Then he left and went out to the Mount of Olives, as usual. The disciples went with him. When he came to the place, he said to them, “Keep on praying that you may not come into temptation.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like large drops of blood falling on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he went to the disciples and found them asleep from sorrow. He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and keep on praying that you may not come into temptation.”
Luke 22:39-46
In the last Gem I gave you the segment above, along with some general questions to guide you in your investigation of this passage — the next sense unit. I deliberately gave you general questions hoping you would come up with the specific questions you will need in your investigation of this case. In all good detective work, the case is dependent on the skill of the investigator and the questions asked. I also suggested you utilise all the resources at your disposal and all the techniques I have demonstrated throughout Gems. Did any of you think to compare this passage across the gospel accounts? I hope so. Here is what you would have found.
Some of you have asked me why I do that. Why don’t I just start the section with this comparison of the gospel accounts to begin with? Ian, stop playing with us. I am doing it to get you into the habit of checking and not relying on me to give you all the necessary evidence. Learn to find it yourself. Now that you have “found” it, you need to colour it using the following key: our standard one.
- Common Material shared between the gospel accounts
- Uniquely Matthew
- Uniquely Mark
- Uniquely Luke
- Uniquely John
I will share with you at this stage, the specific questions I came up with, based on the text of Luke for this segment.
- Where did Jesus come out from? What is Luke referring to?
- What does Luke mean by “as was his custom“?
- Where and what is the Mount of Olives?
- What is its connection to the Garden of Gethsemane?
- “When He arrived at the place” — what place?
- What did Jesus mean by His request, “Father, remove this cup from me”?
- What cup is being referred to here?
- What happened on the Mount of Olives / Garden of Gethsemane?
- Did Jesus sweat blood or was His sweat just like blood?
- And what does that mean? What is the quality of blood that is in focus here?
- It seems Jesus prayed and then He prayed fervently. Are there different levels of prayer?
These are just some of the questions which arise from the text before us. I have not yet connected the thoughts together and asked the next level of questions at discourse level. Also too some of these questions I will address and some I won’t. But even if I don’t address them, at least I have pointed you in the right direction by asking the question.
Did you notice the repetitive refrain through this segment which is linked to what went before it? I hope so. If not, look for it now. You will find there will be another set of questions which arise from your comparisons of the Gospel accounts and the additions and omissions in Luke’s account as compared with the others. Ponder these things and treasure them in your heart — like Mary.
Let’s meet at my house Sunday before the game.
God
Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
C. S. Lewis
Prayerlessness is arrogance.
Rick Warren
The Present is the point at which time touches eternity.
C. S. Lewis
Spiritual maturity is measured by how straight you walk in obedience.
Anon