This section in Luke's Gospel consists of two incidents: Jesus' preparation for His arrest and crucifixion, and the arrest itself. The subject of the whole section is proper preparation for persecution.
Luke organized his narrative so Jesus' praying in the garden follows immediately His instructions to the disciples about their preparing for the crisis to come. The present pericope shows Jesus' proper approach to it and the disciples' improper approach. The next pericope reveals the consequences of their actions.
22:39-40 Luke had earlier revealed that during this week Jesus spent His nights on the Mount of Olives (21:37). It is apparently to this custom that the writer referred here. Judas would have expected Jesus to do this, and Jesus did not try to elude Judas. Jesus' control over His own destiny is again evident in His leading the disciples out of the city to the mount. Luke did not identify the place where Jesus prayed as Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36; Mark 14:32) perhaps because he did not want to detract from the action in the pericope. Jesus focused the disciples' attention on their need for God's protection from temptation (Gr. peirasmon) and instructed them to pray for it (cf. 11:4). Only Luke wrote that He told them to pray for this, and only Luke mentioned that Jesus gave this command to all the disciples. The effect is that the reader sees all the disciples failing.
22:41-42 Luke presented Jesus praying as any disciple could pray (cf. Rom. 11:4; 14:11; Eph. 3:14; Phil. 2:10). His posture reflects His submissive attitude. Luke did not record that Jesus lay prostrate during part of His prayer vigil (Matt. 26:39; Mark 14:35).
The prayer itself reveals complete dependence on the Father's will. Jesus asked for a removal of the cup, the symbol of His sufferings because of God's judgment on sin (cf. Ps. 11:6; 75:8; Isa. 51:17; Jer. 25:15-17; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24). He requested it if possible (Gr. ei boulei). Notwithstanding He submitted to His Father's will above all. Throughout his Gospel Luke made frequent references to Jesus' conscious fulfillment of God's purposes.
The submissiveness of Jesus' prayer is a model for all disciples. When we do not know God's will specifically, we can voice our request, but we should always submit our preferences to God's will. Luke pictured Jesus as a real man, not a demigod.
"The effect of the saying is that Jesus, facing the temptation to avoid the path of suffering appointed by God, nevertheless accepts the will of God despite his own desire that it might be otherwise. He does not seek to disobey the will of God, but longs that God's will might be different. But even this is to be regarded as temptation, and it is overcome by Jesus."484
22:43-44 Only Luke mentioned the angel who strengthened Jesus (cf. 9:26; 12:8-9; 15:10; 16:22). Probably he did this to help his readers realize the supernatural strength that praying brings (cf. 1 Kings 19:5-6; Dan. 10:17-18). However the angel's presence did not remove the agony that Jesus' felt as He prayed. The implication may be that the angel's help enabled Jesus to pray more intensely and so to resist temptation more effectively. Jesus' fervency, as His posture, reflected His feelings, this time His horror at the prospect of the Cross. God does not always spare us trials, but He provides strength to face them.485
In what sense was Jesus' sweat similar to drops of blood? Perhaps it was so profuse that it resembled blood flowing from a wound.486Perhaps there is an allusion to this suffering being the fulfillment of God's judgment on Adam when He said that Adam would live by the sweat of his brow (Gen. 3:19).487Luke may have been creating a rhetorical expression, namely tears of blood.488Perhaps Jesus' sweat was red because blood exuded through the pores of His skin.489Probably Luke made a connection with blood because Jesus' sweat was the result of His great sufferings as shedding blood is often the result of intense suffering. The point then is that Jesus was sweating profusely, and His sweat was the result of His suffering in anticipation of the Cross.
22:45-46 Instead of praying the disciples were sleeping. Luke noted that they slept from sorrow. Evidently their sorrow (Gr. lupe, grief) at the prospect of Jesus' impending death had worn them out. The NEB translation "worn out by grief"is helpful. Depression often results in weariness.
Jesus' question had the force of "How can you sleep at a time like this?"They needed to pray so they would not enter into temptation much less fall before it. Spiritual preparation before testing has more effect than just calling for rescue when we are in it (cf. Matt. 6:13; Luke 11:4). Jesus showed concern for the welfare of His disciples even when His own needs were the greatest. Luke omitted the three trips Jesus made to the sleeping disciples that Matthew and Mark recorded (Matt. 26:42-45; Mark 14:39-41). The effect is more emphasis on Jesus' praying and less on the disciples' failing.
22:47-48 All the synoptic evangelists noted the close connection between Jesus' praying and the arrival of the soldiers. It was very important that Jesus pray. Judas preceded the arresting mob (Gr. ochlos, crowd) as Jesus had preceded His disciples, namely as their leader (v. 39). Luke stressed Judas' hypocrisy in betraying Jesus with a kiss, the sign of friendship (cf. Gen. 27:46-47; 2 Sam. 15:5; 20:9; Prov. 7:13; 27:6), plus the fact that Jesus knew Judas' purpose. Disciples of rabbis often greeted their teachers with a kiss on the hand.490Luke described Judas as "one called Judas,"a way of keeping him at a distance while viewing him. "Son of Man"stresses Jesus' identity as the divine ruler whom God had sent. The word order in the Greek text that indicates emphasis is "kiss,""Son of Man,"and "betraying."
22:49-50 The disciples asked Jesus if they should use their swords (v. 38). Still their question was not so much a request for permission as an announcement of the action they intended to take. Jesus had earlier expressed His submission to the Father's will in prayer (vv. 41-44). The disciples had failed to pray and expressed their opposition to Jesus' will here. Luke did not identify the assailant as Peter (John 18:10) probably to keep the emphasis on his act rather than his identity. Interestingly Luke identified Judas clearly, but he did not identify Peter. Perhaps this magnifies the seriousness of Judas' sin while playing down Peter's sin. Doctor Luke and John noted that it was the right ear that Peter severed. Evidently Peter had swung to split the servant's head open and had missed. The sword (Gr. machaira) was small, curved, and commonly used for self-defense.
In Matthew and Mark, Peter's attack follows Jesus' arrest, but in Luke it precedes it. Perhaps the soldiers took hold of Jesus, then Peter flew into action, then Jesus restored the servant's ear, and then the soldiers led Jesus away.
22:51 Jesus rebuked Peter's aggressive defensive measure. This is more probable than that He spoke to the soldiers and requested permission to heal the servant.491Another improbable interpretation is that Jesus meant that the disciples should let the soldiers have their way with Him.492Jesus then reversed the damage done by healing the servant. He did what He had previously told the disciples to do, namely do good to their enemies rather than evil. Again Luke noted Jesus' compassion even for those who sought to kill Him. Jesus did not rely on the sword nor did He base His kingdom on the use of physical force.
22:52-53 By mentioning the representatives of the various groups--religious, military, and political--that had come to arrest Jesus, Luke highlighted the absurdity of their action, which Jesus identified. These were all leaders of the Jews, not common Israelites. They had come prepared for a fight, but Jesus assured them that He would not give them one. If they wanted to arrest Him, it would have been easier to do so in the temple in daylight. They did not do the deed then, of course, because they feared the people (19:48; 20:19; 22:2). By coming when and as they did, they only made the hypocrisy of their action more obvious.
"Hour"designates a time of destiny or opportunity. The power (Gr. exousia, "reigns"NIV, cf. 4:6; 23:7) of darkness is the authority of Satan that God gave him for that time. Coming after dark symbolized the power of darkness that was active behind their action.
