The Agony of Gethsemane: Jesus Son Of Man~ Son of God

By Anna Ram~ Psychologist~Pastoral Integrative Counseling

The Quaresma makes reference to 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan. This Quaresma’s last week, is an ideal time to  individually meditate and reflect onJesus agony at Gethsemane and on How to build Distress Tolerance, his way.

For the first quarter of  2025, we have been “thrown” in a chaotic ride of all kinds of emotions while a new global reordering  stresses global socio-economic and geopolitical status and has created more instability, turning our world in an uncertain future for the great majority around the world.

We live in a rapidly changing digital era  with the innovations of technology and the AI, which create dependency and changes our way of life for the good or not so good. But we understand that it is important to catch up with their use for our own survival and assistance, as the AI and Robotic Science are evolving. Although, we have more tools to be “connected” and live in postmodernity, our social networks and family ties are not getting better and the use of all kinds of screens also interfere with a thriving and flourishing spirituality, that calls for more attention and disciplined habits to keep our health and well-being in place.

Holy Week or Easter is a key week for us to slow down, rest and refocus for the rest of this year, which is going so fast. Let’s increase more scheduled quality time for “short conversations with God,”  to vitalize and invigorate our faith. For those who can or are in the habit to attend spiritual activities and family get togethers, enjoy them as they are unvaluable spiritual practices that bring us life satisfaction.

Talking Mental Health:  Stress, Distress, Distress Tolerance and Treatment

What is Stress?  Stress is your body’s response to anything that requires attention or action. Is a natural response to challenges or demands. Everyone experiences stress to some degree in life. The stressors can range from daily annoyances to significant events such as a job losses, divorce, the death of a loved one, financial loss and instability, diseases, being a caregiver, trauma, and victims of war, etc. 

What is Distress? Distress refers to negative stress, a  state of emotional or mental suffering, discomfort when it exceeds a person’s ability to cope, or pain that can manifest as anxiety, sadness, or a feeling of being overwhelmed, often in response to challenging or adverse situations. For sure, distress is a joy killer! (we talked about joy and happiness, in a previous blog:How To Be Happy)

Distress Tolerance: Distress tolerance is a person’s ability to manage actual or perceived emotional distress. Whether the stress is large or small, your ability to tolerate distress can affect how you manage the situation and the strong negative emotions. This makes a big difference to your overall mental and physical well-being.

Treatment: Stress is not a distinct medical diagnosis and there is no single, specific treatment for it. Treatment for stress focuses on changing the situation, developing stress-coping skills, implementing relaxation techniques, and treating symptoms or conditions that may have been caused by chronic stress.

^“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7.

Revisiting Biblical Truth and Theology

Jesus Son of God: Jesus the Divine…The Anointed…The  Christ

In John 1:1-6 says :  In the beginning was the Word, (refers to Jesus),and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him (Jesus); and without him was anything made that was made. In him (Jesus) was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.  In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 

Jesus The Son of Man: Jesus the Human

Jesus had a healthy body, strong  mental health, and a high distress tolerance. He had developed “healthy coping mechanisms” directly focused on increasing his distress tolerance.

Some Healthy Coping Mechanisms Jesus used:

• Prayer: Going to pray alone or accompanied with his disciples.
• Rest: Knew when to withdraw from the crowds and rest. He slept calmly in a boat on a dark stormy night in the middle of the sea.
• Outdoor Activities: Walked on the waters without confidently and He also went to fish and relax with his disciples.
• Healthy Diet: Jesus ate Mediterranean diet amd sat with other people, who were not disciples.
• Social Life Was Embedded in His Ministry Had Lazarous, Maria and Martha as friends to visit among others.
• Improving the Moment : He visualized his Father in situ (on-site). Also in visions, and the future.
• He Studied the Scriptures: Instead of going only busy from one activity to another He spent time learning Scriptures and frequent practices of spiritual disciplines.
• Weighted the pros and cons of the short-term and long-term consequences of an action. He did not give an inch to fleshly desires, (when to go places, heal people, to show up or leave places and avoid being killed before time.)
• Radical Acceptance: Above all, Jesus had radical acceptance. ( involves just accepting things as they are to follow the plan and complete his mission.)

Jesus distress was prophesied about 700 years before his birth by the prophet Isaiah 53:10-11 (NIV):

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”   Whose light of life is Isaiah  referring to?  God and Jesus are One, as the beginning. ( To understand all this topic please read all book of Hebrews.)

Garden of Gethsemane: Expressed Emotions in Obedient Submission (3 times-very significant number)

First Time: Matthew 26:38-40:  38 Then he said to them (disciples), “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” (he is asking support and companionship and expressing his emotions). 39 And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Second Time: 42. He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”  43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

Third Time: 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. ⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (NIV).

At The Cross: Jesus exclaimed: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew (27:46) and Mark (15:34). Here, Jesus feels a profound  sense of abandonment and suffering and deep anguish, reflecting the human experience of pain and despair. It also connects with Psalm 22, which begins with the same words and is seen as a prophetic expression of suffering that ultimately leads to hope and deliverance.

What Made Jesus to Stay the Course When He Could Walk Away From the Goal?

Radical Acceptance: He accepted the shame of the cross (“Anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse.”) Deuteronomy 21:23

Why? Hebrews 12: 2: For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame…

The Reason? “To unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Ephesians 1:10 (ESV). (this is very deep as contains many elements).

Take Action: Take a pen and a sheet and start writing out descriptively… What is the main reason  or obstacle that trumps you to “stay the course in your goals or mission or distracts you to give yourself completely to God? What lessons can we draw from Jesus’s distress, suffering, surrendering love and obedience. How can we apply them to our current situation?

Say this Praise and Prayer: Thank you God , thank you Jesus for your sacrifices, your pain and suffering for me, and be the beneficiary of your love in all dimensions. So that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that I be rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide, long, high, and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19.