Episode Overview

Podcast: Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson
Episode: The Cup That Could Not Pass
Date: October 31, 2025
Host: Sinclair B. Ferguson

This episode explores the profound spiritual suffering of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Sinclair B. Ferguson reflects on a crucial, often overlooked moment: Jesus' prayer to have "the cup"—the coming judgment and alienation from God—pass from Him, yet His willing submission to the Father's will. The episode centers on the depth of Christ’s obedience and the immeasurable love displayed in this act.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Big Moments" in Jesus' Life

• Reflection on the Gospels and Christ’s Significance
  • Ferguson notes John's statement that the world could not contain all the books if everything Jesus did was recorded, emphasizing Christ's greatness.
    • “I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (00:21)
  • John’s Gospel differs: While the Synoptic Gospels show Jesus' "body" (the events), John reveals His "soul."
    • Quoting John Calvin: “the other gospels show us Christ's body...John shows us his soul” (01:02)

2. Moments Where We See Christ’s Soul

• Gethsemane Absent from John
  • Unlike others, John doesn’t record Jesus’ Gethsemane agony; however, the Synoptics (especially Matthew 26) do.
  • Ferguson highlights how these records show Christ’s spiritual torment, offering a rare glimpse into His inner life.

3. The Symbolism of the Cup

• Passover Cup vs. the Cup of Judgment

  • Jesus shares the Passover "cup of blessing" but, crucially, does not drink it Himself—His true "cup" awaited in Gethsemane.
    • “He had left the cup of blessing on the table...For him, the last cup to drink was the one...in Gethsemane, the cup of the Divine judgment Curse.” (02:08)

• The Nature of “the Cup”

  • The cup signifies more than physical suffering; it represents God’s wrath and the “curse” spoken by the prophets.
  • Drinking this cup involved experiencing alienation—being “God-forsaken.”

4. The Struggle of Christ’s Will

• Jesus' Prayer: Honest Humanity and Divine Submission

  • Ferguson lingers on “let this cup pass from me”—a genuine desire from Jesus in His humanity.
  • “These words…were actually an expression of Jesus’ will. This was his will. In other words, Jesus didn’t want to drink the contents of the cup.” (03:08)
  • Explains that perfect humanity recoils from sin and separation from God.

• Jesus Could Not Want Alienation From God

  • As the eternally holy Son, Christ could not actively desire the experience of utter desolation and separation from God—this makes His final submission even more profound.

5. The Agony of Gethsemane

• Physical and Mental Torment
  • Graphic language describes how, while Peter warmed himself, Jesus sweated “great bloody globules” due to His agony.
  • Cites 19th-century scholarship explaining Mark’s term for Jesus’ distress: a state akin to “mental derangement” due to overwhelming trauma.
    • “It describes the confused, restless, half distracted state caused by physical confusion or mental derangement.” (06:10)

6. The Mystery and Depth of Christ’s Sacrifice

• A Love Beyond Comprehension
  • References a hymn: “But none of the ransomed ever knew / how deep were the waters crossed / or how dark was the night that the Lord passed through / ere he found his sheep that was lost.” (07:04)
  • Ferguson admits the depths of Christ’s suffering in Gethsemane are unfathomable to us, and will continue to inspire awe for eternity.
    • “We’ll never plumb the depths of what that meant for our Savior. We will surely be in awe of it and in awe of him and his love for us throughout all eternity. How could he love us so much? And yet he did, and he still does.” (07:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The other gospels show us Christ's body…John shows us his soul.” — Sinclair B. Ferguson, quoting John Calvin (01:02)
• “Jesus didn’t want to drink the contents of the cup. I think we can go even further. Our Holy Jesus in our humanity couldn’t want to drink the contents of that cup.” (03:08)
• “Our Holy Savior Jesus did not actively desire to experience the outer darkness of a sense of Godforsakenness…the experience he actually had on the cross. He'd lived forever in the presence of God, he couldn't desire that.” (04:25)
• “Mark employs language that one of the greatest of the 19th century New Testament scholars described… as the confused, restless, half distracted state caused by physical confusion or mental derangement.” (06:10)
• “But none of the ransomed ever knew / how deep were the waters crossed / or how dark was the night that the Lord passed through ere he found his sheep that was lost.” (07:04)
• “We’ll never plumb the depths of what that meant for our Savior. We will surely be in awe of it…throughout all eternity… How could he love us so much? And yet he did, and he still does.” (07:40)

Important Timestamps

• 00:07 — Introduction: This week’s focus on Jesus’ “big moments”
• 01:02 — Quoting John Calvin: John’s Gospel shows Christ’s soul
• 02:08 — The last cup: Passover’s “cup of blessing” vs. Gethsemane’s “cup of judgment”
• 03:08 — “Let this cup pass”: The meaning of Jesus’ expressed will
• 04:25 — The horror of being God-forsaken and Christ’s holy repulsion
• 06:10 — Jesus’ agony explained by 19th-century scholar
• 07:04 — Hymn quoted: “But none of the ransomed ever knew…”
• 07:40 — Conclusion: The eternal awe and the incomprehensible love of Christ

Recap and Closing Reflection

Sinclair B. Ferguson’s meditation draws listeners into the profound emotional and spiritual suffering Jesus faced in the Garden of Gethsemane. Emphasizing both Christ’s humanity and divinity, Ferguson explains why the “cup” Jesus faced was one He could not possibly desire in His holiness—yet He drank it, obeying the Father’s will out of love for us. The episode closes by encouraging awe, humility, and gratitude for a love that surpasses understanding—a love Christians will marvel at forever.