Verses 42-44
Jesus’ repetition of His request illustrates persistence in prayer, not vain repetition. Persistence expresses the intensity with which we feel the need for our petition and our faith in God’s ability to meet our need. Vain repetition relies on the simple repetition of words to wear God down.
Jesus’ again illustrated the importance of submission to the Father’s will for His disciples. He had taught them the importance of this attitude earlier (Matthew 6:10). By submitting to God’s will Jesus learned obedience (Hebrews 5:7-9). [Note: See S. Lewis Johnson Jr., "The Agony of Christ," Bibliotheca Sacra 124:496 (October-December 1967):303-13.]
"In the first garden ’Not your will but mine’ changed Paradise to desert and brought man from Eden to Gethsemane. Now ’Not my will but yours’ brings anguish to the man who prays it but transforms the desert into the kingdom and brings man from Gethsemane to the gates of glory." [Note: Carson, "Matthew," p. 545.]
"After three assaults had the tempter left Him in the wilderness; after the threefold conflict in the Garden he was vanquished." [Note: Edersheim, The Life . . ., 2:541.]
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