Day 4: Wednesday, March 25

Matthew 26:36-46. Then comes Jesus with them to a place called Gethsemane, and says to the disciples, Sit ye here, while I going away shall pray over there. And taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to sorrow, and to be in agony. Then He says to them, My soul is surrounded with sorrow unto death; remain ye here, and watch with me. And coming forward a little, He fell on His face, praying, and saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou willest.

And He comes to the disciples, and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter, Had you thus not strength one hour to watch with Me? Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is eager, but the flesh is weak.

Again for a second time going away, He prayed, saying, My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Thy will be done. And coming, He finds them sleeping again; for their eyes were heavy. And leaving them, going away again, He prayed a third time, saying the same words. Then He comes to His disciples, and says to them, Do you sleep still, and rest? Behold, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us lead the way; behold, he who betrays Me is near.

Arcana Coelestia 7166. For the law from the Divine is the law of order, and the law of order concerning those who are in a state of infestations from falsities is that they must be infested even to despair, and unless they are infested to despair, the uttermost of the use of the infestation is lacking. That temptation is increased even to despair is very evident from the Lord’s temptation in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:38, 39; Mark 14:33-36; Luke 22:44), and also afterward upon the cross (Matt. 27:46), in that it was carried even to a state of despair; and the temptation of the Lord is a pattern of the temptation of the faithful; wherefore the Lord says that whosoever would follow Him must take up his cross (Matt. 10:38; 16:24); for the glorification of the Lord is a pattern of the regeneration of man (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688), and regeneration is effected chiefly by means of temptation.

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