Question:

In Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” Was Jesus’ will the same as His Father’s? What does this teach us about the Trinity?

Answer:

Naturally speaking, a man does not want to die. Jesus came to do His Father’s will. He was the perfect man, and so in a sense gave up His natural desire to live. As God, He knew all things, but as man, He gave up access to infinite knowledge. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Jesus’ human reactions are our example so we can be more like Christ. As to the Trinity, Luke 22:42 shows 2 parts of the Trinity at the same time. “Saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.” There is a new teaching that God is only one person who was the Father first, became the Son at the incarnation, and then became the Spirit after Christ goes to heaven. This is wrong. There are many verses where more than one part of the Trinity was present at the same time. (Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 28:19; John 15:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:13 & 18; 1 Peter 1:2)