CUP

Matthew’s gospel records that the Lord Jesus prayed this three times. As perfect, sinless Man, Jesus must pray this prayer. He is the Lord of Light and Life, and for Him to rush headlong into death would have been the acme of sinfulness. Running haphazardly into death’s dark corridors was exactly what Adam did when he partook of the fruit from the forbidden tree. When Eve was deceived, Adam did not submit to the heavenly Father. He did not surrender to the Father’s wisdom. Jesus, however, did what Adam did not. Jesus appealed to the Father’s mercy and submitted to the Father’s will. Therefore, the Lord Jesus drank down the wrath of God from the Father’s hand when He hung upon Calvary’s tree. As for us who believe, when we received Christ by faith, the cup of God’s wrath was removed from our lot, for...

God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Therefore, we no longer need to pray for the removal of the cup; nevertheless, as sons of God by adoption, we must still pray as the Son of God prayed in the garden— in submission to the Father’s will and surrendered to His wise providence. We are still crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20). We will still be hated by the world (John 15:18). We will still suffer tribulation in the world (John 16:33). We will still suffer persecution by the world (2 Tim 3:12). Nevertheless, since Jesus suffered God’s relentless wrath when the righteous Son hung upon the cross, we will never taste God’s wrath, wrath we rightly deserve for sins we have willingly and unwittingly committed against an infinitely holy God. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath
As He hung on that tree;
Now free, we follow in Christ’s path:
Pray’ng God’s will patiently.