So, the disciples ran from the Garden when Jesus submitted Himself to the arrest by the Jews (14:49-52). Even a young man, whom many identify as Mark (since he is the only one of the Gospel writers to include this event) fled the scene leaving his clothing behind. Think about the scene. One moment, the disciples are ready to fight. Then, suddenly, they all took off. Why? What was their problem?
The scattering had been prophesied (14:27 quoting Zech. 13:7). Jesus had brought it up to the disciples. You might think they didn’t have a choice in the matter, that it was predestined! Wrong!!! That is never the excuse for evil. Even when Jesus said, as the soldiers drove the nails in His hands and feet, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do,” Jesus was not excusing them. They were guilty and that is why He prayed for the Father’s forgiveness.
Gethsemane was the sight of a great spiritual battle for Christ. Satan apparently considered this an “opportune time” (Lk. 4:13). So perhaps we could blame Satan for what the disciples did. Again, this is not the way Scripture speaks of our responsibility for sinful actions. No question, Satan is at work. But we do not get a pass because of Satan, or of the constant lying society in which we live that is ruled by Satan, the “god of this age.”
The problem is within. Jesus said to Peter: Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. That was the problem! Jesus was watching, the disciples were not. So when the mob arrived, Jesus was steadfast and the disciples stumbled/scattered.
What are we watching for? You might think we should watch for Satan, since 1 Peter 5:8 uses this term: Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But Peter did not say to watch for Satan; he said to watch because of Satan. Jesus was watching in the Garden when Satan was around, and the disciples were not watching. The fact is, Satan is always around. This is his world, so our watching must be constant. Paul told the Ephesian elders to watch, even as he had unceasingly for 3 years.
But I would suggest John in Revelation tells us how to watch. Rev. 3:3: Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. Rev. 16:15: “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” It is Christ on whom we should set out attention. It is Jesus who will come surprisingly, as a thief, if we are not watching. Jesus, in Gethsemane, was watching, setting His attention on the Father. We need to be watching in the same way.
We read from Isaiah again today so you can see this truth. The Lord told Isaiah not to have the perspective of the people. Rather, The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. In other words, to watch is to set our affection on the Lord, on what He is doing.
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