S4: Week 28 Day 3: Annotating Matthew 26:36-46 - A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace

Summary

Podcast Summary: A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace

Episode: Season 4, Week 28, Day 3: Annotating Matthew 26:36-46
Release Date: July 9, 2025
Host/Author: The Daily Grace Co.

Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of "A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace," hosts Emma and Alexa guide listeners through their ongoing study, "Christ in All of Scripture." The focus for the week shifts from the Old Testament passage in Job 1:20-22 to a New Testament exploration of Matthew 26:36-46.

Reading and Contextualizing Matthew 26:36-46

Emma initiates the session by reading Matthew 26:36-46, which narrates Jesus' profound moment in the Garden of Gethsemane. In this passage, Jesus expresses deep sorrow and anguish as He anticipates His impending crucifixion. He admonishes His disciples to stay awake and pray, highlighting His human vulnerability and divine purpose.

Emotional Depth: Jesus' Humanity

Alexa reflects on the emotional weight of the passage, stating:

"I circled sorrowful, troubled, and deeply grieved (02:48) which I think just speaks volumes about what Jesus was facing, which was his death on the cross."

These descriptors underscore the intense emotional struggle Jesus endures, showcasing His humanity. Emma concurs, emphasizing that Jesus is not merely anxious but "overwhelmed with sorrow" (02:48). This duality of Jesus' divine mission and human emotion provides a comprehensive view of His character.

Understanding God's Attributes: Sovereignty and Justice

The discussion transitions to the attributes of God as depicted in the passage. Alexa highlights Jesus' prayer, "not as I will, but as you will", illustrating God’s sovereignty:

"In God's perfect sovereignty, or his control over all things, he wills things to happen. God in his sovereignty is willing Jesus's death on the cross..." (03:29)

Furthermore, Jesus' reference to the "cup" symbolizes God's judgment:

"Jesus is talking about God's judgment, which was often described as a cup being poured out... it's Jesus taking on this punishment, not us." (03:29)

Emma adds that this portrayal of God's justice is not confined to the Old Testament but is vividly portrayed in the New Testament through Jesus' sacrifice:

"God is being just and he is rightly punishing sin. But it is through Jesus in the New Testament that we see this." (04:39)

Connecting Old and New Testament Themes

Throughout the episode, Emma and Alexa draw connections between the Old Testament insights and their New Testament study. By paralleling Job's trials with Jesus' suffering, they illustrate the continuity of God's redemptive plan across the entire Bible. This approach reinforces the podcast's mission to demonstrate how every part of Scripture points to Christ.

Key Takeaways and Reflections

Jesus' Deep Sorrow: The passage in Matthew 26:36-46 provides a profound glimpse into Jesus' emotional and spiritual state as He faces crucifixion.
God’s Sovereignty: God's ultimate control and purpose are evident as He wills the events leading to Jesus' sacrifice.
Divine Justice: The narrative underscores God's just nature in addressing sin through Jesus' atonement.
Christ-Centered Scripture: By linking Old and New Testament themes, the study reinforces the centrality of Christ in the Bible.

Conclusion and Looking Ahead

Emma and Alexa conclude the episode by inviting listeners to continue their journey through the Scriptures, promising deeper dives into the discussed passages in future episodes. They encourage engagement with additional resources available at thedailygraceco.com and promote ongoing Bible study through their platforms.

"As we walk through this passage, we will dive a little bit deeper into the passages that we've talked about this week tomorrow." (04:39)

Listeners are left with a richer understanding of Jesus' humanity and God's unwavering sovereignty, setting the stage for continued exploration of Biblical connections throughout the year.

Note: Advertisements and non-content sections following the main discussion have been omitted to maintain focus on the substantive content of the episode.

Transcript

Emma (0:00)

Welcome to A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace. This year we want to spend a few minutes with you every day walking through our study Christ in All of Scripture. Each week we will dive deeply into two passages of Scripture, one from the Old Testament and one from the New, seeing how they connect and point to Jesus.

Alexa (0:17)

Whether you are doing the study yourself or just following along with us here, we are hopeful that through studying these passages each week, you will see how Christ is not only present throughout the entire Biblical story, but the center of it. Hey friends. Welcome back to another episode of the Year in the Bible. My name is Alexa and I'm here with my co host for the week, Emma.

Emma (0:38)

Hi everyone. So far this week we have been in the Old Testament taking a look at job one verses 20 through 22. And now we are going to turn to the New Testament and look at Matthew 26 verses 36 through 46. So we're going to read that together. It says, then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane and he told the disciples, sit here while I go over there and pray. Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. He said to them, I am deeply grieved at the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me. Going a little farther, he fell face down and prayed, my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me yet, not as I will, but as you will. Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, so you couldn't stay awake with me one hour. Stay awake and pray so that you won't enter into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Again a second time he went away and prayed, my Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done. And he came again and found them sleeping because they could not keep their eyes open. After leaving them, he went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting? See, the time is near. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let's go see my betrayer is near. So Alexa, how was this annotation day for you?

Alexa (2:12)

Overall it was really good because this is probably one of my favorite passages in scripture for so many reasons that I'm going to wait to share with you all tomorrow, but just some things that stuck out to me when annotating. I really appreciated the prompt that asked us to circle the words that describe how Jesus is feeling in verses 37 through 38. So I circled sorrowful, troubled, and deeply grieved, which I think just speaks volumes about what Jesus was facing, which was his death on the cross. Jesus isn't just a little bit sad or anxious about what he. What's going to happen.