Introduction
Even though Jesus was the Son of God, he still experienced very human emotions and situations. It might not sit well with many, but Jesus had emotions, especially during his final days, that people might label as too human. In this series based on Christ’s final free moments, I want to explore the very raw and human emotions that we can all relate to in overwhelming situations.
Jesus experienced so many disappointments and betrayals before his arrest. We’ll see that Judas wasn’t the only one in the inner circle who failed Christ, and how, despite knowing and seeing those other shortcomings, Jesus’ responses in those moments show He is exactly who man needed for salvation.
While we explore scripture about Christ’s final days, we will touch on some dark and uncomfortable emotions, but I hope that seeing Jesus during his emotional and spiritual battles before his crucifixion, we will be able to connect with Him and know that He experienced crushing situations as a man. We aren’t alone in our suffering and pain. God sent Jesus to experience the darkness of man and the world before the Crucifixion.
Despair
We’ll start in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had the Last Supper with his disciples, and he knew what was coming later that night. Those still with him came to the garden, but he took his inner circle with him deeper in while he prayed.
Mark 14 : 32 - 34 NIV 32They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, ”he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
We’ll start in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had the Last Supper with his disciples, and he knew what was coming later that night. Those still with him came to the garden, but he took his inner circle with him deeper in while he prayed.
The farther Jesus got, the more the weight of the situation became. The Greek used in version 33 is ekthambeisthai and adēmonein, which mean Jesus was experiencing oppressive, sad emotions. Jesus experienced despair and overwhelming sorrow, Perilypos, to the point that he told the three with him that he felt he might die.
Jesus was feeling the absolute, eternal burden placed on his shoulders. Those who have experienced extreme distress and sadness will be able to relate to the crushing feeling of moments that hurt so much, but are outside of their control.
Even with the sorrow and despair, Jesus went to pray. He asked his closest friends to watch over him while he approached God. He knew that while the burden was his alone, it wasn’t good for him to isolate.
35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36“Abba, Father, ”he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Jesus fell to the ground, crying out to God, his Father, to take this pain, responsibility, and weight from him. Despite knowing that it was within God’s power to prevent what was coming and to take away his responsibilities, Jesus also knew what had to be done. Jesus’ behavior and the first part of his prayer are probably something everyone has experienced and done.
Too often, we all pray and behave that way, even when we know that the situation is our own fault. We cry out to God to stop the pain, to change the situation, and to pick us up off the ground where we threw ourselves. But Jesus didn’t stop there, and that is the biggest part. Despite the sorrow and despair, despite essentially having a panic attack, Jesus handed over the situation to God and got up to do what had to be done.
When depressed or overwhelmed, it’s easy to throw the situation at God and wallow in the dirt with our despair. Even when we do get up, too often we pick up the burden again and forget about God. “Yet not what I will, but what you will” doesn’t mean that we are to continue as though it’s all futile. Giving it to God and believing in His will means we need to give Him all the emotion and weight, and know that we aren’t getting up and moving on without hope.
Christ experienced the lowest lows, throwing himself in the dirt, but he didn’t stay there. Even knowing that the situation wouldn’t change, he knew that giving it over to God and doing what had to be done would bring about real change.
Regardless of your level of despair, depression, anxiety, or anger, Jesus understands and has experienced it himself. Without his human experiences and still persisting, he would not have been able to fulfill his purpose and couldn’t have been Christ. Jesus was sent to be the bridge from broken man to his purpose and creator. Without his experiences as a man and his ability to thrive despite the world, he wouldn’t have been able to serve as our conduit now.
In the next parts we will continue to explore the disappointment and betrayal Jesus experienced before his arrest.