the desire of ages-第147节

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Just　before　He　bent　His　footsteps　to　the　garden；　Jesus　had　said　to　the　disciples；　〃All　ye　shall　be　offended　because　of　Me　this　night。〃　They　had　given　Him　the　strongest　assurance　that　they　would　go　with　Him　to　prison　and　to　death。　And　poor；　self…sufficient　Peter　had　added；　〃Although　all　shall　be　offended；　yet　will　not　I。〃　Mark　14：27；　29。　But　the

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disciples　trusted　to　themselves。　They　did　not　look　to　the　mighty　Helper　as　Christ　had　counseled　them　to　do。　Thus　when　the　Saviour　was　most　in　need　of　their　sympathy　and　prayers；　they　were　found　asleep。　Even　Peter　was　sleeping。

And　John；　the　loving　disciple　who　had　leaned　upon　the　breast　of　Jesus；　was　asleep。　Surely；　the　love　of　John　for　his　Master　should　have　kept　him　awake。　His　earnest　prayers　should　have　mingled　with　those　of　his　loved　Saviour　in　the　time　of　His　supreme　sorrow。　The　Redeemer　had　spent　entire　nights　praying　for　His　disciples；　that　their　faith　might　not　fail。　Should　Jesus　now　put　to　James　and　John　the　question　He　had　once　asked　them；　〃Are　ye　able　to　drink　of　the　cup　that　I　shall　drink　of；　and　to　be　baptized　with　the　baptism　that　I　am　baptized　with？〃　they　would　not　have　ventured　to　answer；　〃We　are　able。〃　Matt。　20：22。

The　disciples　awakened　at　the　voice　of　Jesus；　but　they　hardly　knew　Him；　His　face　was　so　changed　by　anguish。　Addressing　Peter；　Jesus　said；　〃Simon；　sleepest　thou？　couldest　not　thou　watch　one　hour？　Watch　ye　and　pray；　lest　ye　enter　into　temptation。　The　spirit　truly　is　ready；　but　the　flesh　is　weak。〃　The　weakness　of　His　disciples　awakened　the　sympathy　of　Jesus。　He　feared　that　they　would　not　be　able　to　endure　the　test　which　would　come　upon　them　in　His　betrayal　and　death。　He　did　not　reprove　them；　but　said；　〃Watch　ye　and　pray；　lest　ye　enter　into　temptation。〃　Even　in　His　great　agony；　He　was　seeking　to　excuse　their　weakness。　〃The　spirit　truly　is　ready；〃　He　said；　〃but　the　flesh　is　weak。〃

Again　the　Son　of　God　was　seized　with　superhuman　agony；　and　fainting　and　exhausted；　He　staggered　back　to　the　place　of　His　former　struggle。　His　suffering　was　even　greater　than　before。　As　the　agony　of　soul　came　upon　Him；　〃His　sweat　was　as　it　were　great　drops　of　blood　falling　down　to　the　ground。〃　The　cypress　and　palm　trees　were　the　silent　witnesses　of　His　anguish。　From　their　leafy　branches　dropped　heavy　dew　upon　His　stricken　form；　as　if　nature　wept　over　its　Author　wrestling　alone　with　the　powers　of　darkness。

A　short　time　before；　Jesus　had　stood　like　a　mighty　cedar；　withstanding　the　storm　of　opposition　that　spent　its　fury　upon　Him。　Stubborn　wills；　and　hearts　filled　with　malice　and　subtlety；　had　striven　in　vain　to　confuse　and　overpower　Him。　He　stood　forth　in　divine　majesty　as　the　Son　of　God。　Now　He　was　like　a　reed　beaten　and　bent　by　the　angry　storm。　He　had　approached　the　consummation　of　His　work　a　conqueror；　having　at　each　step　gained　the　victory　over　the　powers　of　darkness。　As

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one　already　glorified；　He　had　claimed　oneness　with　God。　In　unfaltering　accents　He　had　poured　out　His　songs　of　praise。　He　had　spoken　to　His　disciples　in　words　of　courage　and　tenderness。　Now　had　come　the　hour　of　the　power　of　darkness。　Now　His　voice　was　heard　on　the　still　evening　air；　not　in　tones　of　triumph；　but　full　of　human　anguish。　The　words　of　the　Saviour　were　borne　to　the　ears　of　the　drowsy　disciples；　〃O　My　Father；　if　this　cup　may　not　pass　away　from　Me；　except　I　drink　it；　Thy　will　be　done。〃

The　first　impulse　of　the　disciples　was　to　go　to　Him；　but　He　had　bidden　them　tarry　there；　watching　unto　prayer。　When　Jesus　came　to　them；　He　found　them　still　sleeping。　Again　He　had　felt　a　longing　for　companionship；　for　some　words　from　His　disciples　which　would　bring　relief；　and　break　the　spell　of　darkness　that　well…nigh　overpowered　Him。　But　their　eyes　were　heavy；　〃neither　wist　they　what　to　answer　Him。〃　His　presence　aroused　them。　They　saw　His　face　marked　with　the　bloody　sweat　of　agony；　and　they　were　filled　with　fear。　His　anguish　of　mind　they　could　not　understand。　〃His　visage　was　so　marred　more　than　any　man；　and　His　form　more　than　the　sons　of　men。〃　Isa。　52：14。

Turning　away；　Jesus　sought　again　His　retreat；　and　fell　prostrate；　overcome　by　the　horror　of　a　great　darkness。　The　humanity　of　the　Son　of　God　trembled　in　that　trying　hour。　He　prayed　not　now　for　His　disciples　that　their　faith　might　not　fail；　but　for　His　own　tempted；　agonized　soul。　The　awful　moment　had　comethat　moment　which　was　to　decide　the　destiny　of　the　world。　The　fate　of　humanity　trembled　in　the　balance。　Christ　might　even　now　refuse　to　drink　the　cup　apportioned　to　guilty　man。　It　was　not　yet　too　late。　He　might　wipe　the　bloody　sweat　from　His　brow；　and　leave　man　to　perish　in　his　iniquity。　He　might　say；　Let　the　transgressor　receive　the　penalty　of　his　sin；　and　I　will　go　back　to　My　Father。　Will　the　Son　of　God　drink　the　bitter　cup　of　humiliation　and　agony？　Will　the　innocent　suffer　the　consequences　of　the　curse　of　sin；　to　save　the　guilty？　The　words　fall　tremblingly　from　the　pale　lips　of　Jesus；　〃O　My　Father；　if　this　cup　may　not　pass　away　from　Me；　except　I　drink　it；　Thy　will　be　done。〃

Three　times　has　He　uttered　that　prayer。　Three　times　has　humanity　shrunk　from　the　last；　crowning　sacrifice。　But　now　the　history　of　the　human　race　comes　up　before　the　world's　Redeemer。　He　sees　that　the　transgressors　of　the　law；　if　left　to　themselves；　must　perish。　He　sees　the　helplessness　of　man。　He　sees　the　power　of　sin。　The　woes　and　lamentations　of　a　doomed　world　rise　before　Him。　He　beholds　its　impending

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fate；　and　His　decision　is　made。　He　will　save　man　at　any　cost　to　Himself。　He　accepts　His　baptism　of　blood；　that　through　Him　perishing　millions　may　gain　everlasting　life。　He　has　left　the　courts　of　heaven；　where　all　is　purity；　happiness；　and　glory；　to　save　the　one　lost　sheep；　the　one　world　that　has　fallen　by　transgression。　And　He　will　not　turn　from　His　mission。　He　will　become　the　propitiation　of　a　race　that　has　willed　to　sin。　His　prayer　now　breathes　only　submission：　〃If　this　cup　may　not　pass　away　from　Me；　except　I　drink　it；　Thy　will　be　done。〃

Having　made　the　decision；　He　fell　dying　to　the　ground　from　which　He　had　partially　risen。　Where　now　were　His　disciples；　to　place　their　hands　tenderly　beneath　the　head　of　their　fainting　Master；　and　bathe　that　brow；　marred　indeed　more　than　the　sons　of　men？　The　Saviour　trod　the　wine　press　alone；　and　of　the　people　there　was　none　with　Him。

But　God　suffered　with　His　Son。　Angels　beheld　the　Saviour's　agony。　They　saw　their　Lord　enclosed　by　legions　of　satanic　forces；　His　nature　weighed　down　with　a　shuddering；　mysterious　dread。　There　was　silence　in　heaven。　No　harp　was　touched。　Could　mortals　have　viewed　the　amazement　of　the　angelic　host　as　in　silent　grief　they　watched　the　Father　separating　His　beams　of　light；　love；　and　glory　from　His　beloved　Son；　they　would　better　understand　how　offensive　in　His　sight　is　sin。

The　worlds　unfallen　and　the　heavenly　angels　had　watched　with　intense　interest　as　the　conflict　drew　to　its　close。　Satan　and　his　confederacy　of　evil；　the　legions　of　apostasy；　watched　intently　this　great　crisis　in　the　work　of　redemption。　The　powers　of　good　and　evil　waited　to　see　what　answer　would　come　to　Christ's　thrice…repeated　prayer。　Angels　had　longed　to　bring　relief　to　the　divine　sufferer；　but　this　might　not　be。　No　way　of　escape　was　found　for　the　Son　of　God。　In　this　awful　crisis；　when　everything　was　at　stake；　when　the　mysterious　cup　trembled　in　the　hand　of　the　sufferer；　the　heavens　opened；　a　light　shone　forth　amid　the　stormy　darkness　of　the　crisis　hour；　and　the　mighty　angel　who　stands　in　God's　presence；　occupying　the　position　from　which　Satan　fell；　came　to　the　side　of　Christ。　The　angel　came　not　to　take　the　cup　from　Christ's　hand；　but　to　strengthen　Him　to　drink　it；　with　the　assurance　of　the　Father's　love。　He　came　to　give　power　to　the　divine…human　suppliant。　He　pointed　Him　to　the　open　heavens；　telling　Him　of　the　souls　that　would　be　saved　as　the　result　of　His　sufferings。　He　assured　Him　that　His　Father　is　greater　and　more　powerful　than　Satan；　that　His　death　would　result　in　the　utter　discomfiture　of　Satan；　and　that　the　kingdom　of　this　world　would　be　given　to　the　saints　of　the　Most　High。　He　told　Him　that　He

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would　see　of　the　travail　of　His　soul；　and　be　satisfied；　for　He　would　see　a　multitude　of　the　human　race　saved；　eternally　saved。

Christ's　agony　did　not　cease；　but　His　depression　and　discouragement　left　Him。　The　storm　had　in　nowise　abated；　but　He　who　was　its　object　was　strengthened　to　meet　its　fury。　He　came　forth　calm　and　serene。　A　heavenly　peace　rested　upon　His　bloodstained　face。　He　had　borne　that　which　no　human　being　could　ever　bear；　for　He　had　tasted　the　sufferings　of　death　for　every　man。

The　sleeping　disciples　had　been　suddenly　awakened　by　the　light　surrounding　the　Saviour。　They　saw　the　angel　bending　over　their　prostrate　Master。　They　saw　him　lift　the　Saviour's　head　upon　his　bosom；　and　point　toward　heaven。　They　heard　his　voice；　like　sweetest　music；　speaking　words　of　comfort　and　hope。　The　disciples　recalled　the　scene　upon　the　mount　of　transfiguration。　They　remembered　the　glory　that　in　the　temple　had　encircled　Jesus；　and　the　voice　of　God　that　spoke　from　the　cloud。　Now　that　same　glor