Anguish of Soul: Mark 14:32-36
“32) They *came to a place named Gethsemane; and He *said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” 33) And He *took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. 34) And He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 35) And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. 36) And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”” Mark 14:32-36
These verses are hard to comprehend. Let me try to explain what was happening that caused Jesus so much inner pain and anguish.
It had started. At some point during the Passover meal, the sins of humanity were transferred to Jesus and He became the true Passover lamb. The separation between Father and Son had begun in earnest.
By the time they arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus became very distressed and troubled. This was anguish of soul. He was alone.
Matthew says, “He became grieved and distressed to the point of death.” (Matthew 26:37-38) Luke 22:44 says; “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.”
It is hard to capture the inner torment Jesus was going through. “He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteous of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Words cannot capture nor can the human mind comprehend the inner pain Jesus was enduring as He was assaulted by human sin and guilt.
Many point to the physical pain He endured during His scourging and crucifixion. It was small compared to the spiritual and emotional pain He was carrying by the full load of human sin suddenly dumped on Him.
In the middle of Isaiah 5::6-7 it says; “… But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and was afflicted…” It was not only that the full load of human sin was dumped upon Him, He literally became sin for us.
Isaiah 53:10 says; “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He wound render Himself as a guilt offering…” At this point in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was being crushed by the full weight of human sin and guilt.
His prayer life and communion with the Father was severed. He was abandoned and alone. Even His closest disciples slept through His ordeal.
I emphasize His anguish over sin that you might know how utterly awful sin really is. It separates people from God! Isaiah 59:2 says; “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.”
Sin turns people into slaves of Satan. It tears away at the human soul. It deadens the conscience. It leads downward to addictions and shameful lusts and acts of depravity. (See Romans 1:18-32 and Ephesians 4:17-19)
Sin acts like a novocaine that deadens the human soul to guilt and shame. It causes people to laugh and party without realizing they are dancing with the devil right into the pits of hell.
But Jesus had no novocaine. He was assaulted by the full brunt force of human guilt, shame and depravity. He alone paid for every sinful act committed by humanity. In the Garden, He was already being tied to the devils whipping post. It was the ultimate assault on innocence.
He voluntarily endured it all because of His great love for you and me. He took our place. He was separated from God that we might be reconciled to God!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
“32) They *came to a place named Gethsemane; and He *said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” 33) And He *took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. 34) And He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 35) And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. 36) And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”” Mark 14:32-36
These verses are hard to comprehend. Let me try to explain what was happening that caused Jesus so much inner pain and anguish.
It had started. At some point during the Passover meal, the sins of humanity were transferred to Jesus and He became the true Passover lamb. The separation between Father and Son had begun in earnest.
By the time they arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus became very distressed and troubled. This was anguish of soul. He was alone.
Matthew says, “He became grieved and distressed to the point of death.” (Matthew 26:37-38) Luke 22:44 says; “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.”
It is hard to capture the inner torment Jesus was going through. “He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteous of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Words cannot capture nor can the human mind comprehend the inner pain Jesus was enduring as He was assaulted by human sin and guilt.
Many point to the physical pain He endured during His scourging and crucifixion. It was small compared to the spiritual and emotional pain He was carrying by the full load of human sin suddenly dumped on Him.
In the middle of Isaiah 5::6-7 it says; “… But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and was afflicted…” It was not only that the full load of human sin was dumped upon Him, He literally became sin for us.
Isaiah 53:10 says; “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He wound render Himself as a guilt offering…” At this point in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was being crushed by the full weight of human sin and guilt.
His prayer life and communion with the Father was severed. He was abandoned and alone. Even His closest disciples slept through His ordeal.
I emphasize His anguish over sin that you might know how utterly awful sin really is. It separates people from God! Isaiah 59:2 says; “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.”
Sin turns people into slaves of Satan. It tears away at the human soul. It deadens the conscience. It leads downward to addictions and shameful lusts and acts of depravity. (See Romans 1:18-32 and Ephesians 4:17-19)
Sin acts like a novocaine that deadens the human soul to guilt and shame. It causes people to laugh and party without realizing they are dancing with the devil right into the pits of hell.
But Jesus had no novocaine. He was assaulted by the full brunt force of human guilt, shame and depravity. He alone paid for every sinful act committed by humanity. In the Garden, He was already being tied to the devils whipping post. It was the ultimate assault on innocence.
He voluntarily endured it all because of His great love for you and me. He took our place. He was separated from God that we might be reconciled to God!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
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