Mark 14:35-36 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Here is an amazing portrait of our savior. Knowing the suffering (of which we cannot imagine) he was about to endure, he asks His Father to remove this cup (of suffering) from him. In Matthew's account of this prayer, he notes that Jesus adds the words, "if it is possible" (Matthew 26:39). Now Jesus knew that it was not possible. He knew the Old Testament Scriptures which foretold his cruel and vicious death (Isaiah 53:4-10). He knew that he came to this earth, "not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). On several occasions he told his disciples that he would soon "suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed" (Matthew 16:21) - something that his disciples did not want to believe (Matthew 16:22-23).
So, if Jesus knew God's plan for him (which included the cross), then why did he pray, "if it be possible?" I believe what we are seeing here is the total humanity of Jesus. What human being (unless he was mentally deranged) would welcome the pain and suffering that Jesus was called upon to go through? This prayer shows without a doubt that God the Son had actually become one of us ... and as one of us he could now die for us!
Hallelujah! What a savior!
Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj
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