or any other derogatory expression? Christ as surely triumphed over the attack of the Devil in the garden, as He had

overcome the same Tempter in the wilderness. The word `agony' agonia, which is so closely associated with this

awful experience in the garden, provides us with the word `race' of Hebrews 12:1 where the Greek word is agon.

After an unprecedented list of suffering and endurance (Heb. 11:33-38) in which there is no hint that any drew back,

the reader is exhorted to `look away unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith'. There is no hint that He drew

back for an instant, but rather `for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame' and this

is followed by an exhortation to:

`Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds'

(Heb. 12:3),

adding the pregnant words,

`Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin' (Heb. 12:4).

Three passages of Hebrews are linked together:

`It became Him ... to make the Captain (archegos) of their salvation - PERFECT (teleioo) THROUGH SUFFERINGS' (Heb.

`Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made PERFECT (teleioo),

He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him' (Heb. 5:8,9).

`Looking unto Jesus the Captain (archegos) and PERFECTER (teleiotes) of faith' (Heb. 12:2 not AV JP).

It is of the very essence of the words translated `perfect' that one goes right on to the end (telos), `forgetting the

things that are behind'. Can we believe that Paul could say, `None of these things move me', but his Lord would

momentarily have found it difficult to utter these words in the garden? How then could He be both Captain and

Perfecter? How could He be said to have learned obedience? How could His followers be rebuked for `drawing

back'? (Heb. 10:38,39). Peter drew back, the other disciples forsook their Lord, but the Prophet looking down the

age says:

`The Lord GOD hath opened Mine ear, and I was NOT rebellious, NEITHER turned away back ... therefore have I set My

face LIKE A FLINT, and I know that I shall not be ashamed' (Isa. 50:5-7).

`The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?' (John 18:11).

In Matthew 16, when Peter out of misguided love for the Saviour said `Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not

be unto Thee', he was rebuked as an instrument of Satan (Matt. 16:22,23). In Matthew 26 Peter said `Though I

should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee' (Matt. 26: 35) although we know only too well that he would deny

the Lord thrice before that day was over. Are we to believe that Peter, who had thus manifested the frailty of his

faith, would be the spectator in the self same night of His Lord's temporary drawing back? We trust that no reader

will ever attempt to apologize for His Lord, but will maintain in face of all, that in the hour of His mortal weakness,

with sweat pouring from Him like drops of blood, He nevertheless prayed to be preserved so that He might finish the

work for which He had been born; that He was `saved from' that death that threatened Him in the garden, and was

`heard for His piety', being strengthened by the ministering angel, ultimately offering Himself through the eternal

spirit to God; remaining all the time, and through all the bitter experience of His earthly ministry - `Holy, harmless,

undefiled' and ever well pleasing in the sight of Him Who sent Him.

The reference to the priesthood of Melchisedec which was introduced in Hebrews 5:6, is resumed at verse 10:

`Of Whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing' (Heb. 5:11).