Part 11 (2/2)
On Hermon the glories of the Transfiguration were almost hidden from the three disciples by their closing eyes. And now weariness overcame them in the garden. They too fell to the ground, but not in prayer. They tarried indeed, but could no longer watch.
They had seen Moses and Elijah with their Lord on the Holy Mount, but probably did not see the blessed watcher in the garden when ”there appeared unto Him an angel from heaven strengthening Him” in body and soul. So had angels come and ministered unto the Lord of angels and men in the temptation in the wilderness.
”Being in agony He prayed more earnestly” until mingled blood and sweat fell upon the ground. The heavenly visitants on Mount Hermon in glory had talked with Him of His decease now at hand. The cup of sorrow was fuller now than then. He prayed the Father that if possible it might pa.s.s from Him. Then the angel must have told Him that this could not be if He would become the Saviour of men. He uttered the words whose meaning we cannot fully know, ”Not My will, but Thine, be done.”
The angelic presence did not make Him unmindful of the three. ”He rose up from His prayer,” and turned from the spot moistened by the drops of His agony. With the traces of them upon His brow, ”He came unto the disciples.” How much of pathos in the simple record, ”He found them sleeping.” Without heavenly or earthly companions.h.i.+p, His loneliness is complete.
”'Tis midnight; and from all around, The Saviour wrestles 'lone with fears; E'en that disciple whom He loved, Heeds not His Master's griefs and tears.”
The head that reclined so lovingly on the bosom of the Lord in the Upper Room now wearily rests on the dewy gra.s.s of Gethsemane. The eyes that looked so tenderly into His, and the ear that listened so anxiously for His whisper, are closed.
As Jesus stood by the three rec.u.mbent forms held by deep sleep, and gazed by the pale moonlight into their faces which showed a troubled slumber, He knew they ”were sleeping for sorrow.” In silence He looked upon them until His eye fastened--not on the beloved John--but on him who an hour ago had boasted of faithfulness to His Lord. The last utterance they had heard before being lost in slumber was that of agonizing prayer to the Father. The first that awakened them was sad and tender reproof--”Simon, sleepest _thou_? Couldest thou not watch one hour?” In the Master's words and tones were mingled reproach and sympathy. In tenderness He added, ”The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Because of the spirit He pardoned the flesh. The question, ”Why sleep ye?” was to the three, as well as the charge, ”Rise and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.”
Let imagination fill out the outline drawn by the Evangelists:--”He went away again the second time and prayed; He came and found them asleep again; He left them and went away again and prayed the third time; and He cometh a third time and saith unto them, 'Sleep on now and take your rest.'” If we may suppose any period of rest, it was soon broken by the cry, ”Arise, let us be going; behold he that betrayeth Me is at hand.” They need ”watch” no longer. Their Lord's threefold struggle was over. He was victor in Gethsemane, even as John beheld Him three years before, just after His threefold conflict in the wilderness.
As they rose from the ground the inner circle that had separated them, not only from the other Apostles but from all other men, was erased. We do not find them alone with their Lord again. They rose and joined the eight at the garden gate.
Recalling Gethsemane we sing to Jesus,
”Thyself the path of prayer hast trod.”
The most sacred path of prayer in all the world was in Gethsemane. It was only ”a stone's cast” in length. The Lord trod it six times in pa.s.sing between the place where He said to the three, ”tarry ye here,”
and that where He ”kneeled down and prayed.” One angel knows the spot.
Would that he could reveal it unto us.
[Ill.u.s.tration: CHRIST BEFORE PILATE (Ecce h.o.m.o) _H. Hofmann_ Page 182]
When Jesus was praying and the three were sleeping, Judas reported himself at the High-Priestly Palace, ready to be the guide of the band to arrest his Master. There were the Temple-guard with their staves, and soldiers with their swords, and members of the Sanhedrin, ready to aid in carrying out the plot arranged with the betrayer. It was midnight--fit hour for their deed of darkness. The full moon shone brightly in the clear atmosphere; yet they bore torches and lamps upon poles, to light up any dark ravine or shaded nook in which they imagined Jesus might be hiding. If any cord of love had ever bound Judas to his Master, it was broken. That very night he had fled from the Upper Room, which became especially radiant with love after his departure. To that room we believe he returned with his murdering band. But the closing hymn had been sung, and the Pa.s.sover lamps extinguished two or three hours before. The consecrated place was not to be profaned with murderous intent. Another place must be sought for the victim of hate and destruction.
John in his old age recalled precious memories of it, because Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with His disciples. But he had a remembrance of another kind. It is when speaking of this midnight hour that he says, ”Judas also which betrayed Him knew the place.” Thither he led his band--to Gethsemane.
”Lo, he that betrayeth Me is at hand,” said
Jesus to the three, as He saw the gleams of the torches of the coming mult.i.tude. His captors were many, but His thought was especially on one--His betrayer. Again John reads for us the mind of Jesus, as he did when the ”Lord and Master washed the disciples' feet.” He would have us understand the calmness of the fixed purpose of Jesus to meet without shrinking the terrible trial before Him, and to do this voluntarily--not because of any power of His approaching captors. ”Knowing all things that were coming upon Him,” He ”went forth” to meet them--especially him who at that moment was uppermost in His thought. John now understood that last, mysterious bidding of the Lord to Judas, with which He dismissed him from the table--”That thou doest, do quickly.” He now ”knew for what intent He spake this unto him.” It was not to buy things needed for the feast, nor to give to the poor. It was to betray Him.
What a scene was that--Jesus ”going forth,” the three following Him; and Judas in advance, yet in sight of his band, coming to meet Him.
”Hail, Rabbi,” was the traitor's salute. And then on this solemn Pa.s.sover night, in this consecrated place, just hallowed by angelic presence, interrupting the Lord's devotions, rus.h.i.+ng upon holiness and infinite goodness, with pretended fellows.h.i.+p and reverence, profaning and repeating--as if with gush of emotion--the symbol of affection, Judas covered the face of Jesus with kisses.
How deep the sting on this ”human face divine,” already defaced by the b.l.o.o.d.y sweat, and to be yet more by the mocking reed, and smiting hand and piercing thorn. The vision of the prophet seven hundred years before becomes a reality--”His visage was so marred more than any man.” ”But nothing went so close to His heart as the profanation of this kiss.”
According to John's account, Judas' kiss was an unnecessary signal.
Jesus Himself leaving the traitor, advanced toward the band, with a question which must have startled the Apostles, as well as the traitor and his company--”Whom seek ye?” The contemptuous reply, ”Jesus of Nazareth,” did not disturb His calmness as He said, ”I am He,” and repeated His question, ”Whom seek ye?” Nor was that infinite calmness disturbed by the deeper contempt in the repeated answer, ”Jesus of Nazareth.” They had come with weapons of defence, but they were as useless as the betrayal kiss, especially when some of them, awed by His presence and words, ”went backward and fell to the ground.”
We have seen Jesus going forward from His company and meeting Judas going forward from his. We must now think of Judas joining his band, and the eleven disciples surrounding their Lord. John has preserved the only request made of the captors by the Master. It was not for Himself, but for His disciples;--”If therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way.”
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