Another Holy Week has Begun Mark 14
Another Holy Week Has Begun Mark 14
No one can understand mental anguish better than Jesus as we read of His being awed, surprised, shocked may be a better word and deeply troubled with sorrow. Which is worse---mental or physical hurt? Let me see the hands of those who think it is physical hurt. Now let me see the hand of those who think it is mental. Bingo. WE know from our own experience if we have ever been disappointed, or have disappointed someone that we feel great turmoil in dealing with our emotions and our frailities of the mental mind.
I have been rejected by some and that has made me feel badly through my life. One time I was in the way on the bridge of a merchant ship, and the CPT threw me off. Talk about feeling bad after that! As a young midshipman I was trying to learn shipboard navigation but the surly old CPT thought I was in the way. I was.
I have counseled those who were going through loss of a loved one or a relationship. ....or suicidal Soldiers and individuals through the years. That is a tough time. Many tears flow. But I think that we can never understand the depths of the sorrow and anguish that Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethesame but today I want to try. " ‘Gethsemane’ means ‘an oil-press.’ It was an enclosed piece of ground, according to Matthew and Mark; a garden, according to John. Jesus, by some means, had access to it, and had ‘oft-times resorted thither with His disciples.’ To this familiar spot, with its many happy associations, Jesus led the disciples, who would simply expect to pass the night there, as many Passover visitors were accustomed to bivouac in the open air. " Mac Laren
1. Awestruck is our first word. Distressed is better perhaps...HELPS Word-studies
1568 ekthambéō (from 1537 /ek, "out from and to" and 2285 /thámbos, "astonished") – properly, out of one's senses with the outcome of being amazed to the level of wonder.
Mark 14: 32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
Distressed out of one's senses. Why was this for Jesus? He had just heard Peter say he would never deny him. He had before that given Holy Communion ( the Passover ) to Judas who He knew was going to betray Him. The beginning of Mark 14 says, " After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death." Jesus knew this too.
Imagine being totally innocent yet being found guilty to be crucified. Imagine being treated with disrespect, taunted, crucified , imagine taking upon yourself the sins of the whole world, past, future and present. Imagine being separate from the presence of God. " MY God , my God, why hast Thou forsaken me"
Deeply distressed in mind He was. Deeply distressed.
2. " Heavy" feeling fear. He was troubled at what was happening and what was going to happen. The Disciples could not stay awake in the crisis. The Lamb of God who had no sin was going to bear all sin. He would be separated from all that is good, loving , and beautiful to endure mental, physical and personal pain on the cross.
Jerome says it this way, " One of twelve deserted; eleven remained loyal. The cross came; they fled; one remained----Peter one with One. The one himself fled, and would that he had! He denied Christ. We may say , then, that the entire human race was lost. "
3. And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
How hard to be alone! How you ever felt that way? Have you ever had this deep sorrow and disappointment. No one was there. Even God the Father seemed to have left Him.
I know we feel loss when someone we deeply love dies. All of us can say we know that. It brings great emotion and tears and pain.
But this is the whole world leaving Jesus. No one is there. Not even the disciples who were to pray. They were there but not in spirit. We have often felt alone when we do something that people do not agree with. But we have not died for it in abandon.
I know it is so hard to understand when we can barely listen to the words. " Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me:" Even the Father said no. I will not take away the cup from you. You have to drink it alone. NO one else can do it but you.
Enter into this week with meditation, prayer and feeling what Jesus felt. No one can know...but we can try to journey with Him this week through reading the readings of the Gospels to sit with Him when no one else would. We must gaze upon the Cross and His crucified body that lies there after He said, " It is finished." It is for my sin and our sin that He suffered . May we not watch at least one hour?
No one can understand mental anguish better than Jesus as we read of His being awed, surprised, shocked may be a better word and deeply troubled with sorrow. Which is worse---mental or physical hurt? Let me see the hands of those who think it is physical hurt. Now let me see the hand of those who think it is mental. Bingo. WE know from our own experience if we have ever been disappointed, or have disappointed someone that we feel great turmoil in dealing with our emotions and our frailities of the mental mind.
I have been rejected by some and that has made me feel badly through my life. One time I was in the way on the bridge of a merchant ship, and the CPT threw me off. Talk about feeling bad after that! As a young midshipman I was trying to learn shipboard navigation but the surly old CPT thought I was in the way. I was.
I have counseled those who were going through loss of a loved one or a relationship. ....or suicidal Soldiers and individuals through the years. That is a tough time. Many tears flow. But I think that we can never understand the depths of the sorrow and anguish that Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethesame but today I want to try. " ‘Gethsemane’ means ‘an oil-press.’ It was an enclosed piece of ground, according to Matthew and Mark; a garden, according to John. Jesus, by some means, had access to it, and had ‘oft-times resorted thither with His disciples.’ To this familiar spot, with its many happy associations, Jesus led the disciples, who would simply expect to pass the night there, as many Passover visitors were accustomed to bivouac in the open air. " Mac Laren
1. Awestruck is our first word. Distressed is better perhaps...HELPS Word-studies
1568 ekthambéō (from 1537 /ek, "out from and to" and 2285 /thámbos, "astonished") – properly, out of one's senses with the outcome of being amazed to the level of wonder.
Mark 14: 32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
Distressed out of one's senses. Why was this for Jesus? He had just heard Peter say he would never deny him. He had before that given Holy Communion ( the Passover ) to Judas who He knew was going to betray Him. The beginning of Mark 14 says, " After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death." Jesus knew this too.
Imagine being totally innocent yet being found guilty to be crucified. Imagine being treated with disrespect, taunted, crucified , imagine taking upon yourself the sins of the whole world, past, future and present. Imagine being separate from the presence of God. " MY God , my God, why hast Thou forsaken me"
Deeply distressed in mind He was. Deeply distressed.
2. " Heavy" feeling fear. He was troubled at what was happening and what was going to happen. The Disciples could not stay awake in the crisis. The Lamb of God who had no sin was going to bear all sin. He would be separated from all that is good, loving , and beautiful to endure mental, physical and personal pain on the cross.
Jerome says it this way, " One of twelve deserted; eleven remained loyal. The cross came; they fled; one remained----Peter one with One. The one himself fled, and would that he had! He denied Christ. We may say , then, that the entire human race was lost. "
3. And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
How hard to be alone! How you ever felt that way? Have you ever had this deep sorrow and disappointment. No one was there. Even God the Father seemed to have left Him.
I know we feel loss when someone we deeply love dies. All of us can say we know that. It brings great emotion and tears and pain.
But this is the whole world leaving Jesus. No one is there. Not even the disciples who were to pray. They were there but not in spirit. We have often felt alone when we do something that people do not agree with. But we have not died for it in abandon.
I know it is so hard to understand when we can barely listen to the words. " Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me:" Even the Father said no. I will not take away the cup from you. You have to drink it alone. NO one else can do it but you.
Enter into this week with meditation, prayer and feeling what Jesus felt. No one can know...but we can try to journey with Him this week through reading the readings of the Gospels to sit with Him when no one else would. We must gaze upon the Cross and His crucified body that lies there after He said, " It is finished." It is for my sin and our sin that He suffered . May we not watch at least one hour?
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