As much as the agony on the cross reaches deep into my soul, there is a passage in Luke that perhaps for me reaches even deeper. It is defined simply in my Bible translation as “The Prayer in the Garden.”
Following the last Supper, Luke tells us Jesus had to deal with a dispute among His disciples over who would be considered the greatest in the kingdom. He had to warn Peter about his coming denial and warn the others to be ready for the trouble ahead.
Then He made His way to the Mount of Olives and there in the Garden of Gethsemane He knelt to pray. He began His prayer with a request – and a decision. “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” [22:39-44 HCSB]
Luke uses a word translated as anguish or agony to describe Jesus at that moment. The word is agonia, which means great fear or terror of death, anxiety, agony. Matthew emphasizes that point. “Then He said to them, ‘My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death.’” [26:38 HCSB]
Amid the anguish, even knowing what was directly ahead of Him, Jesus made a choice. He accepted the Father’s will.
From that moment, Jesus’ determination to complete what He had come to do is evident. He is in charge as He stands before His accusers. He is in charge before Pilate. Even as His body fails Him on the cross, even as He suffers pain beyond measure … He forgives the soldiers, He takes care of His mother’s future, He gives the promise of salvation to the thief hanging next to Him and He declares to all that the question of salvation is “FINISHED!” forever.
