He was resolved to go through with the painful experience at any cost but was much more frightened than many a mortal man, though he had a greater cause to sustain him than martyrs who have suffered uncomplainingly; for he believed that his sacrifice would save the world: "and there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."[36]
After saying, "The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified ... He that loveth his life shall lose it", he again showed terror: "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, but for this cause came I unto this hour."[37]
It is to be noted that G.o.d did not answer the prayer of Jesus, though Jesus had said that G.o.d would always answer prayers in his name. Jesus recognized his failure to obtain the answer, saying on the cross, "My G.o.d, my G.o.d, why hast thou forsaken me?"[38]
_Failure_
Many a good man is a failure from a worldly point of view, but failure is not what one would wish to copy. Jesus sought to save the world.
Surely no one looking at the world today can say that he succeeded. His plan of salvation was a failure; it did not work out as Jehovah and Jesus intended. An ideal teacher is needed now almost as much as two thousand years ago. If the world is gradually improving, as seems probable, it is in spite of the superst.i.tions of the past, not because of them.
At one time Jesus denied his own perfection, saying: "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, G.o.d."[39]
Christian parents who hold Jesus up to their children as a paragon would not wish their sons to grow up to be just like Jesus. He is not an acceptable prototype.
Jesus did not provide the knowledge so much needed by man to enable him to shape his course through life. No one knows how to live correctly, how best to meet each situation, what action is suited to the occasion.
Jesus did not tell us what to do. His sayings are interpreted in many different ways. He failed to predict the needs of the future.
Jesus did not explain relations between man and wife, nor between employer and employee, nor how to educate children, nor how to preserve health, nor how to make a living, nor how to prevent war, poverty and suffering. Jesus gave little practical information, and his spiritual advice was not clearly enough expressed to enable man to apply it to modern conditions. Jesus neglected to instruct people how to live. His knowledge of the world was less than that of the average American citizen.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Matt. xxi, 18-19.
[2] Mark xi, 13.
[3] Mark xi, 20-23.
[4] Matt. xviii, 15-17.
[5] Matt. x, 33.
[6] Mark iii, 29.
[7] Matt. xii, 34.
[8] Matt. xxiii, 15.
[9] Matt. xxiii, 33.
[10] John viii, 55.
[11] John x, 8.
[12] Matt. xxiii, 17.
[13] Matt. viii, 28-34; Mark v, 13; Luke viii, 26-34.
[14] Luke xiv, 26.
[15] John xi, 26.
[16] John viii, 24.
[17] John viii, 12.
[18] John x, 36.
[19] John xi, 25.
[20] Luke ii, 48.
[21] Luke xi, 37-40.
[22] John ii, 4.
[23] Mark vii, 25-29.
[24] Matt. viii, 21-22.
[25] Matt. xvi, 23.
[26] Luke xvi, 1-9.
[27] Matt. xxiv, 7-13.
[28] Luke vi, 21.
[29] Matt. vi, 25-34.
[30] Matt. vii, 12.
[31] Matt. xxvi, 24.
[32] Matt. xxvi, 56.
[33] John viii, 59.
[34] Matt. xii, 14-15.
[35] Luke xxii, 42.
[36] Luke xxii, 44.
[37] John xii, 23-27.
[38] Mark xv, 34.