Guarding

I think that the most important point here is that it has been argued on this board that Jesus made it clear to the disciples that he was in fact God. If that is the case, then even with the sure knowledge that they were in the presence of God Himself, and that God, in human form was about to end His time with them on this earth, they slept and did not even keep watch with God on the last night.

Just ask yourself this question, if you knew you were in the presence of God the Almighty, and God told you it was His last night on earth, would you sleep? C,mon, this is God. They couldn't even stay awake for God?

Then, in the morning, they denied knowing Jesus, who has made it clear to them that he is God, the Almighty. Then Peter, whom God had treated as a brother, disowned him three times. 

All of this would be bad enough if it had happened to a regular man, much less a Prophet of God. But, according to Christians, it happened to God.  

Who among us would waste the chance to sit in the actual presence of God for a second of time? Yet, the disciples, those men handpicked by Jesus himself, slept their last night in the presence of God. Even after Jesus, God to them, awoke them the first time and asked them: "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" they fell asleep a second time. Then denied him the next day. The man that you say they knew was God, because he made it clear to them.

Fred: "in john 18: 6, we read that the motley crew assembled to take him with all their weapons, "went backward, and fell to the ground" at the majesty of his presence.  Christ needed no bodyguard, like some tuppenny-bit politician."

Yet, in Luke Jesus told his disciples to sell their clothes to buy swords, and in Matthew one of the disciples actually used his sword to cut off the ear of one of those sent to arrest Jesus. If he was in need of no protection, why tell the disciples to arm themselves?  

Luke 22:35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"   "Nothing," they answered.

Luke 22:36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.

Luke 22:37 It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'^[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

Luke 22:38 The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords." "That is enough," he replied.

Matthew 26:50 Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for."^[d]    Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.

Matthew 26:51 With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

I guess imperfection would be one explanation. But I still don't get it. These men were in the presence of the man that they believed to be God. They had given up everything to follow him and spread his word. Supposedly they were willing to die for him, yet they couldn't stay awake for God on his last night on earth?

It was God's last night with them in the flesh. They would never see him again on this earth. God. And all that God asked of them was to keep watch with him, not once, but twice. Yet, they couldn't do it.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son for God. Moses faced down Pharoah, led the Israelis from bondage, and wandered the desert for 40 years for God. John the Baptist got himself beheaded for God.

But these 11 men, who ate with, slept with, and actually touched God in human form, couldn't stay awake with him?

Something must be missing here.

fredifreeloader wrote: "Something must be missing here." sure. sleep was missing.  when you are exhausted you go to sleep.  and most of them did go on to lay down their lives for the Lord in the following years the other thing that was missing was the muslim propensity for fighting and killing.  muhammad informs muslims in the quran that fighting is "prescribed for them".  only peter gave into this weakness at the arrest of Christ when he cut off malchus' ear, which the Lord then healed

I would venture to say that either:

God is a very bad judge of character, which can never be the case.

They had never been told that Jesus was God Almighty, so they were not failing God but a man.

They were told Jesus was God, but did not believe it. Once again, not failing God Almighty, but a man.

Muslim propensity to violence, indeed.

Was it not the Joshua who slayed everything living thing and set fire to the houses and livestock? Was it not Samson who smite a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass? And so on and so on...

Didn't Jesus, the Prince of Peace, say:

Matthew 10:34 "Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword.

Luke 12:49 "I have come to bring fire to the earth, and I wish that my task were already completed!

12:51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to bring strife and division!

mish said ----"I would venture to say that either:

God is a very bad judge of character, which can never be the case.

They had never been told that Jesus was God Almighty, so they were not failing God but a man.

They were told Jesus was God, but did not believe it. Once again, not failing God Almighty, but a man."

mish, have you never read the Word of God? - see 1 corinthians 1: 27-30 - "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty: and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence"