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Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, he found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."
And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him.
- Luke 22:39-51
Yesterday we read that Christ warned, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?" So they said, "Nothing." Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: 'And He was numbered with the transgressors.' For the things concerning Me have an end." So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough."
Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, he found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation." My study bible says that Christ's agony is the product of His human nature. In asking that the cup be taken away, He reveals His human will. He submits His human will to the Father, and thereby reveals the divine will to be one with the Father's -- He also shows that each person must submit his own will to God's will (Luke 11:2). In His Incarnation Christ willingly takes in Himself the voice of weak humanity, and thereby conquers weakness, says my study bible. Gregory the Great is quoted here: "The words of weakness are sometimes adopted by the strong in order that the hearts of the weak may be strengthened." We also note His repeated admonition to the disciples in this deep time of trial: "Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation." We observe the human weakness in the disciples, His companions, as they sleep because of sorrow.
And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him. My study bible points out that this healing by Christ is recorded only by St. Luke the physician. It shows the manner in which we are to treat our enemies. The Fathers, it says, see a spiritual meaning in the healing of the servant's ear, in that it's Christ who gives people the ability to hear the truth and thereby come to salvation (see Luke 8:8, 14:35). It's seems that Jesus' words, "Permit even this," may be for forgiveness of the violence of the sword, something He didn't want.
As we observe Christ in this situation, it's important that we understand our conduct in the face of evil. The greatest evil is happening: He's been betrayed by His hand-chosen disciple Judas, one of the Twelve. He's going to be put to death as a great criminal, on trumped up charges for the cause of envy by the leadership. But His command is that He go willingly into this time of terrible injustice and extraordinary sin. God walks through the evil of our world and becomes its "victim." It is a voluntary sacrifice for reasons far beyond the understanding of those who perpetrate the crime. And we note that the redemption of the Cross does not deny the evil or take away the reality of the evil; it overcomes. It is God's purpose that uses everything for good, for the triumph of the spiritual truth. But again, let's go to this scene and observe Jesus: He's struck with His own sort of "conflict" -- the difference between the human and the divine, but as our example, submits to the will of the Father. We can all see ourselves in this conflict in Christ. Sometimes the things we're led to don't seem to make any sense in worldly terms, but we are to "go there" anyway. Often we'll be asked to make sacrifices we don't want to make, but we "go there" anyway. His words and His teaching to the disciples, to His friends who fall away in sleep and don't stay awake with Him this night, are to "rise and pray." This again is an example for us in times of trial and evil. It's how we're supposed to respond in our own times of trial, or observation of evil around us. Often "bad things" may trouble us in the middle of the night; His solution to "rise and pray" is a good one, until peace returns. And we pray "lest we enter into temptation" -- so that we are guided into the right way of response in such times. This becomes extremely important at those times. Jesus then responds to Judas with a question: "Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" giving him yet another chance for repentance and salvation. He is always healing, always offering the gospel. No matter what is happening, Jesus sticks to spiritual truth. He's not to respond with violence of any kind, He doesn't amass a worldly army for this kingdom, and he heals the ear of the servant of the high priest. Throughout all the trials and temptations, the fear of what will happen with His disciples, Jesus sticks to the will of the Father. He knows His mission and He will stay with it. To watch and pray is to do our best to stay on point, on mission, to know the commands we're given. Let us remember how He responds in times of trial, and how He teaches us to be. Let us do likewise.
