Why Did Jesus Pray "Remove This Cup” In The Garden Of Gethsemane?

Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" because it is by grace alone they are saved through the faith of Jesus alone, and not by any work they could do because it is a gift of God” (John 6:44; Galatians 2:17; Ephesians 2:8 ESV).

The Triune God

The Bible teaches that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6-8; 45:6; James 2:19). Yet, God is three persons: God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. He is triune. This mystery is known only to Himself, and no human being can wrap their head around this truth, so it is an act of futility to try and explain it.

When Jesus prayed in the Garden, He wasn't afraid, worried, stressed out, or trying to avoid the Cross. Worry and fear are practical atheism and the opposite of trust. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He demonstrated perfect trust throughout His life. His mission from eternity past was to come to Earth to die as a sacrifice because of His great love for us. God knows the end from the beginning. He couldn't have been afraid of God turning His back on Him or being abandoned because God can never be separated from or turn His back on Himself (Psalm 16:10, 23:4).

Jesus came to Earth as 100% fully God and 100% fully human simultaneously (Philippians 2:6-8). As a human, He was made lower than the angels so that His physical body of flesh and blood could die (Hebrews 2:14). Because He is God, His spirit could never die.

The Prayer of Jesus

Jesus prayed because that is how humans communicate with God. If He had not prayed, He would not have been 100% human. When He died on the Cross, His body died. But then, when He returned to life, the resurrection proved He was God (Romans 1:4).

Jesus said He would not pray for God to save Him from the suffering that was to come (John 12:27-28). God cannot contradict Himself, so Jesus wasn't asking to avoid being crucified because there would be no atonement. The facts are that Jesus knew from eternity past that He was going to die, how He was going to die, and why (Matthew 10:45; Mark 10:45; Hebrews 9:22; Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8). He came to Earth to die. That was His sole mission.

There was no fear or uncertainty in Jesus. For the joy set before Him, He went to the Cross (Hebrews 12:2). He knew what He would be facing and went toward it willingly and resolutely. He predicted it many times. He said He would willingly lay down His life and that He had the authority to lay it down and take it up again if He so desired (John 10:18). No one, including the devil, could kill Him.

Jesus said about His life, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father" (John 10:18 ESV). He told the disciples that He would rise again the third day after He was crucified, according to the Scriptures (Matthew 12:40; 16:21; 17:23; 20:19, 26:32; see also Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 25:8). He told the Jews that He would raise up the temple (His body) in three days after they destroyed it (Matthew 27:63; John 2:19).