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Hello,
The idea for this blog post about Jesus asking His Father To "Take This Cup From Me" has been in my thoughts a lot recently—and in the last few days I heard two more preachers speak about it in error—and finally decided to write about it here.
While putting this together—I also did a quick Internet search—and found that many authors on various sites—including a lot of those commenting—were struggling with the same misunderstanding.
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| Warner Sallman - Christ in Gethsemane 1941 |
Lets begin with Luke's account about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane—where a lot of this confusion begins for some:
Luke 22:42
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
It is from this verse and other Gospel references about it—that many suggest that Jesus was asking His Father if He could be spared from going to the cross—and all the suffering was to come with it.
But a careful reading of scripture will reveal that this is simply not the case > and Jesus is giving a BEAUTIFUL defining statement about His love for us instead!
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When all scripture is considered—it is clear that Jesus was actually praying that His Father allow Him to make it TO the cross!!
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| Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane Heinrich Hofmann - 1890 |
The painting to the left—beautiful as it may be—is the way many picture Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane—serenely praying before His betrayal and crucifixion.
But the Gospel accounts reveal instead—that He was in fact in anguish and near death.
Mark 14:32-34 reports Jesus was "deeply distressed and troubled"—and his soul was "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of DEATH."
Mounce Reverse/Interlinear New Testament Bible tells us the word death in verse 34 is θάνατος—or "thanatos" in the original Greek—primarily meaning what the English translations say:
"Death, the extinction of life, and/or in imminent danger of death."
Though "thanatos" is also used to mean spiritual death elsewhere in the New Testament—we can be sure that Jesus was referring to a physical death in this instance because he mentions his soul—(mind-will-emotions)—rather than His spirit.
In addition even secular resources such as Merriam-Webster's Dictionary show the origin and etymology of "thanatos" as: Greek, meaning death.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Thanatos
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| Detail of the Disciples Sleeping — "The Agony In The Garden" - Guiseppe Cesari - 1597-1598 |
So it becomes very clear that the "cup" Jesus was referring to was an IMMINENT death—RIGHT THERE in the Garden.
Matthew 26:36-39 again reveals this truth:
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Luke the physician—writing in Luke 22:39-44 tells us:
An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And (Jesus) being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
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| Jesus on the Mount of Olives |
https://www.healthline.com/health/hematidrosis
"Dermatological research notes the presence of hematidrosis in people awaiting execution."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hematidrosis
Evan Minton also discusses hematidrosis on "Cross Examined" and he further elaborates:
Hematidrosis "... can be much more serious than a little bit of blood getting into the sweat. If the rupturing of the capillaries is severe enough, it can result in death by internal bleeding."
https://crossexamined.org/cup-jesus-asked-father-take-away/
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So—when we take into account Jesus' own words AND medical descriptions regarding hematidrosis—we can be certain that Jesus—knowing His death on the cross would give Grace, Forgiveness, Healing, and Salvation to those who believed in Him—was asking His Father to allow him to fulfill that plan rather than dying before being able to accomplish it.
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How can we be sure?
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| Christ the Redeemer Statue - Brazil |
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During His public ministry—Jesus often told his twelve disciples about what was to come.
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Luke 18:31-33
Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man <one of the names Jesus identified Himself as] shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
Matthew 16:21-23 tells us that Jesus began teaching his disciples well before His prayer in Gethsemane that he would go to Jerusalem and be killed and then raised to life on the third day.
That scripture also reveals Jesus' strong words to Peter's objection to His words as:
"Get Behind Me, Satan!"
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| Matthew 16:21-23 - Painting: Last Supper, by Dagnan-Bouveret, 1896 |
So—would Jesus then also fall under the influence of Satan in Gethsemane just a short time later—and ask His Father to spare him from the cross—something he had strongly rebuked Peter for?
The answer is a resounding NO!—and Jesus' own claim to divinity and oneness with God are further evidence that this isn't possible.
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| Hubble Telescope Image - NASA |
John 1:1-18 tells us about Jesus as Eternal—and as the very Word of God:
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
This scripture continues in the image below:
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| John 1:14-18 - Painting: Philippe de Champaigne, Saint John the Baptist in the Desert, 17th century |
In addition to the Gospel of John's declaration that Jesus is the Eternal God and that all things were created through him—and John the Baptist's words—we have Jesus own testimony that He was in fact God.
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| Michelangelo's Moses |
Jesus responded to the Pharisees questions about His authority in John 8:48-59—saying: "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
This enraged the Pharisees—who didn't believe in Jesus' Divinity—because they knew that "I Am" was the name that God had given Moses for Himself:
Exodus 3:14
14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
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If you'd like to learn more—an awesome study called "Jesus' beautiful 'I Am' declarations—and God's Old Testament 'I Am'"—offers many scriptures comparing Old Testament and New Testament uses of "I Am" proclamations made by God and Jesus the Messiah.
https://rj-mccauley.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-i-am-of-old-testament-in-new.html
Another study: "Jesus Echoes the "I AM" statements of Jehovah in the Gospel of John!"—offers additional insight:
http://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-i-am.htm
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| Painting: Warner Sallman "Behold, I Stand At The Door And Knock" Revelation 3:20 |
It is clear—throughout the Gospels—that Jesus was making bold declarations about his own Divinity and Oneness with the Father.
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There are many other times where Jesus declared that He and God were One.
In Luke 4:17-21—Jesus reads from the book of Isaiah and declares that He is the fulfillment of its Prophecy.
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In addition — in The Gospel of John, Jesus makes that declaration!
John 10:27-30
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.30 I and the Father are one.”
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Since we know that Jesus is from the beginning—and IS the very Word of God—it shouldn't surprise us that even as a child he amazed the learned with his understanding of scripture:
Luke 2:41-47
46 After three days they found [Jesus] in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
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| Jesus In The Temple - Heinrich Hoffmann |
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During His time of public ministry—Jesus often said He came to fulfill scripture
Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
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Jesus often quoted scripture during His earthly ministry—He knew it—He is the Word—He WROTE it!
Since we know many Old Testament Scriptures prophesied a coming Messiah—a spotless Lamb who would be sacrificed for our sins—and even the manner of His death—and the torment that would come with it—is it reasonable to believe that just as Jesus was about to fulfill the very purpose of His time on earth—that He would try to wriggle out of it in the hours before His arrest?
Again—the answer is a resounding NO!
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Nikolai Koshelev - 1840 – 1918
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Romans 14:23 tells us:
But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
So to believe that Jesus was experiencing doubt about going to the cross—would mean that Jesus was sinning.
This also is not possible—for Jesus could not have been the Spotless and Worthy Lamb of God—but experiencing doubt just prior to His death.
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This has turned into the longest blog post I've ever written—and there is much more that could be said on this topic.
As time allows — I may address the MANY Biblical prophecies Jesus fulfilled during his earthly ministry.
Though—for now I'll close this post and pray that it Blesses you—and leads you to a greater understanding of the awesome, incredible gift that our Lord and Savior Jesus WILLINGLY purchased for us on the Cross.
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Thanks so much for stopping by!
May God Richly Bless you!
Jesus is LORD!
Time is growing short!
Seek Him!
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Romans 10:9-10
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
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