Author: Bill Hall

43: Jesus returned the second time, finding them asleep. That their eyes were heavy simply means that they were sleepy. It was quite late. He does not rouse them this time.
44: Jesus prayed his prayer three times. We are given the substance of his prayer, but not likely the complete wording. He prayed the same thing three times, of this we can be sure. But, it took much longer than it would have taken him to simply say the words we have here recorded.
Some may wonder why Jesus would repeat himself three times to the Father. This is not, as Jesus warns of himself, meaningless repetition. Instead, praying three times was to show the Father the depth of his anguish, and yet also the depth of his resolve to submit.

Personal Journal Entry #12010
Prayer Journal Entry #12010
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 27:1-28:22

42: Here we find the same thing as in his previous prayer. The language once again shows that he is not unwilling to save sinful man, but would be willing to do it some other way. Beyond this, and more importantly, we see that his will is submitted to the Father’s. Though his will is submitted, it is still his will that submits. In other words, Jesus chose to do what he did. No one, not even the Father, forced him to do it. This is one of the most key characteristics of his sacrifice. He gave himself. It is key because there would be no saving grace from a sacrifice that was not freely offered. Compulsory sacrifice was never God’s desire, and it was not the mode of Christ’s sacrifice either.

Personal Journal Entry #12009
Prayer Journal Entry #12009
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 25:1-26:35

40: Although Jesus addresses Peter, the word ‘ye’ and the plural form of his commands shows that he was speaking to Peter, James, and John. It is implied that the others were asleep as well. Surely the disciples could stay awake for one hour more.
41: Jesus now adds to the request. He tells them to watch and pray, so that they will not begin to be tested and deny their Lord. Jesus knew exactly when his disciples would leave him. However, he always exhorted people to do the right things, even when he knew that they would not. He was instructing them as to how to continue with him through this ordeal, though he knew they would leave him soon.
He makes here an observation concerning the weakness of the flesh to encourage them to resist its tendency to drag them towards temptation. Although he was perfect, he was on this night beginning to feel those limitations because of the weight of sin.

Personal Journal Entry #12008
Prayer Journal Entry #12008
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 23:1-24:67

39: Notice that Jesus fell on his face. This is the biblical mode for the deepest prayer, not kneeling with hands folded and eyes turned heavenward. Jesus went a bit further away from the inner circle and prayed privately. If God did not want us to know the content of this prayer, it would never have been revealed.
Jesus asks for the cup, the experience of judgement for sin he was about to endure, to pass if possible. We might readily think that this means Jesus didn’t really want to die for our sins. Such is not the case. Christ does love us. However, the bearing of sin involved more than any human has ever endured. It involved more than God would ever want to be connected with. The Son had to become sin for us. For him, this was at once terrible and repulsive. He was saying that if there were some other way, he would very much like to do it some other way. But, as we see here, his greatest desire was to do the will of the Father. Only that could drive him to the cross.
The same is true for Christians today who are called upon to give their lives, only in a shadow of that sacrifice. A martyr, though a lover of the lost, gives his or her life for the love of Christ and the Father, not just the lost world.

Personal Journal Entry #12007
Prayer Journal Entry #12007
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 20:1-22:24

38: Here Jesus voices to the disciples what has already been stated in the previous verse. Added to this is the phrase ‘even unto death’ showing the extremity of the case. Jesus, though before this perfectly healthy, begins to endure emotional, mental, and physical strain.
In this situation, he asks his disciples for the extra consideration of staying awake with him. This is what he means by asking them to watch.

Personal Journal Entry #12006
Prayer Journal Entry #12006
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 17:1-19:38

37: This verse shows Jesus’ Divinity and humanity in balance. He took the inner circle with him. On the one hand, this shows his humanity in that humans generally have only a few very close friends. It shows his Divinity in that, even in this dark hour, he was still preparing his disciples.
The words at the end of this verse are full of meaning, and yet simple to understand when taken in perspective. Jesus was sad. This is the simple meaning of the word ‘sorrowful’ in the verse. The second word is a little trickier, but it simply means to be extremely uncomfortable. In other words, because Jesus was a human being, he was sad. He knew it was time to be leaving soon. He knew Judas was about to betray him. He knew the disciples would not even stay awake, and would leave him. As a human, these things made him sad.
Divinely speaking, Jesus was very uncomfortable. He knew what no human being had ever known, the weight of the sin of the world. He new supernaturally what he would endure on the cross, which we still do not fully understand. He knew the disbelief of many even to this day who reject his perfect work.

Personal Journal Entry #12005
Prayer Journal Entry #12005
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 13:1-16:16

36: This special place was a garden of olive trees just across the Kidron and at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Jesus and his disciples had come here before. Though it would have likely hidden him from the Jewish officials, Judas knew the spot well. Being a garden, it would have been easy for Jesus’ group to be divided up, and yet be within a good line of sight.

Personal Journal Entry #12004
Prayer Journal Entry #12004
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 10:1-12:20

33: The boldness and devotion of Peter are here overshadowed by his self-righteousness. He is, in effect, saying that he would remain faithful to his Lord, even if all of the other disciples stumbled spiritually. This reminds one of the earlier conversation of the disciples concerning who was to be the greatest in the kingdom. Pride is never flattering.
34: Jesus, of course, knows what will happen before it happens. The cock would crow twice, once at midnight, and once at the dawn of the new day. Jesus was telling Peter that, before the second crowing of the rooster, he would deny Christ three times.
35: Peter’s reaction was strong for various reasons. He had to save face before the other disciples. Jesus statement was strong, there was no confusion as to what he meant. To deny someone is to claim no knowledge of that person, as if they don’t exist in your memory. It is sad that Peter and the others seem to have missed Jesus’ words about his resurrection, but were apparently catching on about his death. They did not want to accept either, but his death was obviously likely at that point.

Personal Journal Entry #12003
Prayer Journal Entry #12003
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 7:1-9:29

31: Jesus words here must have been disturbing to the disciples. At this point, remember, only the eleven were with him. He is quoting from Zechariah’s prophecy concerning the Shepherd and the sheep. His use of the word ‘offended’ would have been offensive. It means to stumble spiritually. This may explain the disciple’s strong reaction. They all, being concerned about their status in his kingdom, went on the defensive.
32: Though Jesus states plainly that he would rise again, it seems the disciples missed it somehow. We often filter out what is not acceptable to out way of thinking.
Jesus words concerning Galilee bring up an interesting point. Why Galilee? Why not meet them in the temple? Why not show himself to the men who had him crucified? Why not stick around for awhile and let everybody know that you are risen? There are more answers to these questions than we can deal with here. One answer is very important, however. God expects people to believe Christ is risen whether they have personally met him in the flesh or not. Those who fail to accept him, though they have never actually seen the scars in his hands, are without excuse.

Personal Journal Entry #12003
Prayer Journal Entry #12002
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 4:1-6:22

26: As they were eating the Passover, Jesus does something special with the bread. This is the special unleavened bread used in the Passover, and as such had special significance anyway. The disciples should have immediately understood the symbolism here. The bread being blessed and broken shows the death of Christ according to God’s purpose. The disciples would have understood that, in the midst of a meal in which food represents various things, ‘this is my body’ means that the bread represents the body of Christ.
27: Several times during the meal the cup would have been involved. However, Jesus waits until the end, and the last, or next to the last, cup, to explain his blood in relation to the new covenant. He gives thanks for it and instructs each of them to drink from it.
28: Once again they would know that he is saying his blood is represented by that cup. The new covenant, under which God would write his law on their hearts, had to be put into force by blood. Without it, sin could not be remitted. Jesus makes it clear that his blood meets this requirement.
29: Many have tried to spiritualize this passage by saying that he is not actually referring to literally drinking something. But, it is clear that Jesus really means what he says. He has not partaken of that particular fruit of the vine since that day. He will do so next with the saints after the renewing of things in his millennial reign on earth.
30: The song here sung was likely Psalm 116-118, usually done at the end of the Passover.

Personal Journal Entry #12001
Prayer Journal Entry #12001
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 1:1-3:24