Chapter 16—In Gethsemane
The Saviour’s life on earth was a life of prayer. Many were the
hours He spent alone with God. Often did He send up His earnest pe-
titions to His heavenly Father. Thus He received strength and wisdom
to sustain Him in His work, and to keep Him from falling under the
temptations of Satan.
After eating the Passover supper with His disciples, Jesus went
with them to the garden of Gethsemane, where He often went to pray.
As He walked, He talked with them, and taught them; but as they
neared the garden, He became strangely silent.
All His life, Jesus had lived in the presence of His Father. The
Spirit of God had been His constant guide and support. He always
gave God the glory for His works on earth, and said, “I can of Mine
own self do nothing.”
John 5:30
.
We can do nothing of ourselves. It is only by relying on Christ for
all our strength that we can overcome, and do His will on earth. We
must have the same simple, childlike trust in Him that He had in His
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Father. Christ said, “Without Me ye can do nothing.”
John 15:5
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The terrible night of agony for the Saviour began as they neared
the garden. It seemed that the presence of God, which had been His
support, was no longer with Him. He was beginning to feel what it
was to be shut out from His Father.
Christ must bear the sins of the world. As they were now laid upon
Him, they seemed more than He could endure. The guilt of sin was so
terrible, He was tempted to fear that God could no longer love Him.
As He felt the awful displeasure of the Father against evil, the
words were forced from Him, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even
unto death.”
Near the gate of the garden, Jesus had left all His disciples except
Peter, James, and John, and He had gone into the garden with these
three. They were His most earnest followers, and had been His closest
companions. But He could not bear that even they should witness the
suffering He was to endure. He said to them:
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