20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Gethsemane

36 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.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Immediately, before Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane he was in the upper room with the disciples for the Passover feast. He knew exactly what was going to happen – he knew Peter was going to deny him and Judas would betray him. It is here he shares the Last Supper with the disciples and says those familiar words. ‘Take and eat , this is my body, and then He offers the cup to all the disciples including Judas and Peter, saying ‘Drink from it all of you’. The inclusion of the word ‘All’ makes these words even more deeply profound and moving. The invitation is to all of us even in that moment of profound betrayal and suffering, even though Jesus is aware of what is going to follow and the pain and suffering he will endure.

Jesus than goes with the disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. He asks the other disciples to wait and takes three of his closest disciples with him to pray. It is here Jesus wrestled with the certainty of what lay ahead. We cannot underestimate His agony and unspeakable pain. He tells them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” and he asks the disciples to watch over him as he moves away from them to pray. Although, very much divine, Jesus also shared fully and completely in the human condition. He felt sorrow, pain, suffering and great distress. He fell with his face to the ground perhaps reflecting his total submission, and humility and prays ‘Father, if it is possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will but as you will.

Jesus prayed throughout the night, periodically returning to His disciples to find them sleeping. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. Maybe he was feeling the sting of alienation, isolation, and betrayal. Jesus’s urging of the disciples to stay awake and keep watch reminds us to be on guard, to not succumb to temptation, to face even the difficulties we would rather avoid by turning to the Father and not attempting to rely on our own strength. We also in this moment see the humanity of the disciples. They aren’t as strong as Jesus and were sleeping on the job. Their spirit was willing, but the flesh weak.

When Jesus returned a third time, He appeared strengthened through prayer and resolute, ready to face the path His Father had laid before Him. “Are you still sleeping and resting?” He asked. “Look the hour has come and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes My betrayer!”

It can be challenging to seek, Gods will especially when we face unanswered prayer and suffering. In Gethsemane God remained silent. He doesn’t appear to take the cup away and that silence feels deafening. But despite his agony Jesus remained faithful and trusted God who did answer his prayer. Although Jesus died a painful physical death, God raised Him from the dead delivering his Son from death not only to save him, but to give eternal life to all who believe in Him. And this was his plan from the beginning.

In what ways does this passage speak to you?
Who do you relate most to? Is it Jesus knowing what lies ahead and praying there is another way? Or perhaps the disciples who are unable to stay awake?
Can you relate to experiences when your Spirit was willing, but your flesh was weak?
What have been the things that have sustained you through difficult and painful times in your life? What have you learnt from those times? Can you think of examples where prayer has given you strength in times of need?