LECTURE CVII.

THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.

MATT. xxvi. 30—44.

30. And when they had sung an hymn,1they went out into the mount of Olives.

31. Then 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.2

32. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

33. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be of fended.

34. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow,3 thou shalt deny me thrice.

35. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

The disciples, and especially Peter, who stood most forward on this occasion, had not yet experienced their own weakness. They made their declaration in entire sincerity, and with full intention of acting up to it. "The spirit was willing ;" and in the willingness of their spirit, dangers seemed

1 This was usual with the Jews after their repasts; and a portion of the psalms (from 112th to 119th) was appropriated to the feast of the passover.

2 Zech. xiii. 7.

3 Before the morning dawn.

trifling, and failure impossible. The flesh proved weak; and, doubtless, they learnt an useful lesson, useful in the work appointed them, "not to be highminded," but to "fear."

It does not follow, because resolutions are sometimes broken, that therefore it is not good to make resolutions. They must be made, or there is no hope of stedfastness. A fixed resolve must be entered into, to follow the laws of Christ at any risk or sacrifice. Such a resolve, sincerely formed, will be supported by that grace from above which renders the spirit willing, and strengthens the infirmities of the flesh. God will pity the weakness of his frail but devoted servants, and will enable them to do what Peter afterwards both practised and prescribed, to live by the rules which their judgment, their "inward man," approves. The Israelites were commended when they "answered together" to the words of Moses: "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." "All that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, we will hear it and do it." Those who make such an engagement, may fail to keep it stedfastly; but those who refuse to make it, are far less likely to prove obedient. There must be a resolute beginning, if we hope to endure unto the end.

36. Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

37. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Or "the place of oil presses." On the mount of Olives.

M M

38. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39. And he went a little farther, 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.

40. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation : the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42. He 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.

43. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

44. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

The Redeemer of the world, on this remarkable occasion, looks forward to the suffering which he had engaged to undergo. He looks forward to it with those feelings to which he had voluntarily subjected himself, in order that in our nature he might bear our penalty. And these feelings were, at the present moment, allowed to oppress him with aggravated force, that the purpose of his mysterious sacrifice might be better understood and valued. The Spirit, which supports his disciples, for a while deserted him, that his disciples might learn more perfectly the lesson taught them by his death. Therefore he prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. If it be possible. If, consistently with the salvation of "those whom thou hast given me," this cross may not actually be undergone, let the bitter draught be spared me.

Certainly it was possible that the sacrifice should not be offered for the sins of men.

"But how then

should the Scriptures be fulfilled?" We must also suppose it to have been possible, that sin should be pardoned though this sacrifice were not actually made. If God had seen fit, he might have proclaimed an amnesty without this condition: but he did not. It was right in his view, that the penalty for sin should be really paid.

Here, then, in this agony, we behold the nature of sin; for we behold the Lord Jesus bearing its weight bearing the curse of the law. For as St. Paul shows," "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." "The transgression of the law is sin" and "the wages of sin is death." This concludes all mankind under a curse, for that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Christ interposes, and "redeems us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us;" for again it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." So that the indignation of God against sin is openly manifested, and yet the penitent believer in Christ is pardoned: " the promise by faith of Jesus Christ is given to them that believe."

The practical lesson to be learnt here is very plain, and ought never to be absent from our minds. It is not consistent with the Father's attributes that no evil consequence should follow the sins of men. Will He, it might be asked, will He so heavily condemn sin in his creatures, as Scripture affirms? "God is love." But God loved his Son and his

6 Gal. iii. 10-13.

Son here offers the prayer, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. And the prayer was not granted: the cup of suffering was drunk. Such must be our reflection when we are disposed to extenuate the evil of sin; when that which ought to be most shocking, its awful frequency, prevents us from dreading or lamenting it as it ought to be dreaded and lamented both in ourselves and others.

Another practical inference follows, which ought no less to affect our hearts. The suffering which is here recorded, shows the extent of Christ's love. Had he suffered less, we should not have rightly known the greatness of that mercy which he exercised towards mankind. It was much, indeed, that "when he was rich" in the fulness of heavenly joy, he should" become poor," for man's sake, and descend to a world like ours. But that he should place himself under the fierceness of that divine wrath, from which his disciples are delivered, is a degree of love which " passes all understanding." One return he requires of us; one return we can attempt to make,—our gratitude; gratitude which is to be shown by obedience to his will. "Because we thus judge; that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them."7 This is the principle of the Christian's practice; and this principle ought to receive fresh strength from every fresh contemplation of that "precious death," from which our life, our real and spiritual life, is derived.

7 2 Cor. v. 15.