after that, He told
them to rise and go.
Why would Jesus do
that?—because He was
addressing two different
things—the spiritual person
and the flesh.
Jesus was addressing the spiritual
man when He asked the disciples to watch and
pray, but they didn’t do it because they were
spiritually sleepy. That is why He finally told
them to sleep on. Jesus was addressing the
physical man when He told the disciples to
rise up and go. Let this be a lesson to you—the
spiritual man must always watch and pray so
the Holy Spirit will prevail and help you to
stand by Jesus. If the disciples had obeyed
and prayed as Jesus had wanted them to,
He would have had help. Instead, He had to
endure that awful night alone.
Jesus Suffered as a Man
That was a dark hour and a very sorrowful
time for Jesus, and His flesh did not want any
part of it; but Jesus did not give over to the flesh.
He gave over to the will of God and endured for
us. He stood by us, and don’t ever forget that.
Jesus came to Earth as a man, and His flesh
was no different than ours. He was tempted in
all the same ways we are; but He did not give
over to any of them, even though He could
have. For we have not an high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews
4:15).
Jesus is our true example; and if you want to
be like Him, you must let the Holy Ghost be
your guide, teacher and trainer. He will
let you know if you are failing in any
way. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that
we may obtain mercy, and find
Then cometh
Jesus with them unto
a place called Gethsemane,
and saith unto
the disciples, Sit ye here,
while I go and pray yonder.
And he took with him Peter and
the two sons of Zebedee, and began to
be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he
unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful,
even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch
pray with me (Matthew 26:36–38). Jesus
wanted them to tarry there in the presence of
the Father and pray with Him.
And he Jesus went a little farther, and
fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as
thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples,
and findeth them asleep, and saith unto
Peter, What, could ye not watch with me
one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not
into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:39–41).
The flesh and the Spirit are always battling
one another.
He Jesus went away again the second
time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if
this cup may not pass away from me, except
I drink it, thy will be done (Matthew 26:42).
Jesus always lived in the will of His Father.
And he Jesus came and found them the
disciples asleep again: for their eyes were
heavy. And he left them, and went away
again, and prayed the third time, saying
the same words. Then cometh he to his
disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on
now, and take your rest: behold, the hour
is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed
into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us
be going: behold, he is at hand
that doth betray me (Matthew
26:43–46). Notice that Jesus told
the disciples to sleep on; and right
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