Week 12: Mark 14:34-36

This week in my New Testament class we were reading of Christ's experience in Gethsemane. In recent years, it has been consistently pointed out to me whenever I read of this that the actual account is very different than how it has been depicted in many church paintings. In Mark 14:35 it states that "fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him." The falling on the ground is emphasized to help us recognize the physical pain Christ was going through and that this wasn't an easy experience for him even as the Son of God and he wasn't just kneeling in prayer to the Father. We know that He was experiencing every kind of pain, sin, and guilt imaginable but a new insight that I gained this time that made it even more meaningful for me was that Christ doesn't actually take our sins but rather our consequences. Often times we actually enjoy the sin in our carnal state but the pain comes from the consequence. Christ receives none of the pleasure that we get from sin but still willingly took all of the suffering. He is truly the epitome of all selflessness and studying it again this week helped me to remember that once again. If you are ever feeling beyond help or hope, really study the act of the Atonement and you will feel of His love and comfort for you specifically.