Turning away, Jesus sought again His retreat, and fell prostrate, overcome by the horror of a great darkness. The humanity of the Son of God trembled in that trying hour. He prayed not now for His disciples that their faith might not fail, but for His own tempted, agonized soul. The awful moment had come--that moment which was to decide the destiny of the world. The fate of humanity trembled in the balance. Christ might even now refuse to drink the cup apportioned to guilty man. It was not yet too late. He might wipe the bloody sweat from His brow, and leave man to perish in his iniquity. He might say, Let the transgressor receive the penalty of his sin, and I will go back to My Father. Will the Son of God drink the bitter cup of humiliation and agony? Will the innocent suffer the consequences of the curse of sin, to save the guilty? The words fall tremblingly from the pale lips of Jesus, "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done."

Jesus vendte sig bort og søgte atter tilbage til sit tilflugtsted og kastede sig ned på jorden, overvældet af det store mørkes rædsel. Det menneskelige i Guds Søn skælvede i denne prøvelsens stund. Nu bad han ikke for sine disciple om, at deres tro ikke måtte svigte, men for sin egen fristede, forpinte sjæl. Nu var det frygtelige øjeblik kommet det øjeblik, som skulle være afgørende for verdens skæbne. Menneskeslægtens skæbne lå dirrende i vægtskålen. Endog nu kunne Kristus nægte at drikke den kalk, der var tiltænkt syndige mennesker. Endnu var det ikke for sent. Han kunne tørre den blodige sved af sin pande og overlade mennesker til at dø i deres synd. Han kunne sige: Lad overtræderen få straffen for sin synd, og jeg vil vende tilbage til min Fader. Vil Guds Søn virkelig tømme ydmygelsens og dødskvalens bitre kalk? Vil den uskyldige lide under følgerne af syndens forbandelse for at frelse de skyldige Bævende lød disse ord fra Jesu blege læber: "Min Fader! hvis denne kalk ikke kan gå mig forbi, men jeg skal drikke den, så ske din vilje."