Jesus In India — Page 34
34 J e s u s i n I n d i a certain that his prayer had been accepted and that he had great faith in his prayer. That is why when he was arrested and put on the cross, and found the circumstances contrary to his expectations, he involuntarily cried out: ‘ Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ’, that is to say ‘ My God, my God why hast Thou forsaken me ?’, 13 meaning, ‘I did not expect things would come to this pass and that I would have to die on the cross. I was certain that God would listen to my prayers. ’ So, both these references of the Gospels show that Jesus firmly believed his prayer would be heard and accepted and his nightlong cries and supplications would not go in vain. In fact, he had himself taught his disciples, on divine authority, that if they prayed, their prayers would be accepted. He had also related the parable of the judge who feared neither God nor man, which was intended to convey to the disciples that God did indeed listen to prayers. Although Jesus had been apprised of the impending catastrophe, yet, like all righteous people, he prayed to God, believing that there was nothing impossible for Him and that everything that happened or did not happen was subject to God’s will. Now if Jesus’ own prayer was not accepted, God forbid, what an adverse effect this would have had on his disciples who had seen with their own eyes that the prayer of a great prophet like Jesus, addressed all night long with such burning passion, had not been accepted. Such an unfortunate example would have sorely tried their faith. God’s mercy, therefore, desired that this prayer must be accepted; and the prayer offered at Gethsemane was indeed accepted. 13 See Matthew 27:46 (Translator)