[Monday's Devotional] - Left alone in Gethsemane

One of the most prolific writers of Devotionals and Christian books in the 19^th Century was Charles Spurgeon.  Born in 1834, long before the internet and mass communications, it is nevertheless estimated that he preached to 10 million people in his lifetime!  

The language of his writing sounds a little old-fashioned in the 21^st century, but the insights are still valid today.  So this week, I am paraphrasing some of his Devotionals in more contemporary English, hoping to make them more readable – with the assistance of the online resource at http://www.spurgeon.org/daily.htm  Here we go (Spurgeon’s paraphrased text in Italics):

"The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone …"  John 16:32a [RSV]

Few shared fellowship with Jesus during his time of sorrows in the garden of Gethsemane. Most of the disciples were not sufficiently matured in grace to witness the mysteries of "the agony" Christ suffered there.  Occupied with the Passover feast at their own houses, they represent the many that live according to the “letter” but are immature infants regarding the “spirit” of the gospel.

Only eleven (for Judas was elsewhere) of the disciples were given the privilege to enter Gethsemane and see "this great sight."  Out of the eleven, eight were left at a distance; they had fellowship, but not of that intimate sort to which those dearly-beloved are admitted. Only three highly-favoured ones could approach the veil of Christ’s mysterious sorrow: within that veil even these could not intrude; they were to remain a stone's-throw distance away.  He must tread the wine-press alone, without any of the people with Him.  Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (James and John), represent the few eminent, experienced saints, who may be written down as "Fathers;" these few having sailed on great seas, can in some degree appreciate the huge Atlantic waves of their Redeemer's passion.

To some selected spirits it is given, for the good of others, and to strengthen them for future, special, and tremendous conflict, to enter the inner circle and hear the pleadings of the suffering High Priest; they have fellowship with Him in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.  Yet even these cannot penetrate the secret places of the Saviour's woe. "Thine unknown sufferings" is the remarkable expression of the Greek liturgy: there was an inner chamber in our Lord's grief, shut out from human knowledge and fellowship. There Jesus is "left alone." Here Jesus was more than ever an "Unspeakable gift!" Isaac Watts puts it this way in his hymn, The Gospel Feast:

"It cost him death to save our lives,

To buy our souls it cost his own;

And all the unknown joys he gives,

Were bought with agonies unknown."
 

Charles Spurgeon, paraphrased by Dave MacLellan