What do those facts mean?:
(Verse 27-28) - Now is my soul troubled-The
mention of his death brought before him its approaching horrors, its
pains, its darkness, its unparalleled woes. Jesus was full of acute
sensibility, and his human nature shrunk from the scenes through which he
was to pass.
What shall I say?-This is an expression denoting
intense anxiety and perplexity. As if it were a subject of debate whether
he could bear those sufferings; or whether the work of man's redemption
should be abandoned, and he should call upon God to save him. Blessed be
his name that he was willing to endure these sorrows, and did not forsake
man when he was so near being redeemed! On the decision of that moment-the
fixed and unwavering purpose of the Son of God depended man's salvation.
If Jesus had forsaken his purpose then, all would have been lost.
Father, save me-This ought undoubtedly to have been
read as a question-“Shall I say, Father, save me?” Shall I apply to
God to rescue me? or shall I go forward to bear these trials? As it is in
our translation, it represents him as actually offering the prayer, and
then checking himself. The Greek will bear either interpretation. The
whole verse is full of deep feeling and anxiety.
This hour - These calamities. The word “hour,”
here, doubtless has reference to his approaching sufferings the appointed
hour for him to suffer. Shall I ask my Father to save me from this
hour-that is, from these approaching sufferings? That it might have been
done, see Matt. 26:53.
But for this cause-That is, to suffer and die. As
this was the design of his coming as he did it deliberately--as the
salvation of the world depended on it, he felt that it would not be proper
to pray to be delivered from it. He came to suffer, and he submitted to
it. See Luke 23:42.
Glorify thy name-The meaning of this expression in this
connection is this: “I am willing to bear any trials; I will not shrink
from any sufferings. Let thy name be honored. Let thy character, wisdom,
goodness, and plans of mercy be manifested and promoted, whatever
sufferings it may cost me.” Thus Jesus showed us that God's glory is to
be the great end of our conduct, and that we are to seek that, whatever
sufferings it may cost us.
I have both glorified it-The
word “it” is not here in the original, but it is not improperly
supplied by the translators. There can be no doubt that when God says here
that he had glorified his name, he refers to what had been done by Christ,
and that this was to be understood as an attestation that he attended him
and approved his work. See John 12:30. He had honored his name, or had
glorified him, by the pure instructions which he had given to man through
him; by the power displayed in his miracles; by proclaiming his mercy
through him; by appointing him to be the Messiah, etc.
Will glorify it again-By the death, the resurrection,
and ascension of his Son, and by extending the blessings of the gospel
among all nations. It was thus that he sustained his Son in view of
approaching trials; and we may learn:
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That God will minister grace to us in the prospect of
suffering.
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That the fact that God will be honored by our afflictions
should make us willing to hear them.
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That whatever was done by Christ tended to honor the name
of God. This was what he had in view. He lived and suffered, not for
himself, but to glorify God in the salvation of men.
How do those facts apply to my life?:
The example of Christ following the Lord's will
obediently is the greatest in all of the Scripture. He submitted Himself
to the Father even unto the death of the cross.
This is the example of obedience and submission to god that I must
follow.
What should I do in response?:
I must look for areas of my life that are uncommitted in
this fashion and see to it that I am being the obedient son that I need to
be.
