Matthew 26:36-45
There are some who take issue with the idea that Jesus was afraid in Gethsemane. They want to substitute Jesus’ high anxiety and anguish with some other label that would mean he had no fear of the cross. But the statements that Jesus made to his companions do not agree with the assertion that Jesus was unafraid. “My soul is distressed even to the point of death” and “Father if you are willing, take this cup from me…” (Matthew 26:38, Luke 22:42) these are not statements that can be separated from fear. Clearly, Jesus was very afraid in the garden, and he was in agony as he wrestled with what lay before him the next day.
Many also think that Jesus’ anguish was over the physical suffering he would endure, while others believe that he feared weathering the temptations that the devil would undoubtedly level at him. Others believe that Jesus’ fears were over the massive load of sin that he would have to bear on the cross. This is not unreasonable. Being sinless and pure, the Son of God would have to bear up under the moral filth of those he was saving. And so some believe that the thought of all that sin that would upon him was simply too much for him.
Though Jesus had to overcome each of these sufferings, there was still a greater fear that lurked in the background. There was a greater obstacle that Jesus had to face down and conquer. There was a higher mountain for him to climb and a greater pressure he would have to bear up under. Jesus had to endure Father’s wrath.
When Jesus asked for the cup to pass from him, he was saying he didn’t want to face his Father’s anger. What lay ahead the next day was pain and shame, but far more severe was his Father’s outrage over the sins of his people.
That Jesus would ask the Father for a pass after an eternity of preparation is simply amazing. If God himself can look at his own wrath and be terrified what does that really say about us who give little to no consideration of it. We should fear as Jesus feared. We should tremble at what our little minds can grasp about the horrors of eternity for those who reject Jesus. And we should also rejoice. By faith in him, we’ll never have to see what he saw. We’ll never have to endure what he endured. We may be beaten, burned, jailed or beheaded for his sake – but we’ll never experience what Jesus saw in the Garden and beyond. By faith we will never see the Father’s wrath.
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