Christ's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane is a masterpiece of instruction and encouragement. The prayer was not offered to be a masterpiece. It was the genuine agonizing of a soul that would soon face such miseries as had never been faced before and would never be face again!
I want us to think about this prayer, but also another prayer that Jesus prayed.
There are times where small words can have BIG impact in terms of meaning and understanding. Case in point....
Hebrews 5:7
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
The word that I want you to look at with me is the word “from.” The word “from” is a preposition.
First, consider,
The Meaning of the Word.
Think about the Word “From” - There are two shades of meaning here that I want you to see.
That little word "from" can mean:
1. From the Edge of - For example, if I was leaning up against the outside wall of a building, and went away from it, that would be one meaning of the word "from."
Also, the word "from" can mean
2. Out From Within. For example, if I was within this building and I left it....I would be going out from this building in the sense of leaving it (from within).
The word “from” in Hebrews 5:7 is the second definition.
Next, consider
The Understanding of This Word
This word "from” (in the sense of 'from the edge of') is here illustrated.
The Gethsemane Prayer
Matthew 26:39
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Here, Christ prays to be saved from the very edge of all that was coming on Him. He had not entered into it yet....He was, as it were, leaning up against it!
Here He was praying that If it was possible, that He would be saved from what was coming upon Him - so that he didn’t even have to enter into that physical, emotional, spiritual misery and humiliation, degradation and ultimate death.....
He, in essence, became us and suffered everything that was due us on account of sin!
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
He suffered a separation from His Father that we cannot really fathom! They had an approved and approving relationship / unity from eternity past.....and yet what Jesus experienced here was an accumulated abandonment by the Father, of every lost soul that has ever lived...
Mark 15:34
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
He was rejected by His Father on our account. He was sinking away from and out of His Father’s favor as He became sin for us!
Why? He had never done any wrong!
John 8:29
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
But now the cry is “Why hast thou Forsaken Me?”
Christ was suffering our loss and pain and separation and abandonment! What should have been ours, became His! Again.....
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Christ was falling short of the Glory of God (Why has thou FORSAKEN me?). This had never happened before.
Why must he endure this? Look at....
Romans 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
The fact that He experienced this tragic forsaking indicates that He, on our account, had now experienced this “coming short of the Glory of God” that we all stand in by ourselves.
Knowing all of this that was coming upon him (and more), Christ quite naturally requests that, if it were possible, that he be saved from the presence of this terrible ordeal....
But there was no other way! This way of the cross was the only way that our salvation could be obtained. AND THEN COMES THE GETHSEMANE PRAYER
Matthew 26:39
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
The Resurrection Prayer of Hebrews 5:7 is a different prayer - This is the “out of” definition of “from.”
Here, Christ is not asking to be saved from the edge of the suffering and death that was staring Him in the face. He is asking to be saved / delivered out of it!
Christ knew that death was going to swallow Him up....
How did He know?
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
If He was to become sin for us, then He would have to suffer death because that is the wages of sin!
So what He was praying for here was to be raised from the dead....to be delivered out of death. “Yes, I am going into that Dark abyss, but I am trusting my Father to BRING ME OUT!”
Psalm 16 is a Messianic Psalm (A Psalm where even though it was a local application psalm, much of the content prefigures [or can be applied to] Christ).
Notice this verse.
Psalm 16:10
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;
Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Peter quoted this verse in.....
Acts 2:27, 31
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
The last thing I want you to see here in Christ's Resurrection prayer is...
The Understanding of the Concept
Let's make application of the things discussed thus far and find spiritual food for our hungry souls.
Considering this application literally - Death is Never the ultimate end. In physical death there is an end but there is also a beginning. There is always more beyond.
For the Unsaved - Hell
For the Saved - Heaven.
Considering the application of this verse (Hebrews 5;7) metaphorically - Death is never the ultimate end...
John 12:24
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
In one sense the seed, when it is planted in the earth, is not dead, because life can only come from life. But, in another sense the seed, as such, must die before the new plant can grow. The seed must cease to exist, in its present form, for the plant that comes from it to grow.....
Thirdly, there is a spiritual application.
Galatians 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Paul’s sense of self ,and life, must die so that Christ may live through him. This doesn’t mean that Paul goes around miserable....it just means that when the choice between Paul and Christ is presented....it is always Christ.
One final application and that is the practical application - If something appears to be dying, you had better be on the lookout, because something is getting ready to be born…
We talk about women going down into the valley of the shadow to death to bring a child into the world...
Ministries have burned to the ground (literally and figuratively) before, and out of the ashes, Jesus resurrected them. Think about Jesus’ Ministry and the Cross. What appeared to be the end was actually the beginning! Think about David and the grand ministry that lay before him! First it must die. He is harassed, hounded, and hunted for ten years with no hope of kingship before him, and yet God finds a way to bring him to the throne.
Hopes and dreams have been crushed and yet, out of the rubble, God picks up the broken pieces, and grows new opportunity. Think about Moses and his crushed dreams and hopes...Think about Joseph and the dreams....First they had to die!
Churches have died and out of their death new churches and ministries have been birthed...
Think of Forests… People who care for forests do what is called "controlled burns." Why do they intentionally set fires to forests? They are attempting to burn out that which is hinders growth.....They kill so that new life might spring forth....
One final thought (of application) -
Salvation (eternal life), is quite literally given to us when we die to ourselves, our way, our self righteousness, etc. and trust only Christ to give us life. Speaking in a metaphorical manner, the Apostle Paul illustrates it thusly.
Romans 6:4
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Have you trusted Christ as Savior? Do so today!
Does it seem like your ministry (or something else in your life) is dying? Trust Christ for New Life / Resurrection Power.
Pray Christ's Resurrection Prayer for yourself!
If we can help, please do not hesitate to contact us here at Hometown Hope!