Gethsemane
Gethsemane is a garden across the brook Kidron on the mount of Olives, entered by Jesus and his disciples on the night of the arrest. The site is named in Mark, located by its larger geography in Luke, and described only as "a garden" beyond the Kidron in John — a regular resort that Judas already knows. It is the place of the cup-petition, the disciples' sleep, the angel's strengthening, the bloody sweat, and the kiss by which Judas delivers up the Son of Man.
The Garden Across the Kidron
John locates the place by its position rather than by its proper name. After the upper-room words, "he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where a garden was, into which he entered, himself and his disciples" (John 18:1). The site is marked only by the brook and by its function as the place of entry before the arrest.
Mark names the place at its entry: "And they come to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he says to his disciples, Sit⁺ here, while I pray" (Mark 14:32). Christ stations the disciples at the threshold and goes apart.
Luke marks the approach by the larger geography and by habit: "And he came out, and went, as his custom was, to the mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed him" (Luke 22:39). The garden is presented as a regular resort, now entered with the disciples in train. John's parenthesis confirms the pattern from the side of the betrayer: "Now Judas also, who delivered him up, knew the place: for Jesus often resorted there with his disciples" (John 18:2). The very habit that makes the spot a place of withdrawal is what makes it locatable for the arrest.
The Inner Three and the Watch-Charge
Mark distinguishes the inner circle from the rest. He "takes with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly amazed, and very troubled. And he says to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death: stay⁺ here, and watch⁺" (Mark 14:33-34). The watch-charge is given to the three; the going-apart to pray is given alone.
Luke's charge is broader and falls on all the disciples at the place: "Pray that you⁺ do not enter into temptation" (Luke 22:40). The instruction sets prayer as the disciples' counterweight to what is about to come.
The Cup Petition
Christ goes apart "about a stone's cast" and kneels (Luke 22:41). The petition itself is a conditional request closed by submission: "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). Mark records the same petition with a different opening: "And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; remove this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14:35-36). The address ("Abba, Father"), the conditional ("if it were possible"), the request ("remove this cup"), and the submission ("not what I will, but what you will") are the petition's four moves; both Gospels close on the submission.
The Angel and the Bloody Sweat
Luke alone records the strengthening and the intensity that follows: "And an angel appeared to him, strengthening him. And he was in great distress, and was praying urgently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling upon the ground" (Luke 22:43-44). The intensity is shown in three registers — an inward condition ("in great distress"), a manner of praying ("urgently"), and a physical sign (sweat like drops of blood). The unflagging prayer is sustained under duress to the point of bloody perspiration.
The Sleeping Disciples
Mark stages three returns. The first finds Peter rebuked by name: "And he comes, and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter, Simon, do you sleep? Couldn't you watch one hour? Watch and pray, that you⁺ don't enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:37-38). The second return after the same prayer finds them again asleep: "And again he came, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they didn't know what to answer him" (Mark 14:39-40). The third closes the watch-period with the announcement of the hour: "And he comes the third time, and says to them, Are you⁺ still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; look, the Son of Man is delivered up into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us be going: look, he who delivers me up is at hand" (Mark 14:41-42).
Luke condenses the three Markan returns into one and adds the cause: "And when he rose up from his prayer, he came to the disciples, and found them sleeping for sorrow, and said to them, Why do you⁺ sleep? Rise and pray, that you⁺ do not enter into temptation" (Luke 22:45-46). The temptation-charge that opened the scene at v40 is repeated at the end as a wake-charge.
The Arrival of Judas
The arresting party reaches the garden while Christ is still speaking to the disciples. Mark presses the inner-circle placement: "And immediately, while he yet spoke, comes Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders" (Mark 14:43). The kiss-sign is pre-arranged: "Now he that delivered him up had given them a token, saying, Whomever I will kiss, that is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And when he came, immediately he came to him, and says, Rabbi; and kissed him. And they laid hands on him, and took him" (Mark 14:44-46).
Luke gives the same arrival with Christ's direct address as he is approached: "While he yet spoke, look, a multitude, and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them; and he drew near to Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said to him, Judas, do you deliver up the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Luke 22:47-48). Judas is named, his inner-circle placement is repeated, his position at the head of the arresting party is pressed, and the mismatch between the sign of friendship and the act of delivery is exposed in the moment of approach. The disciples' question follows: "And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" (Luke 22:49).