Adrian Rogers: Easter Is God’s Plan For Redemption Through Jesus Christ

What Was in the Cup at Gethsemane? A Deep Reflection on Jesus’ Agony

What was in the cup that Jesus faced in the Garden of Gethsemane—so dreadful, so terrifying—that the Son of God Himself recoiled in anguish? It was not a metaphorical performance; it was real. That cup held the sin of all humanity—your sin and mine. If we fail to grasp why Jesus shrank back, we fail to understand the true weight of what He bore.

Just east of Jerusalem lies the Mount of Olives, a limestone ridge about 2,700 feet above sea level and nearly a mile long. On its western slope rests a sacred garden known as Gethsemane—a name that literally means “oil press.” This is the place where olives were once crushed to produce oil, and it’s here that Jesus often came to pray. Even today, visitors can see ancient olive trees that some believe date back to the time of Christ. Their thick, gnarled trunks stand like silent witnesses to the moments of deep sorrow that unfolded there.

That night was unlike any other. Jesus had just left the Upper Room in Mount Zion after celebrating the Last Supper with His disciples. He had spoken of His coming betrayal and crucifixion. Judas had already slipped away into the darkness to carry out his betrayal. As Jesus left the city, He crossed the Kidron Valley, where the blood of temple sacrifices would flow crimson through the brook. That stream—red with sacrificial blood—was a foreshadowing of the blood He Himself would soon shed on Mount Moriah, the site of the Temple.

When Jesus reached Gethsemane, He fell to His knees beside a rock and began to pray. He cried out three times: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” This wasn’t about a physical cup—it was a metaphor for fully experiencing something so intense, it would be like drinking it into one’s very soul.

This was the cup of agony. And Jesus drank it—alone.

When His ministry began, multitudes followed Him. They witnessed miracles, healings, and the feeding of thousands. But when Jesus began to speak of surrender, eternal truth, and the cost of discipleship, the crowds turned away. Eventually, only the twelve disciples remained. Then Judas left to betray Him, leaving eleven. From those, Jesus invited only three—Peter, James, and John—to stay with Him and pray. But even they fell asleep.

And so, Jesus stood alone in Gethsemane—facing not only the burden of sin but also the coming separation from His Father. In that garden, He knew the time was near when God the Father would turn His face away, and the Son would bear the full weight of humanity’s sin—alone.

Luke 22:39-41 tells us:
“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him. When He reached the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’ Then He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’”

In that sacred moment, Jesus surrendered completely. He chose obedience, love, and sacrifice—for us.