Luke 22:41Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The desire for the cup to be taken away is a reflection of human nature; the subsequent declaration, “Not my will, but thine be done,” emphasizes that we too must cultivate the same mindset, demonstrating wisdom in submitting to God's will, regardless of our instincts to the contrary. When He says, “Not my” human “will, but thine be done,” He highlights that this divine will is not distinct from His human intentions. Indeed, the singular Christ embodies both natures, each having its own will and desires—both divine and human. Thus, while His human nature instinctively sought life, it ultimately aligned with the divine purpose of salvation desired by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, leading to the acceptance of death as an expression of that singular saving will.

Were You also intimidated by death? Did fear cause You to hesitate in facing the suffering? Yet You instructed Your holy apostles not to fear those who can kill only the body, saying, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul." If one were to assert that the gift of spiritual strength is Yours alone to bestow upon the chosen, this would not stray from the truth: for all strength, confidence, and courage come from You. You are Life itself and the source of existence. We look to You as our Savior and Redeemer, the Conqueror of all corruption. Everything that breathes owes its life to You, and all creation, both angelic and human, exists through You. As the blessed David proclaimed concerning humanity, "You send forth Your Spirit, and they are created; and You renew the face of the ground." Why then are You grieved, distressed, and sorrowful, even to the brink of death? Surely You, being God and all-knowing, understood that by undergoing death in the flesh, You would liberate the whole world from mortality and humiliate Satan, establishing a victory over every adversarial power and being recognized and worshiped as the God and Creator of all. You foresaw the liberation of those in hell from their long-held chains, intending to bring all under heaven back to Yourself. Such truths were foretold by the holy prophets, as You declared, "Now is the judgment of this world: now will the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, shall draw all men to Me." "Verily I say unto you, that unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Why then are You in anguish and deep distress? Yes, indeed, He rightly expresses His sorrow. Because He knows that by agreeing to endure the crucifixion, He will redeem all under heaven from every evil and become the source of everlasting blessings to all of creation. He understands the significance of overcoming death, abolishing physical decay, overthrowing the devil's tyranny, and forgiving sin. Yet He is deeply pained by Israel, the firstborn; for now they stand distant, as though they are no longer His servants. The commanded inheritance of the Lord shall become "the portion of foxes," as written in Scripture. The beloved is now greatly despised; those who held the promises find themselves stripped of His gifts. The bountiful vineyard will turn into a wasteland, dry and parched, for "I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it." "I will break through its hedge, and it shall be a spoil; I will beat down its wall, and it shall be trampled underfoot." In light of this, what farmer, seeing his vineyard laid waste, would not feel sorrow? What shepherd, watching his flock perish, would show no concern? These are the reasons for My grief; I am sorrowful because I am God, who is gentle and loves to show mercy. "I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his evil way and live." Therefore, it is just that as a benevolent and compassionate being, I should not only rejoice in joyful things but also mourn over what is grievous. His compassion for Jerusalem reflects His deep awareness of the impending misery it must bear for its transgressions. As He traveled from Judea to Jerusalem, He looked upon the city and wept, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known the things of your peace; but now they are hidden from your eyes." Just as He wept for Lazarus, lamenting over humanity ensnared by decay and death, He felt heartache for Jerusalem, which was nearing extreme suffering without remedy. In revealing His sorrow to the disciples, He communicated the grief that was hidden within. The anguish He expressed cannot be attributed to the divine and impassive nature of the Word; it is impossible for the Word to experience such passions, as it transcends all human feelings. However, the Incarnate Word chose to take on the frailty of human experience, showing forth human sorrow. Just as He is said to have been hungry, even though He is the Life and the Bread of Life, and weary from a journey, though He is the Lord of hosts, so too is it stated that He was grieved and felt anguish. It was fitting for Him, who took on emptiness and assumed human nature, to endure human emotions. While the Word of God the Father remains passionless, He humbled Himself for the sake of His mission, submitting to the weaknesses of humanity and obeying human customs and laws, without possessing this nature within Himself. Although there is much more to add, we will pause here in our discourse and reserve additional thoughts for another opportunity, should Christ, our common Savior, bring us together again, to whom and with whom, along with the Holy Spirit, be glory and dominion forever. Amen.

You may wonder why He prayed alone rather than with His holy disciples. This was to teach us the model of prayer that pleases God. When we pray, we should avoid seeking the spotlight or desiring to be seen by others, lest in pursuing the approval of men, we render our prayers ineffective. The scribes and Pharisees fell into this trap; our Lord rebuked them for their practices of praying in public places and for lengthy supplications intended to be noticed by men. Instead, those who desire to live righteously and cherish their relationship with Him are instructed, "But you, when you pray, enter your chamber; and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father Who is in secret, and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly." He often prayed alone to show us that our conversations with God should be conducted quietly and with a heart free from distraction. For as the wise Paul wrote, "I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." He was praying even when those who would seize Him were at hand. Let no wise person think He made these supplications from a desire for strength or help, for He is the very might and power of the Father. Rather, by this, we learn to be vigilant against carelessness in the face of trials and persecutions when deception ensnares us, leading towards the peril of death. It is vital for our salvation to remain alert, to kneel in prayer, and continually seek assistance from above, so we do not falter and meet a terrible downfall. Spiritual courage is indeed worthy of the saints, yet those resisting the force of temptation must maintain resolve and steadfastness. To be overly confident in conflicts reflects ignorance, while boasting shows a lack of understanding; thus, we should unite determination and patience with humility, preparing our hearts to withstand trials. Let us earnestly ask God for the strength to endure, for we pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Behold and learn the pattern of behavior illustrated by Christ, our Savior, as seen in His prayer: "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me." Notice how He presents His plea against temptation with the proper reverence: "If You are willing, remove it." Recall what the blessed Paul wrote of Him: "Who in the days of His flesh offered prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save Him from death, with strong crying and tears; and He was heard because of His reverence." Even though He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered, and being made perfect, He became the source of eternal life to all who obey Him. In this, He yielded to the Father's will for the fulfillment of His mission. Therefore, when we encounter unexpected troubles or mental conflicts, let us ask God that our prayers align not merely with our desires, but seek what He knows is fitting and beneficial for our souls. "For we know not what to pray for as we ought," but He is a treasure trove of all that is good, granting what is suitable to those who love Him. What I have shared, I hope is beneficial to all; yet should we explore further meanings of His prayer, we see it serves as a critique of the wickedness of the Jews. How? Consider His words: "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me." Was His suffering beyond His control? Did the necessity of His passion outweigh His own will? Not at all. His passion was not forced upon Him; yet it was deeply grievous because it signified the rejection and destruction of the Jewish synagogue. It was never His desire that Israel should become the murderer of their Lord, bringing upon themselves condemnation and estrangement from His gifts and the hope laid out for the saints, for they were once His chosen people. Moses declared, "Behold, the heavens and the earth are the Lord's; your God has chosen you out of all nations to be His people." It is essential to recognize that His compassion for Israel could have led Him to bear their suffering, yet since suffering was necessary, He submitted to it due to God's will. Let us delve deeper: Did the decree of God the Father, in conjunction with the will of the Son, necessitate His passion? If so, was it not essential for a traitor to arise among the Israelites and for them to betray Christ repeatedly and coordinate His death upon the cross? If this is the case, how could His words, "Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed: good it would have been for that man if he had not been born," make sense? And what justification would there be for Israel's perishing and enduring warfare? God, who does not act unjustly, measures our actions with holy judgment; how could He deem as voluntary what was essentially involuntary? The Father had compassion for humanity trapped in sin and death, under a cruel tyranny and enslaved to the devil's domain. Therefore, He sent His Son from heaven as a Savior. Even though foreseeing His future trials, where the humiliation of His passion would not arise from His own volition, still He accepted this suffering for the sake of the earth, aligning with the Father's boundless love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." In relation to His suffering's disgrace, He did not desire to endure it; yet due to the cruelty, disobedience, and unchecked malice of the Jews, He "endured the cross, despising the shame," remaining obedient to the Father, even unto death, and that the death of the cross. Yet "God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name," that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

ication and humility—one begins to ponder if there is a sufficiently lowly position in the world where a person could submit their own pride, without feeling overwhelmed by the majesty of such divine humility. Reflecting on this, should not our own acts of prayerful kneeling and worship, which may at times feel burdensome due to our weaknesses or laziness, be rendered much easier and sweeter?

However, He was destined to die not just as a martyr but as one bearing the weight of the sins of all humanity, confronting the full extent of God's righteous anger, which rendered Him utterly bereft of Divine assistance and support. In these critical moments, He likely experienced a profound sense of abandonment by God, leading to a swift alteration in His inner state. This turmoil had already foreshadowed His mindset earlier (John 12:27) and during the Last Supper (13:21). A shadow of despair enveloped the soul of the most righteous one. He withdrew from His disciples to seek solitude in prayer. The intensity of His supplication was such that instead of sweat, His body exuded drops of blood. In that moment, the Son fulfilled His hidden offering to the Father, which was destined to be revealed to all. Through prayer, He wholly surrendered to the Father's will, and what had once filled His soul with dread became the path of obedience. For the Son of Man’s comfort, an angel appeared. Meanwhile, His disciples succumbed to sleep; despite three efforts to awaken them and remind them of the need for vigilance and prayer, they were unable to grasp that while the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak, necessitating divine assistance to resist temptation.

According to the narratives presented by the Evangelists Matthew and Mark (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35), it is evident that Jesus withdrew a short distance from Peter, James, and John. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus distanced Himself with the three apostles from the others by the span of a stone's throw. This reasoning is further supported by the necessity for Peter, James, and John to have been able to hear the beginning of Jesus's prayer in Gethsemane; otherwise, we would have no knowledge of it. They could only hear Him when He was slightly removed from them, indicating that He was close enough, but at a distance where it would be impossible to hear Him if He were farther away.