Have you ever been assigned a task that you did not wish to do? You were uncomfortable with it. You were out of your comfort zone. Perhaps there was an element of fear? Most of us do not want others to know when we are fearful. In fact, sometimes when we are fearful, we feel angry or we call that feeling something else. When I think of Jesus praying in the Garden I cannot imagine the fear he must have felt, knowing what would happen if he bent to the will of his Father. He could have run away. He could have left that night and gone to another town or village to hide until the political situation cooled off and he was no longer in danger.
As I read the Scripture, that does not seem to even be an option that he considers. Matthew 26:39 reads “And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” (Lutheran Study Bible).
In John 15:12-13 Jesus tells his followers: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I have commanded you.” (Lutheran Study Bible) Jesus certainly followed through on that commandment.
In I John 4:18, probably written by John, the writer of the Gospel and who early sources credit with being the son of Zebedee, one of Jesus’s disciples, he writes “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. . .” When John speaks of “perfect love”, he is speaking about God’s love. A love that is perfectly trustworthy. A love that has our best interests in his heart. Jesus understood this and so was able to complete the task that the Father was asking him to do.
Did Jesus remain afraid? I don’t know. I do know that he saw his mission through and I believe he allowed his faith in his Father to override whatever fears he had so that he has able to follow through with his calling.
Thanks be to God!
Nan Schroeder