Luke 22:41 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he withdrew from them about a stone 's throw, and knelt down and prayed,

NIV: He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,

NASB: And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,

CSB: Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray,

NLT: He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed,

KJV: And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

NKJV: And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,

Jesus and the disciples are in the garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives (Luke 22:39; Mark 14:32). Jesus has asked the disciples to sit while He prays. He takes Peter, James, and John a little bit away and tells them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me" (Matthew 26:38). He also tells them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Luke 22:40).

Now, He separates from them; the Greek can refer to an emotional distance as well as a geographic one, but they are close enough that they can hear Him. Jesus falls on His face and prays, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:39).

Earlier in His ministry, Jesus fell asleep in a boat in a raging storm. When the disciples woke Him up, He commented on their lack of faith. He could do so because He knew that in that moment, He was in His Father's will; nothing would happen to them. Then, He was safe (Mark 4:35–41).

Now, Jesus is in the Father's will and most certainly not safe (Luke 9:22). He knows that within hours He will be scourged and crucified. Even worse, He will carry the weight of the sins of the world. His earthly life is in grave danger, so He does the only thing He can: talk to His Father.

Luke 22:39–46 is a summarized account of Jesus' prayers at the Mount of Olives. He and the disciples have finished the Passover meal. There, Jesus warned them of coming trials. The disciples argued over who was best (Luke 22:14–30). Now, Jesus expresses sincere apprehension about the crucifixion. Yet He humbly submits to His Father's plan. He knows who He is and why He was sent: only He can save the world. Meanwhile, the disciples sleep instead of praying that their faith will keep them from temptation. Matthew 26:36–46, Mark 14:32–42, and John 18:1 also record Jesus' time in the garden.

Luke 22 is a long chapter which records events leading to Jesus' political trials and crucifixion. He has successfully taught crowds at the temple and proved His authority over the religious leaders (Luke 19:47—20). Meanwhile the leaders have spent the week planning to arrest Jesus and have Him killed (Luke 19:47–48). This chapter records the Last Supper, the arrest on the Mount of Olives, and the trials before the Jewish religious leaders. Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 18 cover much of the same information.

Luke 23 continues Jesus' trials before Pilate and Herod Antipas. He is then led to the cross where He forgives His murderers and saves a thief before He dies. In Luke 24, Jesus rises from the dead, meets two disciples while they travel, and explains to them how the Old Testament prophesied the death of the Messiah. In the final scene of the gospel, Jesus is reunited with His disciples, blesses them, and ascends into heaven.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.