Luke 22:41-45

Luke 22:41 (KJB)
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

There are times when public prayer is acceptable but the majority of our praying is of a personal and private nature. Even though what Jesus had prayed for is made known to all who read the Scriptures, nevertheless, He prayed away from the disciples which was also a testing program for them but they fell asleep so they failed the test of praying and watching. Jesus then went a stone’s throw which could have been about 20 or 30 feet (6 to 9 m) from them.

Luke 22:42 (KJB)
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Just as Moses in Exodus 19 and Abraham in Genesis 22 , Jesus now separated Himself from the disciples. He then fell on His face and prayed. To fall on one’s face is an expression of humility in prayer as both knees and face touch the ground. The term “cup” is the Old Testament normal figurative expression of judgment and suffering at the hand of God. (Psa 75:8 KJV) For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. Jesus had continued to pray with such fervor that His sweat was as drops of blood. (Luke 22:44 KJV) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When Jesus had prayed asking that the cup of suffering would pass from Him, He was in no way wavering in His commitment to do what he came to do. (John 12:27 KJV) Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Jesus was showing His human side when He asked if the cup could pass from Him but He showed His divine side by stating that nevertheless, not His will but the will of the Father had precedence. The cup of the cross was not what He was asking would pass but the separation from his Father and carrying the sin of all the Elect. Something we could never understand since Jesus was holy and never sinned. The one who never sinned would have all the sins of the Elect transferred to Him thus removing them from every Elect person born then and to be born in the future.

Luke 22:43 (KJB)
And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

Jesus was now experiencing a time of great anxiety over His forthcoming crucifixion and death. It was the mercy of God who sent an angel to help strengthen Him. We do not know if it could have been one of the archangels like Gabriel but he helped to strengthen Jesus in his spirit because the flesh could cause weakness in any tough situation. Satan did not want Jesus to go to the cross because he knew that meant his doom and his days were numbered. He had mounted a very vicious attack against Jesus couple that with the fact that Jesus would be separated from His Father for the first time in eternity and taking all the sins of the Elect. This would have caused great stress in the physical body of Jesus.

Luke 22:44 (KJB)
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

With the great stress that Jesus was undergoing right now in the garden, it has caused a great reaction in His body. His stress level was so high that the capillaries under his skin started to burst and blood started to mix with His sweat. These were not just little droplets because according to the Scripture, they were great drops of blood. Jesus was already beginning to suffer and shed His blood. (Heb 5:7 KJV) Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; The writer of Hebrews alludes to this episode in the Garden of Gethsemane. Many medical doctors have looked at this verse and have concurred that it is possible under such type of great stress that the body can actually exude blood through the pores by means of bursting capillaries. Some have taken this verse to be figurative but that cannot be because He has already begun His suffering in the flesh by means of the drops of blood, and Jesus did not suffer figuratively.

Luke 22:45 (KJB)
And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

Jesus was filled with anguish of soul because He is beginning the times of His suffering and He comes back to His disciples whom He asked if they would watch with Him for at least one hour and He found them all asleep. This may be a prophecy of how alert the Christians will be when the Lord returns on the last day. Jesus seemed disappointed with the disciples that they could not watch. He was disappointed but not bitter.

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