What did Jesus mean when He said "let this cup pass from Me"?
Matthew 26:39
NKJV - 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.
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Asked September 28 2013
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Paul Mannon
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D W
Supporter
Before the foundation of the world the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross was ordained by God. Jesus knew that that day would come. On His knees, weeping, Jesus experienced the suffering for ALL the sins of ALL mankind from DAY ONE and until He comes again in great glory! Imagine the agony of that! No .... it is beyond imagination. Multiply the most horrible pain and suffering by any human by all the people who have ever lived and have yet to live. Yet, Jesus said, "Not MY Will, but Yours." And He went to that Cross, already beaten to the point of death, was nailed to it, and suffered until at one point He cried out, "FATHER! FORGIVE THEM! They know not what they do." Hallelujah ..... what a Savior.
Gerald LaRosa
I have been recently been concerned and fearful about facing old age and death and how on a linear scale, I am looking at the "horizon" of my life. I have been blessed with wonderful friends, family and memories. I can look back at the "landscape" of my life and praise the Lord that there are green pastures and fruit. Still, it's natural to want to live and enjoy our loved ones without the constraint of the inevitable disease of aging and eventual death. I know I'll see our Lord and it's a win-win situation. Jesus, facing death, suffered in the garden and asked the Father if this cup can be taken from Him - with this in mind - Human Jesus, God of the universe faced the same concern. This kindled in me a kindred spirit and gave me comfort that I am not alone as Jesus will be beside me as I will someday face my final moments in my earthly garden.
Brandon Hughes
Charles Spurgeon puts it best, this is the cup Jesus wanted to pass, but God the Father's will be done and Jesus submitted: Jesus said, “I will take the cup of salvation;” and he did take it—the cup of our deliverance. Bitter were its drops; gall lay in its depths; there were groans, and sighs, and tears, within the red mixture; but he took it all, and drank it to its dregs, and swallowed all the awful draught. All was gone. He drank the cup of salvation, and he ate the bread of affliction. See him, as he drinks the cup in Gethsemane, when the fluid of that cup did mingle with his blood, and make each drop a scalding poison. Mark how the hot feet of pain did travel down his veins. See how each nerve is twisted and contorted with his agony. Behold his brow covered with sweat; witness the agonies as they follow each other into the very depths of his soul. Speak, you lost, and tell what hell’s torment means; but you cannot tell what the torments of Gethsemane were. Oh! the deep unutterable! There was a depth which couched beneath, when our Redeemer bowed his head, when he placed himself between the upper and nether millstones of his Father’s vengeance, and when his whole soul was ground to powder. Ah! that wrestling God-man—that suffering man of Gethsemane! Weep o’er, saints—weep o’er him; when you see him rising from that prayer in the garden, marching forth to his cross; when you picture him hanging on his cross four long hours in the scorching sun, overwhelmed by his Father’s passing wrath—when you see his side streaming with gore—when ye hear his death-shriek, “It is finished,”—and see his lips all parched, and moistened by nothing save the vinegar and the gall,—ah! then prostrate yourselves before that cross, bow down before that sufferer, and say, “Thou hast made us—thou hast made us what we are; we are nothing without thee.”
Kessina Onorive
He was conscious of what the will of the Father was to him. From the beginning man fell and gave his authority to the devil. He fell short of the glory of God. The will of the Father was to reconcile the whole world to him in a fellowship of togetherness or oneness. He fulfilled the will of the Father. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Theo Robinson
It is my belief that the cup of suffering he was referring to was Death on the Cross. He knew he had to die, but there was a shame associated with cross dying. .. "dispising the shame he endured the cross"
Joseph Spahn
I believe that, the cup he did not want to drink was when the Father turned his back to Christ, because he could not look upon him as he poured out his wrath. It is the only time in eternity that the Son could not see the face of the Father. Because He faced the cross with Joy, knowing what it would accomplish.
rene lopez
Jesus did not want to drink the cup just yet, three years of his preaching was not enough, he just wanted more time to preach the good news. It was to him as though he was giving instructions to children and HE wanted to make sure they got it. Do they really understand FATHER? Maybe I need more time? Will they forget as soon as I am gone? Maybe I can save a few more? But the father had the time table, and if he staid too long, they would treat him like the furniture. You see he had left all those choices to the father. After the resurrection he did not know when he was going to return. He had the lost on his mind to the HIS last breath. Forgive them FATHER for they...........
Robert Taylor
Jesus was praying to the Father and hoping for an "Isaac moment". He was familiar with the account in the Old Testament where Abraham was about to slay Isaac but God spared his life. In the end he knew he had to go through the sufferings in order to experience the glory that was to follow.
Salem Markus Purba
The words "let this cup pass from Me", reminds us to the ancient era B.C traditions, when some philosopers who were accused of being subversive to the legal and belief system of the society, found guilty by the court/judges and sentenced to die by drinking a cup of a deadly poison. Was Jesus a philoshoper? Of course not, but why Jesus said: "let this cup pass from Me"?because the Pharisees and Sadducees were accusing him of being subversive to the Jewish belief system. Sin is a deadly poison (Gen.2:17; Romans 6:23); Jesus is God himself (John 1:14), as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 42: 1-9) and whoever believe in him will not hurt when they drink deadly poison (Mark 16:18).as Jesus did!.
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