immediate future produced chilling sorrow that cut to the quick of love.

The blood he is to spill is that of the Passover Lamb. That is the death he must die. He dare not die of sorrow, he must die out of eternal, divine compassion.  The Lamb dare not die of sorrow but of complete self-giving – death at the hands of cruel mankind. Can it be?

Jesus asked Peter, James and John to watch with him. I try to understand the meaning of that.  Watch for what?  It was not Jesus’ intention to have people defend him. It must have been because Jesus needed human companionship and love as he was shaken with life-threatening sorrow. It is a sad commentary on us humans that the disciples did not watch but fell asleep.  So the story goes, a story we can relate to, unfortunately.  We. too, sleep while we should be more wide awake than ever.

I ask, what would have happened if Jesus would have had to go through those hours without human companionship?  Does this mean that Jesus needs us, mortal beings?  It does.

I just asked my questions but I have missed the one that matters, why did Jesus go through all this?  The answer is surely, so that I can have peace with God and life everlasting.  Was there a less costly way?  Evidently not.  Thank you, Jesus, for enduring all that for sinners like me.