Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 22:42

"saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." — Luke 22:42 (ASV)

Luke focuses his attention here on Jesus, who went to the Mount of Olives “as usual” (cf. 21:37). He did not change his habits to elude Judas.

Jesus begins with a general warning to his disciples not to fall into temptation. This is not surprising, for the themes of prayer and temptation are common in Luke (cf. v.46). Kneeling in prayer (v.41) was not customary in Jesus’ time (standing was the normal posture). But this scene is one of intense emotional strain. Matthew and Mark say that Jesus fell to the ground (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35). Luke, who throughout his gospel stresses Jesus’ conscious fulfillment of the purposes of God, emphasizes Jesus’ concern for the will of God.

Jesus uses the “cup” as a metaphor of his imminent passion (see comments on Mk 10:38; 14:35–36). In the OT the wrath of God expressed against sin was sometimes referred to by the metaphor of a cup (e.g., Psalms 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15–17).

This is a contemporary view of Mount of Olives, seen from the old city of Jerusalem. Between these two is the Kidron Valley.