(27) And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. (28) But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. (29) But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. (30) And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the dock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. (31) But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise: likewise also said they all. (32) And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. (33) And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; (34) And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. (35) And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. (36) And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee: take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt. (37) And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? (38) Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation, the spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. (39) And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. (40) And when he returned he found them asleep again; for their eyes were heavy: neither wist they what to answer him. (41) And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come: behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. (42) Rise up, let us go: lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.
We have in some measure noticed what is here related by Mark, in the parallel passage by Matthew. But the contemplation is indeed in itself endless. Never was there a subject of equal importance proposed to the mind of men, or angels, as is brought before the Church in those concluding scenes of the life and ministry of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Who is competent to describe the wonderful, and mysterious subject? What faculty, either of men or angels, equal to enter into the full apprehension of it? It should seem very evident that as soon as JESUS arose to go from the table towards the Mount of Olives, Judas withdrew to hasten the business of delivering CHRIST into the hands of the Chief Priests: for soon after our LORD's agony in the garden, we find the traitor coming with a band of men to seize JESUS. It is impossible to convey by any form of words, what were the feelings of the disciples on this memorable occasion. The LORD's forewarning them of their taking offence at him that night, quoting a passage well known to them from the Prophets; and making application of it to himself, and them; his taking Peter, James, and John with him, while leaving the other disciples at some little distance from him, his being withdrawn from them (as Luke describes it), about a stone's cast, kneeling down and praying, and charging them repeatedly to do the same; the agony they beheld CHRIST in, with numberless other circumstances of his being sore amazed, in exceeding sorrow even unto death. The renewed soul in CHRIST, under the teaching of GOD the HOLY GHOST, may indeed contemplate in humble wonder and adoration, and the most profound silence, the awful subject; but eternity itself will not be too long to unfold all the sublime circumstances involved in it, and connected with it. I would refer the Reader to that part of this solemn scene which relates to the temptations of Satan, in Luke 22:40, etc. for in that scripture the subject is somewhat more largely dwelt upon.