The Life of Jesus Christ for the Young, Vol. 4 And His Life Depicted in a Gallery of Eighty Paintings

In sailing across the ocean, if we attempt to measure the depth of the water in different places, we shall find that it varies very much. There are hardly two places in which it is exactly the same. In some places it is easy enough to find the bottom. In others, it is necessary to lengthen the line greatly before it can be reached. And then there are other places where the water is so deep that the longest line ordinarily used cannot reach to the bottom. We know that there is a bottom, but it is very hard to get down to it.

And, in studying the history of our Saviour’s life, we may compare ourselves to persons sailing over the ocean. The things that he did, and the words that he spoke, are like the water over which we are sailing. And when we try to understand the meaning of what Jesus said and did, we are like the sailor out at sea who is trying to fathom the water over which he is sailing, and to find out how deep it is. And in doing this we shall find the same difference that he finds. Some of the things that Jesus did and said are so plain and simple that a child can understand them. These are like those parts of the ocean where a very little line will reach the bottom. Other things that Jesus did and said require hard study, if we wish to understand them. But then, there are other parts of the sayings and doings of Jesus which the best and wisest men, with all their learning and study, cannot fully understand or explain. These are like those places in the sea where we cannot reach the bottom with our longest lines.

We find our illustration of this in the garden of Gethsemane. Some of the things that were done and said there we can easily understand. But other things are told us, of what Jesus did and said there which are very hard to explain.

In speaking about this part of our Saviour’s life, there are two things for us to notice. These are what we are told about Gethsemane, and what we are taught by the things that took place there. Or, a shorter way of stating it will be to say that our subject now is—_the facts—and the lessons of Gethsemane_.

Let us look now at the facts that are told us about Gethsemane. It is a fact that there was such a place as Gethsemane, near Jerusalem, when Jesus was on earth, and that there is such a place there now. It is a fact that Gethsemane was a garden or orchard of olive trees then, and so it is still. Everyone who goes to Jerusalem is sure to visit this spot, because it is so sacred to all Christian hearts on account of its connection with our Saviour’s sufferings. The side of the Mount of Olives on which Gethsemane stands is dotted over with olive trees. A portion of the hill has been enclosed with stone walls. This is supposed to be the spot where our Lord’s agony took place. Inside of these walls are eight large olive trees. They are gnarled and crooked, and very old. Some suppose they are the very trees which stood there when Jesus visited the spot, on the night in which he was betrayed. But this is not likely. For we know that when Titus, the Roman general, was besieging Jerusalem, he cut down all the trees that could be found near the city. But the trees now there have probably sprung from the roots of those that were growing in Gethsemane on this very night.

It is a fact that after keeping the last Passover, and observing, for the first time the Lord’s Supper with his disciples, Jesus left Jerusalem near midnight with the little band of his followers. He went down the side of the hill on which the city stood and crossed the brook Kedron on the way to Gethsemane. It is a fact that on going into the garden he left eight of his disciples at the entrance. It is a fact that he took with him the chosen, favored three, Peter, James, and John, and went further into the garden. It is a fact that then he “began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he—my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” It is a fact that he withdrew from the three disciples, and, alone with God, he bowed himself to the earth, and prayed, saying, “O, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” It is a fact that after offering this earnest prayer he returned to his disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, “What! could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” It is a fact that he went away again, “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.” It is a fact that in the depths of his agony, “there appeared unto him an angel from heaven strengthening him.” We are not told what the angel said to him. No doubt he brought to him some tender, loving words from his Father in heaven, to comfort and encourage him. It is a fact that he returned to his disciples again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. It is a fact that he went away again, and prayed, saying, “O, my Father, if this cup may not pass from me except I drink it, thy will be done.” It is a fact that he returned the third time to his disciples, and said—“Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold he is at hand that doth betray me.” And it is a fact that, immediately after he had spoken these words, the wretched Judas appeared with his band to take him. These are the facts told us by the evangelists respecting Jesus and his agony in Gethsemane. They are very wonderful facts, and the scene which they set before us in our Saviour’s life is one of the most solemn and awful that ever was witnessed.

And now, let us go on to speak of the lessons taught us by these facts. These lessons are four.

The first lesson we learn from Gethsemane is a lesson—ABOUT PRAYER.

As soon as this great trouble came upon our blessed Lord in Gethsemane, we see him, at once separating himself from his disciples, and seeking the comfort and support of his Father’s presence in prayer. And this was what he was in the habit of doing. We remember how he spent the night in prayer before engaging in the important work of choosing his disciples. And now, as soon as the burden of this great sorrow comes crushing down upon him, the first thing he does is to seek relief in prayer.

The apostle Paul is speaking of this, when he says, “he 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.” Heb. v: 7. This refers particularly to what took place here in Gethsemane. The earnestness which marked our Saviour’s prayers on this occasion is especially mentioned. He mingled tears with his prayers. It appears from what the apostle here says, that there was something connected with his approaching death upon the cross that Jesus particularly feared. We are not told what it was. And it is not worth while for us to try and find it out, for we cannot do it. But the prayer of Jesus, was not in vain. “He was heard, in that he feared.” No doubt this refers to what took place when the angel came to strengthen him. His prayer was not answered literally. He was not actually saved from death; but he was saved from what he feared in connection with death. Our Lord’s experience, in this respect, was like that of St. Paul when he prayed to be delivered from the thorn in the flesh. The thorn was not taken away, but grace was given him to bear it, and that was better than having it taken away. The promise is—“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.” Ps. lv: 22. And so, from the gloomy shades of Gethsemane, with our Saviour’s agony and bloody sweat, there comes to us a precious lesson about prayer. We see Jesus praying under the sorrows that overwhelmed him there: his prayer was heard, and he was helped.

And thus, by the example of our blessed Lord, we are taught, when we have any heavy burden to bear, or any hard duty to do, to carry it to the Lord in prayer.

Let us look at some examples from every day life of the benefit that follows from prayer.

“Washington’s Prayer.” General Washington was one of the best and greatest men that this country, or any other, ever had. He was a man of piety and prayer.

While he was a young man, he was appointed by Governor Dinwiddie, of Virginia, to the command of a body of troops, and sent on some duty in the western part of that state. A part of these troops was composed of friendly Indians. There was no chaplain in that little army, and so Washington used to act as chaplain himself. He was in the habit of standing up, in the presence of his men, with his head uncovered, and reverently asking the God of heaven to protect and bless them in the work they were sent to do. And no doubt, the great secret of Washington’s success in life, was his habit of prayer. He occupied many positions of honor and dignity during his useful life. But, never did he occupy any position in which he appeared so manly, so honorable, and so truly noble, as when he stood forth, a young man, in the presence of his little army, and tried to lift up their thoughts to God above, as the one “from whom all blessings flow.”

“Praying Better Than Stealing.” A poor family lived near a wood wharf. The father of this family got on very well while he kept sober; but when he went to the tavern to spend his evenings and his earnings, as he did sometimes, then his poor family had to suffer. One winter, during a cold spell of weather, he was taken sick from a drunken frolic. Their wood was nearly gone.

After dark one night, he called his oldest boy John to his bedside, and whispered to him to go to the wood wharf and bring an armful of wood.

“I can’t do that,” said John.

“Can’t do it—why not?”

“Because that would be stealing, and since I have been going to Sabbath-school, I’ve learned that God’s commandment is, ‘Thou shalt not steal.’”

“Well, and didn’t you learn that another of God’s commandments is—‘Children, obey your parents?’”

“Yes, father,” answered the boy.

“Well, then, mind and do what I tell you.”

Johnny was perplexed. He knew there must be some way of answering his father, but he did not know exactly how to do it. The right thing would have been for him to say that, when our parents tell us to do what is plainly contrary to the command of God, we must obey God rather than men. But Johnny had not learned this yet. So he said:

“Father, please excuse me from stealing. I’ll ask God to send us some wood. Praying’s better than stealing. I’m pretty sure God will send it. And if it don’t come before I come home from school at noon to-morrow, I will go and work for some, or beg some. I can work, and I can beg, but I can’t steal.”

Then Johnny crept up into the loft where he slept, and prayed to God about this matter. He said the Lord’s prayer, which his teacher had taught him. And after saying—“give us this day our daily bread;” he added—“and please Lord send us some wood too, and let father see that praying is better than stealing—for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”