Holy Week Devotional - Wednesday

"³²They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ ³³He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. ³⁴And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ ³⁵And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. ³⁶He said, ‘Abba,^* Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’ ³⁷He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? ³⁸Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial;^* the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ ³⁹And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. ⁴⁰And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. ⁴¹He came a third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴²Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’" - Mark 14:32-42

One of the striking features of Flemish painter, Pieter Coecke van Aelst's, rendition of this scene is that while it is called "Agony in the Garden", the one in agony, Jesus, is only barely noticeable.  He's in the background in dark green clothing blending in with the terrain.  It is the disciples who appear to be the foci, illuminated front and center, laying lifeless in their slumber. Coecke van Aelst was not the only Renaissance painter to the depict the scene this way, in fact many if not most did (see works by Perugino, Mantegna, Bellini, Lo Pagna and others).  Why then title the painting for Jesus' agony and feature the disciples?  

One perspective is to see the disciples as our, the viewer's, entry point into scene.  How do we contemporary disciples identify with our first century brothers painted here?  

In order to find our place in the story we must first be attentive to what is going on with Jesus.  He is desperate, needy, utterly afraid, yearning for companionship in his isolation; I'm sure like most humans who find themselves on the brink of murder.  He reaches out to his closest friends to pray with him, to feel a little less alone, to feel a small sense of comfort in his grief.  But they are of no help.  They fall asleep.  As with Jesus' humanity highlighted, we also see his divinity vividly on display as he faces the agony of being hit with the reality the cup will not pass from him and he alone can and must die for the sins of the world.  And he commits to do it.

So, where are we?  How do we identify with our groggy brothers?  Perhaps we need to ask ourselves, where have we neglected, been unable, or even unwilling to follow Jesus' request to serve alongside him?

As we do this, let us also keep in mind the purpose of Jesus' prayer and commitment that night.  It was for the sake of our sins, alongside our attempts to be faithful but failing, our complacency, our selfishness.  And, for the forgiveness of our sin.  Forgiveness that we might step out and try again at life.  Through Jesus' divine act and human example we are enabled and encouraged to try again, to serve again, to pray for and support each other in dark hours.  How might God be inviting you to try again?  Let this be your prayer.  

Written by Katie Archibald-Woodward