Presently Christ tells them that they are now to go no farther. Stepping a little aside from them, the Man of Sorrows pours out His 420 supplications with strong crying and tears. He prays for strength to endure the test in behalf of humanity. He must Himself gain a fresh hold on Omnipotence, for only thus can He contemplate the future. And He pours out His heart longings for His disciples, that in the hour of the power of darkness their faith may not fail. The dew is heavy upon His bowed form, but He heeds it not. The shadows of night gather thickly about Him, but He regards not their gloom. So the hours pass slowly by. At first the disciples unite their prayers with His in sincere devotion; but after a time they are overcome with weariness, and, even while trying to retain their interest in the scene, they fall asleep. Jesus has told them of His sufferings; He has taken them with Him that they might unite with Him in prayer; even now He is praying for them. The Saviour has seen the gloom of His disciples, and has longed to lighten their grief by an assurance that their faith has not been in vain. Not all, even of the twelve, can receive the revelation He desires to give. Only the three who are to witness His anguish in Gethsemane have been chosen to be with Him on the mount. Now the burden of His prayer is that they may be given a manifestation 421 of the glory He had with the Father before the world was, that His kingdom may be revealed to human eyes, and that His disciples may be strengthened to behold it. He pleads that they may witness a manifestation of His divinity that will comfort them in the hour of His supreme agony with the knowledge that He is of a surety the Son of God and that His shameful death is a part of the plan of redemption.

Lidt efter siger Kristus til dem, at de nu ikke skal gå videre. Smerternes mand går lidt bort fra dem og opsender sine bønner med høje råb og tårer. Han beder om styrke til at udholde prøven for menneskenes skyld. Han må selv modtage fornyet kraft fra Almagten, thi kun således kan han se fremtiden i øjnene. Og han udøser sit hjertes længsel for disciplene: at deres tro ikke må svigte i mørkets magts time. Duggen falder tæt på hans bøjede hoved, men han ænser det ikke. Nattens skygger samler sig om ham, men han lægger ikke mærke til, hvor mørkt det er. På denne måde skrider timerne langsomt hen. Først forener disciplene sig med ham i inderlig bøn; men efter en tids forløb bliver de overvældede af træthed, og selv medens de forsøger at leve med i det, der sker, falder de i søvn. Jesus har fortalt dem om sine lidelser. Han har taget dem med sig, for at de skal forene sig med ham i bøn. Selv i dette øjeblik beder han for dem. Jesus har set sine disciples tunge tanker og har længtes efter at lette deres sorg ved at forvisse dem om, at deres tro ikke har været forgæves.