Take Away This Cup From Me - Mark 14:36

Mark wrote how Jesus and His disciples, “came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he said to his disciples, Sit you here, while I shall pray. And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy. And said unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry you here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him”, and in chapter fourteen and verse thirty-six of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “Abba, Father … take away this cup from me”, where we read:

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto you; take away this cup from me:

nevertheless not what I will, but what you will.

The verse reads, “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto you; take away this cup from me:” Mark began with the words, “And he said” which means “and Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “Abba” or “father or daddy”, “Father” which means “generator, originator and progenitor”, “all things are possible unto you” or “each, every, the whole and everything is capable, able and powerful through God”; “take away this cup” which means “remove, carry away, allow to pas by and avert this drinking vessel, lot, experience or appointment” “from me” or “away, separate and apart from Jesus Himself”. Mark shared how Jesus' prayer was directed to His Father God who is able to do anything He desires, and Jesus asked that what He was about to experience would be removed from Him.

The verse goes on to say, “nevertheless not what I will, but what you will.” Mark continues with the words, “nevertheless” which means “notwithstanding, rather, moreover and” “not what I will” or “not as Jesus would desire, have in mind, intend, resolve, determine or purpose”, “but what you will” which means “nevertheless, rather, moreover and that which God Himself desires, has in mind, intends, resolves, determines and purposes”. Mark shared how Jesus surrendered what He “desired” for that which His Father God intended and had in mind.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see Jesus' prayer to His Father in Heaven. Jesus knew everything was “possible” for God, so He made His appeal for God to “remove” the “cup” of “trouble and trial” that was before Him. Though Jesus made His desire known, He deferred His own “preference” to His Father God. By yielding His “will” to God's, Jesus gave everyone who believes and trusts in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” the opportunity to live with Him for all eternity. May all who read Jesus' words know and understand what He has done to obtain their “salvation”.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus “came, and found them sleeping, and said unto Peter, Simon, sleep you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".