Scattered sheep. Zechariah 13:7d; “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”
Matthew 26:31-56; “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. 36 ¶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. 47 ¶ And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? 55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.”
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Israel scattered as a result of rejecting Him … As a parent I can’t fathom one of my children rejecting me. The horror of just thinking upon it is but a small picture of what God must have gone through when Israel turned their backs on Him. By and large, parents pour their blood, sweat, and tears into their kids. They lay awake at night and wonder, pray nonstop, go without so the child can have, and will even die for them; no questions asked.
Imagine all that, and then think upon the Father who already did this…for you, for me, for the good, and the bad.
He did this by sending His Son to die so you could live. He went without, so you can have. His only Son, and as Zechariah said, ‘…the man that is my fellow’ was a sign for the Israelites the Father had their backs. Remember yesterday’s lesson when we learned the word fellow means He’s a kinsman. Jesus (the fellow), went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before He finished the work His Father had given Him to do.
Scripture was fulfilled not just once in the Garden of Gethsemane when the disciples fled, but it was also fulfilled when Jerusalem was leveled, and the Israelites fled. Notice Jesus’ words in Mt. 26:31 – He said the sheep would be scattered ‘abroad’. When there’s no shepherd to guide and protect, the sheep wander.
Now imagine being a Mormon, and not being taught what these passages mean. Imagine the stories of Joseph Smith, fraught with error, being passed around. To whom do you turn? Is it Joseph Smith, or Jesus, the BoM, or the Bible? Like the Israelites so long ago, Mormons are never content as their endless search leads them from one spiritual place after another.
The following is a synopsis of what Mormons believe took place in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the cross at Calvary.
Mormons believe Jesus died on the cross, but not for all sins.
They believe when He bled in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44), He atoned for Adam’s original sin only. Selected Writings of Daniel H. Ludlow, pp 243-244
Jesus’ suffering in the garden is more vital than His death on the cross. Conference Report, Oct 1953, Marion Romney
According to Mormonism, bleeding and suffering in Gethsemane gave men the opportunity to fervently repent of sin, and work for salvation. Gospel Principles, p 233.
Man, being born without a sin nature, succumbs to a sinful life after the age of accountability (8 yrs old). After that time, man will have to account for their own sin. D&C 18:42-44.
Oh what a tangled web we weave…
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Selected Writings of Daniel H. Ludlow: Gospel Scholars Series: pg. 243-244; “The Fifth and Sixth Days (Thursday and Friday)…The Savior’s statement “the hour is come” was soon followed by his leaving the upper room and proceeding to the Mount of Olives and to the Garden of Gethsemane, where occurred one of the most important and transcendent events in the history of the world. It was here that he atoned for the original transgressions of Adam and Eve, and it was here that he took upon himself the sins of all mankind upon the condition of repentance of their sins.”
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