[b]HIS AGONY AND OUR FELLOWSHIP[/b]"Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, tarry ye here, and watch with Me." Matthew 26:36, 38We can never fathom the agony in Gethsemane, but at least we need not misunderstand it. It is the agony of God and Man in one, face to face with sin. We know nothing about Gethsemane in personal experience. Gethsemane and Calvary stand for something unique; they are the gateway into Life for us.It was not the death on the cross that Jesus feared in Gethsemane; He stated most emphatically that He came on purpose to die. In Gethsemane He feared lest He might not get through as Son of Man. He would get through as Son of God - Satan could not touch Him there; but Satan's onslaught was that He would get through as an isolated Figure only; and that would mean that He could be no Saviour. Read the record of the agony in the light of the temptation: "Then the devil leaveth Him for a season." In Gethsemane Satan came back and was again overthrown. Satan's final onslaught against our Lord as Son of Man is in Gethsemane.The agony in Gethsemane is the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Saviour of the world. The veil is drawn aside to reveal all it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony is the basis of the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ is a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that Our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Every human being can get through into the presence of God now because of what the Son of Man went through.
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
I cannot say enough about the nourishment found in John 17. Probably everyone would say that. I understand one verse there, John 17:19, speaks about the subject addressed here."And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth."Jesus set himself apart from his Jewish flesh when he was baptized (Matthew 3:15), The things He said and the things He did were set apart to God. Many times He said that what He heard from the Father He said and what He saw the Father do, He did. And now His death would be set apart as Holy, to the use of God alone. No Jewish leaders, no Judas or Satan would use His death. He set Himself apart from all, Holy unto God.