Basic HTML Version
138
S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 5
44, 53 (See
EGW comment on Matthew 26:42
). Passing Into
the Hands of the Powers of Darkness
—Could mortals view the
amazement and sorrow of the angels as they watched in silent grief
the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory, from His
Son, they would better understand how offensive is sin in His sight.
As the Son of God in the Garden of Gethsemane bowed in the
attitude of prayer, the agony of His Spirit forced from His pores
sweat like great drops of blood. It was here that the horror of great
darkness surrounded Him. The sins of the world were upon Him.
He was suffering in man’s stead, as a transgressor of His Father’s
law. Here was the scene of temptation. The divine light of God was
receding from His vision, and He was passing into the hands of the
powers of darkness. In the agony of His soul He lay prostrate on
the cold earth. He was realizing His Father’s frown. The cup of
suffering Christ had taken from the lips of guilty man, and proposed
to drink it Himself, and, in its place, give to man the cup of blessing.
The wrath that would have fallen upon man, was now falling upon
Christ (
The Sufferings of Christ, 17, 18
).
45
. See
EGW comment on Matthew 26:43
.
54
. See
EGW comment on Matthew 26:3
.
70 (
Matthew 10:32
;
26:63, 64
;
Mark 14:61, 62
). A Time to
Speak
—When Jesus was asked the question, Art thou the Son of
God? He knew that to answer in the affirmative would make His
death certain; a denial would leave a stain upon His humanity. There
was a time to be silent, and a time to speak. He had not spoken
until plainly interrogated. In His lessons to His disciples He had
declared: “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him
will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” When
challenged, Jesus did not deny His relationship with God. In that
solemn moment His character was at stake and must be vindicated.
He left on that occasion an example for man to follow under similar
circumstances. He would teach him not to apostatize from his faith
to escape suffering or even death (
The Spirit of Prophecy 3:127
).