The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Gethsemane

What you are wrestling with is the dynamics of the two-fold nature of Christ which I believe none of us finite mortals will ever be able to comprehend fully; even in glory. What we do see, however, is that there were times when the divine nature makes itself prominent, the manifestation of the indwelling Spirit in Christ, and most often the human nature expressed. This is a very deep and complex working of these three elements in the one man. Thus, it should not deter us from at least comprehending how the anticipation of the cross in its fullest sense, i.e., that it was the place where the God-man was going to exchange His own life and soul for that of those for whom He came to redeem and effect reconciliation.

I think it should be noted also, that the Lord Christ prefaces His prayer with, "if it be possible" and concludes the prayer with, "not my will, but Thine be done". In this we can see the humanity of Christ agonizing over the reality to come where He would be subject to the wrath and punishment of God; yes even separation from God. It is absolutely impossible that we, who are unable to even know the depth of our own sin, to be able to even imagine what it must have been like for One who was perfectly holy to have experienced the condemnation of God for all the sins of all the elect for whom He came to atone.

So, on the one hand, He, being fully God knew perfectly what was to take place and that it was to infallibly occur according to His own eternal foreordination. But on the other hand, He, being fully human; yet without sin, had no knowledge of what it was to be rejected of God and to experience His wrath and punishment for sin. It seems to me that the divine knowledge was communicated in part to the human nature, through the Spirit, of that which was to come. And thus, we read of His deep agony. What is most impressive to the heart is that Luke tells us that the Father did not leave the Lord Jesus to Himself during these moments but sent an angel to comfort Him. (cf. Lk 22:43).

I hope this helps to answer some of your questions. I must admit, that contemplating this particular moment in the Lord Christ's life causes my heart to shrink with sorrow. Yet, it also causes my heart to have the greatest of joy, knowing that my Saviour endured more than I am capable of comprehending in my place so that I could be washed in His blood, pronounced "Not Guilty", to be reconciled from the God Who I blasphemed for so many years and to even be adopted as a son of God.

In His Grace,