Matthew 26 31-46 – Gethsemane: Jesus Prays Thy Will Be Done brings us to one of the most powerful moments in the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 26 31-46 we see Jesus leave the upper room and walk with His disciples toward the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus told them that they would all be offended because of Him that night. Soon they arrive at the Garden of Gethsemane, where the real battle begins. This passage in Matthew 26 31-46 shows how Jesus won the victory in Gethsemane before the cross ever took place.
Matthew 26 31-46 reveals that the struggle of Gethsemane was not a battle with the devil but a battle of the will. In this passage, Jesus prays, “not as I will, but as thou wilt,” showing how the victory of the cross was first won in prayer.
In Matthew 26 31-46, we see the moment when Jesus faces the battle of His will in the Garden of Gethsemane.
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW BIBLE STUDY SERIES
This study of Matthew: Matthew 26 31-46 – Gethsemane: Jesus Prays Thy Will Be Done is part of a verse-by-verse teaching series through the Gospel of Matthew.
Previous: Matthew 26:13-30 Judas Betrayal
Next: Matthew 26:47-68 Betrayal of Jesus
Matthew 26 31-46 – Gethsemane: Jesus Prays Thy Will Be Done
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Scriptures Used in the Study of Matthew 26 31-46
- Matthew 26:31–35, Matthew 26:56, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:4, Zechariah 13:7, Isaiah 53:3–5, Isaiah 53:10, Isaiah 54:16, Genesis 3:1, Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Matthew 26:36–38, Matthew 26:39–46, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, James 1:21, Romans 12:1, Luke 22:44, Matthew 6:10,
Matthew 26 31-46
Introduction to Matthew 26 31-46
We are still in Matthew chapter 26. It is a long chapter with 75 verses. This is the third week we have been in it.
Let me remind you where we left off. Jesus had the Lord’s Supper in what I think is the upper room (Matthew 26:26–30). After the meal, they left the upper room and headed toward the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30). They were singing hymns as they walked (Matthew 26:30). It had been a powerful Passover dinner/meeting. Jesus washed their feet (John 13:4–15). They ate the Passover together (Luke 22:15–20).
Judas had been identified and dismissed (John 13:26–30). They shared the Lord’s table (Matthew 26:26–29). Jesus prayed for them (John 17:1–26). Then they sang together and departed (Matthew 26:30). Now they are on the way to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30), and they will stop at the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36). That is what we will study tonight.
Have you ever been in a powerful meeting where your heart was stirred, and you promised the Lord that you would do better? Perhaps you said that even if others failed, you would not. Then shortly afterward, you failed in the very area you promised the Lord about. Today, we will see the disciples do exactly that (Matthew 26:33–35, 56). The question is what brings a person to the place where they will not fail the Lord. Remember that the disciples eventually reached that place. They finally came to the point where they were willing to lay down their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 5:40–41; Acts 12:1–2).
Questions Raised in Matthew 26 31-46 at Gethsemane
At this moment, they are not there yet. Something later changed these men. Something happened in their lives that moved them from fear to a willingness to die for what they believed. If we examine their lives carefully, we may discover what brought them to that place. I want to know that secret.
Another question we will consider today is who smote the Lord. Was it the devil? Maybe it was the Sanhedrin? Or was it someone else? A central focus will be Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36–46). Do I have Gethsemanes in my life? What is my Gethsemane? When I face Gethsemane, do I battle the devil or myself? What role does prayer play in Gethsemane? Would I rather pray or sleep (Matthew 26:40–41)?
We will also see Judas arrive with a kiss (Matthew 26:48–49). That raises hard questions. Have I had a Judas in my life? Have I ever been a Judas to someone else? Finally, we will ask whether Jesus wants us to take up a sword (Matthew 26:51–52). I will address that when we reach it. Tonight, we probably will not reach every section. My goal is to get through Gethsemane. The Lord wants to minister to us there.
Matthew 26 31-46 – Jesus Predicts the Disciples Will Fall Away
Let’s look at Matthew 26:31–35.
Matthew 26:31-35
31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Jesus told the disciples that all of them would be offended because of Him that night (Matthew 26:31). He reminded them that the Scripture said the shepherd would be smitten and the sheep would scatter (Matthew 26:31; Zechariah 13:7). He also promised that after His resurrection, He would go before them into Galilee (Matthew 26:32).
Peter’s Bold Promise
Peter answered quickly. He said that even if everyone else was offended, he would never be offended (Matthew 26:33). Jesus replied that before the rooster crowed that night Peter would deny Him three times (Matthew 26:34). Peter insisted that even if he had to die with Jesus he would never deny the Lord (Matthew 26:35). All the other disciples said the same thing (Matthew 26:35).
I think we can all relate to that moment. The disciples were coming out of the Lord’s table after a powerful meeting. In the upper room, they had washed feet, shared the Passover, dismissed Judas, and taken the Lord’s table. They had sung hymns and heard Jesus teach and pray in those final moments together (John chapters 14-17). They left that place on a spiritual high. It had been a strong meeting, and they felt close to God. While they walked together, Jesus suddenly told them that every one of them would run away that night (Matthew 26:31).
That often happened with the disciples. They would reach a high point, and then Jesus would reveal something that showed them they were not as strong as they believed. The same thing happens with us. We sometimes think we are standing strong. Scripture warns us to be careful when we think we stand because we may fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). That is the lesson unfolding here.
What Jesus Meant by Being Offended
The word offend comes from the Greek word that gives us the English word “scandalize.” It means to stumble, to be trapped, or to fall away. One translation says they would lose their faith in Him. Jesus spoke these words just as they were leaving a very spiritual moment. He was showing them that things were not as secure as they believed.
Three statements stand out in this passage. First, Jesus said that all of them would be offended (Matthew 26:31). Second, every disciple said that none of them would deny Him (Matthew 26:35). Third, the record shows that they all forsook Him and fled (Matthew 26:56). These three statements reveal the pattern of the moment. All would be offended. All promised they would not fail. However, all finally ran away (Matthew 26:31; 26:35; 26:56).
Matthew 26:56
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
All the Disciples Forsook Him and Fled
The struggle I had with this passage is that these men had lived with Jesus Christ for three and a half years. They watched Him closely and witnessed His miracles. They saw Him heal people, open the eyes of the blind, restore the lame, and even raise the dead. At one point, they had clearly identified Him as the Christ, the Messiah (Matthew 16:16).
They had walked with Jesus for three and a half years. Yet when the moment came, they would run, flee, and be scandalized because of Him (Matthew 26:31). The issue was that they were not yet ready to die for Jesus Christ. That was true even though they had seen everything He had done. They had walked with Him, touched Him, and handled the Word of life (1 John 1:1). Even after all that, Jesus still said that every one of them would be scandalized because of Him (Matthew 26:31).
Jesus told them they would be offended. They were not ready to die for Him. When the moment finally came, they fled (Matthew 26:56). We cannot blame them unless we are ready to die ourselves. It is easy to talk about Peter, James, John, Andrew, Bartholomew, Simon the Zealot, and the others, and laugh because they ran. The real question is what you and I would do in the same situation.
It is easy to speak boldly like Peter. The test comes when we must choose to go on with Christ. Going on with Him always means death (Matthew 16:24). A part of us must die if we follow Him. That leads to a serious question. When the moment comes to follow Christ to His purpose and His cross, will we run or will we die (Matthew 16:24)?
Matthew 26 31-46 – Miracles Did Not Produce Martyrs
In Matthew 26 31-46, miracles will not hold us. Religious experiences will not hold us. Even revelation and understanding of Scripture will not hold us. Those things did not hold the disciples. They had lived with Jesus for three and a half years. They saw everything He did and still fled. Jesus opened the Scriptures to them (Luke 24:27). He told them about His virgin birth (Matthew 1:18–23). They heard the truth clearly, yet it still did not keep them from running.
What Changed the Disciples
This question becomes central in Matthew 26 31-46 as we ask what changed these men. Something happened that turned them from fleeing to dying. Was it the virgin birth that gave them the power to become martyrs? No, because they already knew about the virgin birth (Matthew 1:18–23). Was it His sinless life that gave them power (Hebrews 4:15)? Was it the fact that they were chosen for leadership?
Many people think that if they could just become a leader in the church, they would die for Christ. The truth is that if you do not die before you reach leadership, you will not die afterward. Leadership is not the answer. Was it the miracles that gave them the power to become martyrs? They saw the miracles and still ran away (Matthew 26:56).
Was it the healings that gave them the power to die for Him? No. Was it walking on the water (Matthew 14:25–33)? We might think that would convince everyone. We might believe that if we could walk on water, people would surely have faith. That is not true. It didn’t work for the disciples.
We can lay hands on people and see them healed (Mark 16:18). We can see blind eyes opened and lame legs restored. People could even witness the resurrection of the dead (John 11:43–44). Yet when the time comes to lay down our lives for Jesus Christ, there is still a real possibility that we would run.
What Did Not Give the Disciples Power
Was it His ability to prophesy that gave them power? Was it His preaching that changed them? Could it have been the communion (Matthew 26:26–28)? Was it water baptism (Matthew 3:13–17)? They had experienced all of those things.
Was it His crucifixion that gave them the power (Matthew 27:35–50)? No. In fact, that made things worse. They hid behind locked doors even after the resurrection (John 20:19). Was it the resurrection that gave them power to become martyrs (Matthew 28:5–7)? No.
Many people think that if we just had the miracles and could do the things Jesus did, it would change everything. We should desire those things, but that is not what produces the power to lay down our lives.
Matthew 26 31-46 – The Power of the Holy Ghost
In Matthew 26 31-46, the answer becomes clearer when we look at another place. Let’s look at (Acts 1:8).
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Dr. Ted preached on this a few weeks ago. I only want to add a little to what he shared. At this moment, Jesus is at the ascension in (Acts 1:9–11). Before He ascends into heaven, He tells the disciples something important.
He says they will receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon them (Acts 1:8). This power is the power to overcome fear. It is the power to overcome the urge to run away. It is the power to stand as witnesses. Jesus says they will receive power and will be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The word witness comes from the Greek word martus. That word also carries the meaning of martyr.
The Evidence of the Holy Ghost
In Matthew 26 31-46, we begin to see that a martyr is one who submits to death rather than deny what he believes. A martyr is someone willing to suffer and sacrifice everything for a cause. That kind of power comes from the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8). Some people say the evidence of the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4). That is not the point I am making tonight. The question is how we know someone is truly filled with the Holy Spirit.
The real evidence is a willingness to lay down one’s life (Luke 9:23). Speaking in tongues is not what I am addressing. Gifts of the Spirit are not the issue either (1 Corinthians 12:4–11). The true work of the Holy Spirit is the power to become a martyr for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).
When a person is filled with the Holy Ghost, there is boldness like a lion (Proverbs 28:1). A Spirit-filled life is ready to die for Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:11). That is the conclusion we must reach. Before that moment, the disciples were not like that. Until (Acts 2:4), they were fearful men. They fled when Jesus was arrested (Matthew 26:56). They followed at a distance during the crucifixion (Luke 22:54–62). Even after the resurrection, they hid behind locked doors (John 20:19).
What Changed the Disciples at Acts 2:4
Acts 2:4
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Remember how Jesus had to come to him? Had to come through a lot more. They did not have the power to be martyrs for Christ until after the Holy Ghost came upon them.
After that experience, they spoke boldly for Christ (Acts 4:31). Every one of those eleven men eventually died for Him except John the Revelator. History says they tried to kill John by boiling him in oil. When that failed, he was exiled to Patmos (Revelation 1:9). Before that moment of Acts 2:4, they had been fearful men. Until Acts 2:4, they were cowards.
Something happened that was more than the ability to speak in tongues (Acts 2:4). I believe in tongues and all that accompanies tongues. Yet the true evidence of the Holy Ghost life is a person willing to lay down his or her life for Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23).
The True Evidence of the Holy Spirit
So we must ask the real question. What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit with tongues really about (Acts 2:4)? Is it about the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4–11)? Those things are part of it. However, that is not the bottom line. The final evidence of the Holy Spirit coming upon a life is martyrdom. Tongues serve as a sign to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14:22).
Tongues can show that a person has had an experience with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). The true evidence of the Spirit coming upon a life is a willingness to die to self and live for Christ wherever life takes us (Luke 9:23). That witness is lived out in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).
This is the real power the Holy Spirit gives (Acts 1:8). Tongues are only the beginning (Acts 2:4), yet many people never move beyond that point. The real evidence of a Spirit-filled life is a person willing to lay down their life for Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23).
Matthew 26 31-46 – Who Smote the Shepherd
The next point states that the shepherd would be smitten and the sheep of the flock would be scattered (Zechariah 13:7).
The Prophecy of Zechariah 13:7
Zechariah 13:7
7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
Jesus quotes Zechariah 13:7. The question that arises from this passage is who actually smote the shepherd, i.e., the Son. Was it the devil? Was it the Sanhedrin? Could it have been Judas? The point I want us to see is that the Father smote Him, and it pleased Him to do it (Isaiah 53:10). Giving that credit to the devil seems almost blasphemous to me. In the crucifixion account, the devil is not mentioned even once.
I do believe there is a devil. Scripture says he walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He is real and dangerous. Yet he is still a created being. God made him (Genesis 3:1).
The Cross Explained in Isaiah 53
In Matthew 26 31-46, understanding who smote the Son leads us to Isaiah 53. Isaiah saw the cross long before it happened. He wrote about it roughly five hundred years earlier. In many ways, Isaiah explains what happened at the cross more deeply than those who actually stood there and witnessed it. To understand the passage clearly, we begin with verse three in Isaiah 53.
Isaiah 53:3–5
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
It Pleased the Lord to Bruise Him
God smote Him for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastening for our peace was placed upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
This passage clearly speaks about the Messiah and the cross. Anyone who reads Isaiah 53 recognizes what it describes. The chapter explains Christ’s suffering. The next step is to look further down in the chapter at verse 10.
Isaiah 53:10
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Yet it pleased the devil to bruise him. Who did it please? It pleased the Lord. It pleased the Father. Why? Because his purposes are being fulfilled ( Isaiah 53:10 ). We’ve got to come to the place of understanding that God’s going to get his way. God’s purposes will happen. We’re going to be looking at this in a little different light than before. The devil didn’t do it. The Sanhedrin didn’t do it. The Lord did it, and it pleased him to do it. It’s for His eternal purposes that he did it.
The Waster Is a Created Instrument
Look at Isaiah 54.
Isaiah 54:16
16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
Pastor Teebo and I discussed this passage sometime last year. I want you to see what it says. Isaiah continues the same thought, and in verse 16, the Lord says that He created the smith who blows the coals and produces an instrument for his work. He also says that He created the waster to destroy (Isaiah 54:16).
The point is that the waster is also a created being. Scripture says that God created him. This means we must understand that even the devil is a created instrument under God’s authority. To see this more clearly, we can look at other Scriptures, beginning with Genesis 3:1.
Genesis 3:1
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
This is the moment when Eve was deceived, and man fell (Genesis 3:1–6). Scripture explains that Eve was deceived and man fell (1 Timothy 2:14). The serpent is described as more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made (Genesis 3:1).
Satan Appears Before the Lord
The point is that the serpent was created by the Lord God. God made him exactly as he is. The serpent was made subtle and operates according to that nature (Genesis 3:1).
Another example appears in Job. Twice, the angels and Satan came to present themselves before the Lord God (Job 1:6; Job 2:1).
Job 1:6
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Job 2:1
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
In both Job chapter 1 and Job chapter 2, the attack on Job was initiated by the Lord, not Satan (Job 1:8–12; Job 2:3–6). The Lord asked Satan if he had considered His servant Job. Satan replied that he could not reach Job because a hedge surrounded him. God then allowed the hedge to be removed but set limits on what Satan could do (Job 1:8–12).
Later, Satan appeared before the Lord again. God repeated the question about Job. Satan said that if he could touch Job’s body, Job would curse God. The Lord allowed the test but still set boundaries (Job 2:3–6). Job never did curse God.
The Father Is Sovereign Over All
The point is that the waster functions as an instrument under God’s authority. In the final analysis, it was not the devil who smote Jesus. It was the Father. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that the cup might pass from Him, but He submitted Himself to the Father’s will (Matthew 26:39).
In Matthew 26 31-46, we see that Father God’s purposes will be fulfilled. Nothing and no one can stop what He has determined to do (Isaiah 46:10). That truth must be understood clearly. God is the one who is in control. The devil is not in control. Religious leaders are not in control. Governments are not in control. Only the Father rules over everything (Daniel 4:35).
Knowing this brings peace and security. If I walk in obedience to His word, He blesses, protects, and cares for me (Psalm 91:1–4). That leads to an important thought. If the Father was willing to smite His own Son in order to fulfill His purpose on the earth, and that purpose required the cross, then we must understand the seriousness of His will (Isaiah 53:10).
God will accomplish His purpose. The Father’s will stands above everything else (Isaiah 46:10). He did not spare His own Son to protect that purpose (Romans 8:32). Jesus Himself asked that the cup pass from Him (Matthew 26:39). Yet the Father did not change His plan.
The Father’s Will Cannot Be Avoided
We see in Matthew 26 31-46, the Lord’s will does not change. God will not change His purpose for us either. His kingdom will come, and His will will be done (Matthew 6:10). Sometimes we imagine that God will spare our comfort, our desires, and our fleshly will. That is not how it works. If He did not spare the Son to accomplish His purpose, He will not allow us to live outside of His will. True sons experience correction and discipline (Hebrews 12:5).
If you are a true child of God, you will experience chastisement (Hebrews 12:6–8). Scripture teaches that without chastisement, a person is illegitimate. Both you and I need that correction. The Father’s will is going to be accomplished (Matthew 6:10).
We often think we will somehow get by without discipline. That will not happen for a true child of God.
Matthew 26 31-46 – Gethsemane and the Battle of the Will
Meaning of Gethsemane in Matthew 26 31-46
In Matthew 26 31-46, the Garden of Gethsemane becomes the place where Jesus settles the battle of the will through prayer. The next section turns to Gethsemane and the events described in Matthew 26:36–46.
Jesus Enters the Garden of Gethsemane
Matthew 26:36–38
36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
In Matthew 26 31-46, Jesus came with the disciples to a place called Gethsemane and told them to sit while He went to pray (Matthew 26:36). He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, Jame and John, with Him and began to be sorrowful and very heavy (Matthew 26:37). Gethsemane was located along the way to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30). It was an olive garden where an olive press would normally crush olives.
On that night, the purpose was not to crush olives but to crush the Christ. Gethsemane became the place where Jesus made the decision to fulfill the Father’s purpose. We may think Jesus had always made up his mind to do the Father’s will, but that’s not what we see in Gethsemane. It was there that He prayed not my will but thy will be done (Matthew 26:39).
Meaning of the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26 31-46
In Matthew 26 31-46, we learn that people experience their own Gethsemane. Some have already faced it, and others are still approaching it. The real battle is fought in Gethsemane, not on the cross. The decision about obedience is settled before the moment of purpose arrives.
The conflict in Gethsemane was not between Jesus and the devil. The struggle was between Christ’s will and the Father’s will. The devil is never mentioned in Gethsemane or in the crucifixion account. Jesus prayed that the Father’s will would prevail over His own human will (Matthew 26:39).
The same struggle appears in our lives. Jesus defeated the devil (Colossians 2:15). Scripture says that if we give no place to the devil, he has no foothold in us (Ephesians 4:27). The real conflict becomes the struggle between the spirit and the flesh (Galatians 5:17).
Our will often opposes the will of the Father. That inner conflict is where the real battle takes place. The issue is not the devil. The issue is the carnal nature and the human will. When we understand that truth, we stop blaming the devil and recognize that the true enemy we face is our own will.
Matthew 26 31-46 – The Inner Circle of Peter, James, and John
Gethsemane is the battle with the will, not with the devil. The devil is not mentioned in Gethsemane. The struggle is with the human will. Jesus took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him (Matthew 26:37).
At that moment, eleven disciples were still with Jesus because Judas had gone to arrange the betrayal (Matthew 26:14–16). Jesus told eight of the disciples to remain where they were (Matthew 26:36). Those eight included Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the Less, Jude, and Simon the Zealot. Jesus then went further with Peter, James, and John (Matthew 26:37–39).
This pattern had appeared before. At the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus separated Peter, James, and John from the others and took them up the mountain (Matthew 17:1). A similar pattern occurred when Jairus’s daughter was raised, where Jesus again took Peter, James, and John (Mark 5:37) (Luke 8:51). The same three were present at the Transfiguration in the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matthew 17:1) (Mark 9:2) (Luke 9:28). In Gethsemane Jesus again took these three a little farther than the others (Matthew 26:37) (Mark 14:33).
The Inner Circle in Ministry
In Matthew 26 31-46, these three came to be known as the inner circle. Scripture does not explain exactly why these three were chosen. However, there was a unique closeness among Christ, Peter, James, and John.
This idea of an inner circle also reminds me of a personal experience. When Jesus called the first disciples, they left their nets to follow Him (Matthew 4:20). After I gave my life to the Lord and sensed God’s call, I found myself in a similar situation. My pastor gathered three of us around him. He took us everywhere with him. Others sometimes joined us, but the three of us were almost always present. It was not something we planned or understood. It simply developed that way.
How God Uses an Inner Circle to Develop Leaders
All three of us eventually moved into leadership in the church. Each of us entered ministry and became pastors. One remained connected to the church and worked in evangelistic ministry. That experience helped me understand how an inner circle forms.
An inner circle is often mistaken for a clique. Many things called cliques are not cliques at all. They are relationships formed to raise and develop ministry. The purpose of an inner circle is training, preparation, and learning. Ministry often develops through that kind of close investment.
Scripture shows this pattern. Moses invested in Joshua (Exodus 24:13). Joshua stood with Caleb (Numbers 14:6–9). Elijah trained Elisha (1 Kings 19:19–21). Jesus did the same with Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1). When we look at the fruit of these three disciples, we see the results. Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and opened the door of the kingdom to both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 2:14–41; Acts 10:24–48). James became the first apostle to be martyred (Acts 12:2). John received the revelation of Jesus Christ and wrote several New Testament books (Revelation 1:1) (St John; 1 John; 2 John; 3 John).
Jesus invested deeply in these individuals. That is why true ministry often includes an inner circle. I have one as well. My calling involves raising up ministry. I enjoy being around people called to ministry and pouring into their lives. That is not favoritism. It is part of developing leaders. Sometimes God simply causes certain individuals to draw close for that purpose.
Jesus Desired Fellowship in Gethsemane
Jesus was fully God (John 1:1) and also fully man (John 1:14). Because He was truly human, He had human needs. Human needs include more than food, clothing, and shelter. People also need fellowship. In Gethsemane, Jesus carried a heavy burden and wanted close companions with Him (Matthew 26:37–38). Peter, James, and John needed Him, but He also needed them and their presence in that moment.
It is difficult to put this need into words. I only know there was a time when my pastor needed me close to him. Of the three of us I mentioned earlier, I was probably around him the most. It was not because I could do anything special for him. He simply needed to know I was there. Now that I am the pastor, I sometimes feel the same way. At times, I just need someone nearby. I do not expect anything from them. I may ask them to pray, but often they fall asleep.
That is similar to what Peter, James, and John did. Sometimes I only need to know someone is close, especially during Gethsemane moments when I am battling. That is why I try to address these things before anyone misunderstands them. Sometimes people call this an inner circle, a clique, but it is not a clique. If it was right for Jesus to draw aside with Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1), and if Joshua walked closely with Moses (Exodus 24:13), and if Elijah trained Elisha (1 Kings 19:19–21), then it is also right for ministry to function that way.
Not My Will but Thy Will Be Done
Matthew 26:39–46
39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, 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.
46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
In Matthew 26 31-46, we come to the passage describing Gethsemane. Jesus said that His soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death (Matthew 26:38). He asked the disciples to stay and watch with Him. Yet when He returned, He found them sleeping (Matthew 26:40). He warned them to watch and pray so they would not enter into temptation, because the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).
Jesus Prays Three Times in Gethsemane
Jesus went away again and prayed a second time. He said that if the cup could not pass from Him unless He drank it, then the Father’s will should be done (Matthew 26:42). When He returned He again found the disciples asleep because their eyes were heavy (Matthew 26:43). He left them and prayed a third time, repeating the same words (Matthew 26:44). After that He returned and told them to sleep and take their rest because the hour had come and the Son of Man was being betrayed into the hands of sinners (Matthew 26:45).
Scripture says that Jesus began to be sorrowful and very heavy (Matthew 26:37). My interlinear Bible describes it as deep grief. Jesus said His soul was deeply grieved even unto death (Matthew 26:38).
Matthew 26 31-46 – Spirit Soul and Body Explained
Spirit, Soul, and Body Explained – 1 Thessalonians 5:23
I want to talk about spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
1 Thessalonians 5:23
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I used to often teach about spirit, soul, and body, but it has been a long time since I last touched on it. We need to look at it again. Paul explains that we are three-part beings. He prays that God would sanctify our whole being and preserve our spirit, soul, and body blameless until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The word whole there means complete or entire. It refers to wholeness, like a whole loaf of bread or a full dollar. Paul is saying that God desires to sanctify every part of us.
Spirit, Soul, and Body Explained
So we see that there are three parts to our being – spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). I live in a body, I have a soul, and I am a spirit. God is called the Father of spirits, not the father of bodies or souls (Hebrews 12:9). My body is like a temporary dwelling. Some call it an earth suit because it is what keeps us here. When it is removed, we leave this earth.
The Greek terms describe these parts. Spirit is pneuma. Soul is psyche. The body is soma. When we look at Jesus in Gethsemane, the struggle was neither in His spirit nor in His body. The struggle was in His soul, in His psyche, in His mind (Matthew 26:38–39). That is also where the greatest struggle usually occurs for us.
Our body may trouble us at times with sickness or weakness. Scripture also says that a spirit can be defiled (2 Corinthians 7:1). Yet the area where most conflict takes place is the soul, the mind, and the will. That is where the battle is often fought.
The Battle of the Mind
In Matthew 26 31-46, our main problem is the same one Jesus faced. His struggle was with His will, which was His soul, which was His psyche (Matthew 26:38–39). The battle takes place in the mind. It happens between our ears. It is the struggle of the will and the soul. That is where the conflict is fought.
The Greek word psyche gives us many English words. Consider psychedelic. It refers to a state that alters consciousness. Think about a psychiatrist, a physician who deals with mental disorders. Psychiatry is the medical field that diagnoses and treats disorders of the mind. All of these deal with the psyche, not with the spirit or the body. They deal with the mind, which is where Jesus experienced His struggle (Matthew 26:38–39).
Look at the word psychic. It relates to the mind and sensitivity to mental or occult activity. The word psycho is also connected to the mind. When it is combined with soma, the word for body, it forms psychosomatic. Many illnesses are described as psychosomatic. That means the body is affected because the mind influences it. The problem is rooted in the mind rather than the body.
The Battle of the Psyche
Terms like psychoanalysis, psychoanalyst, and psychoanalyze all refer to examining the mind or soul. A psychochemical is a drug used to affect behavior. Such drugs work by influencing the psyche. Words like psychogenic, psychologist, and psychology also refer to the study of the human mind. Other related terms include psychometer, psychoneurosis, psychopath, psychotherapy, and psychotic. When someone is described as psychotic, it refers to a disturbance of the mind. All of these terms point back to the same place – the human psyche. That is where the struggle of the will takes place.
This is the place where Jesus was battling. The struggle was in His psyche. It was His mind and His soul that troubled Him, not the devil and not the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:38–39). When we understand that Jesus battled in His mind, we can better understand our own battles.
When I realize that your struggle is with your mind, it helps me understand you. You are not really battling me. You are battling the way you think about me. I am battling the way I think about you. The conflict is in the mind or the soul.
Because of that, teaching, fellowship, and being together help bring our thinking into alignment. They help us come together in our psyche and in our soul. The word of God is able to save the soul. It can change the psyche and the way we think (James 1:21).
The Word of God Renews the Mind
James 1:21
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Scripture also calls us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). This shows that our lives must be surrendered to God as we allow Him to work in us.
Romans 12:1
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Scripture tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice and to be renewed in the spirit of our mind (Romans 12:1–2). That renewal happens in the psyche, in the soul, in the mind (Romans 12:2). When our thinking changes, we begin to understand things more clearly.
When we see this truth, we stop blaming others. You are not fighting me. You are not fighting the devil. The real struggle is in the mind. Jesus already defeated the devil (Colossians 2:15). If we give the devil no place, then he has no foothold in our lives (Ephesians 4:27).
The Battle of the Will in Gethsemane
In Matthew 26 31-46, the struggle Jesus faced was in His psyche. He was battling His mind, not His spirit and not His body (Matthew 26:38–39). Scripture says the flesh and the spirit are opposed to one another (Galatians 5:17). The conflict is the way we think and the struggle of the will.
Because of that, the answer is not psychology, medication, or human analysis. The real issue is determining whose will we will follow. Jesus overcame His struggle when He said that the Father’s will should be done (Matthew 26:39). When that decision is settled, the psyche is defeated. When our will yields to God’s will, the battle is won.
Jesus showed us this in Gethsemane. He asked that the cup pass from Him, yet He submitted to the Father’s will (Matthew 26:39). The battle was in His mind, but He chose the Father’s purpose.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him into the garden. He told the others to remain behind (Matthew 26:36). The eight could only go so far. The three went further with Him (Matthew 26:37). Even they could only go so far. Jesus then went a little farther alone to face the struggle of His will (Matthew 26:39).
You and I can walk together for a long distance. We can even take a whole church with us for a season. Yet there will always come a place where some must stop, and others move on. Eventually, every person reaches a point where they must go further alone. When it comes to dealing with your will, no one else can do it for you.
Each Person Must Face Their Own Gethsemane
There is a place where the larger group stops (Matthew 26:36). There is another place where even the closest companions stop (Matthew 26:39). You are alone. That place is Gethsemane. In that place, each person must deal with their own will before God.
No one can make my will submit except me. Others may pray for me and encourage me, but the final decision must be made alone. I must go a little farther by myself and face that battle.
Many things can help us. Laying on of hands can help. Deliverance and counsel can help. Conversations and guidance can help. Yet none of these things defeats the will. Victory comes when a person falls before the Father and reaches the same conclusion Jesus reached, that the Father’s will must be done (Matthew 26:39).
How Jesus Won the Battle in Gethsemane
Until that decision is made, the psyche is not defeated. The turning point comes when the will submits to God. Scripture then describes Jesus falling on His face in prayer and agonizing before the Father (Luke 22:44).
Luke 22:44
44 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.
In that moment, we see Jesus in deep anguish as He prayed. Scripture says His sweat became like great drops of blood as He poured Himself out before the Father (Luke 22:44). That raises an important question. How many Christians today pray with that kind of intensity?
How many times have we fallen on our faces and cried out before God until we were exhausted in prayer (Matthew 26:39)?
Matthew 26 31-46 – Victory Through Prayer in Gethsemane
Why Jesus Prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane
The message of Matthew 26 31-46 is that victory over the human will comes through surrender and prayer. When we study Matthew 26 31-46, we learn how Jesus defeated His psyche. He defeated it through prayer (Matthew 26:39–44). The battle of the will is always won through prayer. If we are not praying, we are not winning.
Jesus could have chosen another way. He said He could call more than twelve legions of angels if He desired (Matthew 26:53). Yet the issue was the Father’s will. The real conflict was neither with the Father nor with the devil. The struggle was within the will itself. Jesus continually prayed for the Father’s will to be done (Matthew 26:39).
Jesus Teaches Us to Pray Thy Will Be Done
This is the same principle Jesus taught in prayer. In the Sermon on the Mount, He taught the disciples to pray that God’s kingdom would come and that His will would be done (Matthew 6:10). That is the heart of true prayer.
Matthew 6:10
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
In Matthew 26,39, Jesus prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” In Matthew 26:42, Jesus prayed, “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” Then in Matthew 26:44, the Scriptures say, “And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.”
Jesus always prayed for the Father’s will to be done (Matthew 26:39). Jesus never changed His prayer. That raises the question of how we pray. Jesus taught that the Father already knows our needs before we ask (Matthew 6:8). Yet many times our prayers become long lists of requests.
In my own life, I have begun to pray differently. I have tried to focus more on praying in the Spirit and seeking God’s will (1 Corinthians 14:15). My desire is to touch God in prayer and to pray according to His will.
The lesson of Matthew 26 31-46 is that victory over the will comes through prayer and surrender to the Father.
Matthew 26 31-46 – Watch and Pray in Gethsemane
Jesus prayed, then returned to His disciples and found them asleep (Matthew 26:40). He had asked those closest to Him to pray and watch so they would not enter temptation (Matthew 26:41). I often ask leaders to gather and pray. I believe the Lord still wants His disciples to pray today.
Yet what often happens is the same thing that happened with the disciples. The spirit desires to pray, but the flesh grows tired and wants to sleep (Matthew 26:41). We may gather with the intention of prayer, but our eyes become heavy, and we grow weary (Matthew 26:43).
Jesus asked them if they could not watch with Him for one hour (Matthew 26:40). That question still speaks to us. It reminds us that prayer requires watchfulness and discipline. This is the message we learn from Matthew 26 31-46.
Key Truths from Matthew 26 31-46
The Battle of Matthew 26 31-46 Happens in Gethsemane
Matthew 26 31-46 shows that the decisive battle before the cross took place in the Garden of Gethsemane. Before Jesus faced the soldiers, the trials, and the crucifixion, He first faced the struggle of the will in prayer. The victory of Matthew 26 31-46 was won when Jesus submitted His will completely to the Father.
Matthew 26 31-46 Reveals the Struggle of the Human Will
The conflict in Matthew 26 31-46 was not between Jesus and the devil. The struggle took place in the human will. Jesus prayed, “not as I will, but as thou wilt,” revealing that the deepest battle of obedience is the surrender of the will to God.
Matthew 26 31-46 Shows the Power of Prayer
In Matthew 26 31-46 Jesus prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane. Through prayer He faced the agony of the coming cross and submitted to the Father’s purpose. This passage teaches that prayer is the place where the believer overcomes fear and aligns their will with God’s will.
Matthew 26 31-46 Teaches That God’s Purpose Will Stand
Matthew 26 31-46 reveals that the Father’s plan could not be stopped. Jesus asked that the cup might pass from Him, yet He accepted the Father’s will. The message of Matthew 26 31-46 is that God’s purpose will always prevail over human resistance.
Matthew 26 31-46 Calls Believers to Surrender Their Will
The lesson of Matthew 26 31-46 applies to every believer. Each person eventually faces a Gethsemane moment when they must choose between their own will and God’s will. The path of discipleship requires the same surrender that Jesus demonstrated in the garden.
Questions and Answers About Matthew 26 31-46
What happens in Matthew 26 31-46?
Matthew 26 31-46 records Jesus leaving the upper room with His disciples and going to the Garden of Gethsemane. In Matthew 26 31-46 Jesus predicts that the disciples will be offended and scattered. He then enters Gethsemane where He prays three times, saying, “not my will, but thy will be done.” This passage shows how the battle of the cross was first won in prayer before Jesus was arrested.
What is the meaning of Gethsemane in Matthew 26 31-46?
In Matthew 26 31-46 the Garden of Gethsemane becomes the place where Jesus faces the struggle of the human will. The name Gethsemane means “olive press,” and in Matthew 26 31-46 it represents the moment when Christ was pressed under the weight of the coming cross. There Jesus submitted His will to the Father and accepted the purpose for which He came.
Why did Jesus pray three times in Matthew 26 31-46?
Matthew 26 31-46 shows Jesus praying three times in the Garden of Gethsemane. Each prayer expresses the same surrender to the Father’s will. By praying repeatedly, Jesus demonstrates the depth of the struggle and the importance of persistence in prayer. The victory of Matthew 26 31-46 comes when Jesus fully submits His will to the Father.
What does “not my will but thy will be done” mean in Matthew 26 31-46?
In Matthew 26 31-46 Jesus prayed, “not as I will, but as thou wilt.” This statement shows the complete surrender of the Son to the Father’s purpose. Matthew 26 31-46 teaches that the greatest battle of faith is often the battle of the will. Victory comes when our will yields to the will of God.
What does Matthew 26 31-46 teach about prayer?
Matthew 26 31-46 teaches that prayer is the place where the battle of the will is won. Jesus faced the weight of the cross in Gethsemane and overcame through prayer. The lesson of Matthew 26 31-46 is that prayer prepares the believer to obey God even when obedience is costly.
The lesson of Matthew 26 31-46 is that God’s will must ultimately prevail over our own will, just as Jesus demonstrated in the Garden of Gethsemane. Continue in Matthew: Matthew 26:47-68 Betrayal of Jesus →
Other Related Sermons:
Gethsemane We All Have One Luke 22:39-48
Himself He Could Not Save audio video notes
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25
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