Exegesis of Luke 22:39-46
There is no Biblical writer who emphasizes the importance of prayer more than St. Luke. In his gospel, we encounter Jesus either praying or on his way to pray at least ten times (3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18,28,29; 11:1; and 22:11,32,39,41,44), and we hear him encouraging prayer at least seventeen more times. In contrast, Matthew and Mark use the word “pray” just 31 times — combined. And interestly, although John records the longest, most detailed and most magnificent prayer in Scripture, the high priestly prayer of chapter 17, he uses the word pray only twice, both of which appear in 17:9. Luke will continue his prayerful theme throughout the book of Acts, where it comes up another 31 times. In contrast, Paul, despite his call for us to pray unceasingly, wrote about prayer just 37 times. Mary and Zechariah get credit for the most beautiful prayers in Luke’s gospel, but no prayer by Jesus is either more intense than the one recorded in Luke 22:39-46. Modeling what he taught us during the Se...
