The Cup

Mark 14:36 “And He was saying, ‘Abba! Father! All things are possible for Thee; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt.”

Perhaps the most common interpretation of this verse is that Jesus knows He is about to suffer and die and is asking the Father, if it be possible, if there be any other way, that the cup of suffering on the cross and death be removed. Such an interpretation only gained traction, along with a variety of other false teachings, in the 1800s. Such a view is also inconsistent with Scripture, particularly (1) Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ’s death and (2) Christ’s own foretelling of His death. There never was any doubt or shirking back from the cross in Scripture.

I believe there is more to this verse, and the old writers (pre-1800s) can help us here because they did not embrace the cup as referring to the cross.

Also, I want to again dispense with a terrible mishandling of Scripture here. “Abba” does not refer to “daddy.” In no way does Abba mean daddy, and we bring harm and shame on Scripture and on Christ when we claim otherwise. https://www.logos.com/grow/what-does-abba-really-mean/. See also “ABBA-FATHER”: REVISITING JOACHIM JEREMIAS’ POSITION ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EXPRESSION IN PAUL OVER AGAINST SECOND TEMPLE JEWISH TEXTS by Daniel S. Supimpa published on academia.edu.

It is reported that Joachim Jeremias, who first proposed that Abba means daddy, later understood his error and retracted his theological treatise. However, the damage had been done. Continuing to teach or repeat that Abba means daddy is not based in any theological literature, interpretation of ancient languages, or sound handling of Scripture. Instead, claiming Abba means daddy is to woefully undermine the glory due Christ and the sovereignty of God.

Mark’s account of the Garden of Gethsemane (meaning: an oil press) is fast-paced, and this, I believe, actually helps us better grasp the meaning of Christ’s words.

What has been happening up until this point? Jesus has been performing miracles, teaching in the synagogues, teaching the multitudes, and teaching the disciples. In essence, Jesus has been in ministry. Mark 14 opens with the chief priests and scribes plotting to kill Jesus, and an unnamed woman pours expensive perfume over our Lord’s body. Mark 14 begins a distinct shift in Christ’s life.

Christ makes two important remarks here. The first is that “she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial”, and the second is “the poor you always have with you, and whenever you wish, you can do them good”. Both of these remarks conclude His earthly ministry and turn our focus onto the cross. In essence, He is telling those in earshot that He is about to die, and He is placing future responsibility for ministry on them.

The remarks are important because until this time Jesus Christ has been ministering as the Son of God with the power to overrule nature and teach with authority. The remarks bring a conclusion to His ministry. Up until this point, Christ has been ministering in close connection with the Father. See, for example, John 1:18 where Jesus is described as “in the bosom of the Father”; John 3:35, “The Father loves the Son”; John 5:19 “whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does”; John 5:36 “the Father has sent Me”; John 8:18 “the Father who sent Me testifies about Me”; and John 8:28 “I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me”.

Then, jumping ahead to Mark 15:34, Jesus says from the cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” How did we get from a close communion to being forsaken?

What we understand is that, until the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ and the Father have been in perfect communion. Everything Christ did was from the Father and was aided by the Father.

Immediately after the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ is arrested, and Mark moves right into the trial before the chief priests. It all happens rapidly in Mark – the false accusations, Christ being blindfolded, people spit at Him, people slap and punch Him, they ridicule Him to prophesy who hit Him, He is put on trial before Pilate, Barabbas is chosen over Christ to be released, then He is scourged, and ultimately Christ is crucified.

While on the cross, Christ was crucified between two criminals and was numbered with the transgressors – even though He did not sin. Passers by hurled insults at Him.

When Christ speaks in Mark 15:34, someone attempts to prolong His life by giving Him vinegar to drink.

Christ willingly gave Himself unto death, and Christ could only be crucified if He – being equal with God – allowed it to occur. Thus, it is inappropriate to claim that Christ wanted to shirk away from the cross. This is not in view at all in the Scriptures.

Instead, we are witnessing the Father’s protecting hand being withheld. Until the betrayal at the Garden of Gethsemane, there were multiple attempts on Christ’s life. It is clear that the Father protected Him. It is also clear from the references above in John that the Father enabled Christ’s miracles and power.

The “cup” to which Christ refers in the Garden of Gethsemane very much appears to be consistent with the Father forsaking Christ. Christ saw this coming and offered the prayer in the garden. In preparation for being forsaken, He also accepted the woman’s ministry of anointing with perfume. While before the garden Christ was walking on water, calming stormy seas, feeding thousands, and commanding demons, after the garden Christ was forsaken and given into human hands who abused Him, mocked Him, and crucified Him.

The scenes after the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane are only possible if the Father forsook Christ. Such a forsaking was necessary for the plan of redemption to completely unfold.