2 Feb 2024

In sharing on the second beatitude, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”, I was drawn to ponder over the mourning of Jesus at the garden of Gethsemane.
During the hours of agony in the garden Jesus undoubtedly was filled with the Spirit. Nevertheless, he went through the shadow of the valley of death. The disciples were fast asleep – later they would pay the price for not having prayed – they were not prepared for the testing that came their way, exactly what Jesus had anticipated.
What was probably most stressful for Jesus as he prayed in the garden was the sense of the world’s sin being placed on him. Perfect holiness was about to be smothered – the innocent one being condemned with the sin and guilt of all humanity.
The humans needed his sacrifice – Jesus had no doubt about this. At that very moment men were on the path up the Mount of Olives to destroy him. Their names were “jealousy, pride, unbelief, hatred, greed, and so forth” – do any of these names fit us? The prospect of bearing the sin of the world terrified Jesus – he asked if there would be any other way for God’s will to be accomplished. Yet, his prayer for this ended with “My Father….not as I will, but as you will” (Matt. 26:39).
We walk in the footsteps of our Saviour when we tell him and the Father that however much we find ourselves longing for something else, the Father’s will has priority for us; we do not want to receive what is not part of that will; we want our Father’s will and only his will, whether or not at the moment we know how much it involves.

Many people today shrink from the idea of there being only one way of salvation (John 14:6). Pause and consider: if there were any other way, the Father would have been needlessly cruel, even immoral, in putting his Son through this experience. There is only one way to atone for sin, only one spotless Lamb of God, only one provision for salvation. Had there been any other way, do we not believe that the Father would have quickly hearkened to the plea of his perfect Son and rescued him from the hands of cruel men (and the evil one with his minions)? Overriding any concern for his own well-being, Jesus pursued the will of God, even to exhausting his last drop of blood. Why? He knew there was no other way to achieve atonement (how then can we not uphold the doctrine of substitution and propitiation?). He was willing to die so that we may have life.

The enemy, death, was defeated by Jesus’ death and his subsequent resurrection. All who become spiritually alive in Jesus will experience the same victory. No wonder Jesus promised that those who mourn will be comforted!