Hi BenK,
I also started answering earlier, but felt I should wait and see how others would respond - if at all. I forgot how emotive the matter of choice is, over there.
First, I agree with Melissa that He chose to die before He was ever incarnate, because He was the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. The Godhead had a plan which They had already begun to put into effect, before Adam was formed from the dust of the ground.
Ben makes good points about Jesus' humanity, but I don't believe He was afraid. He had said He desired ferently to eat the last Passover with them, and also, after the Mount of Transfiguration, had set His face [as a flint] to go to Jerusalem [u]to accomplish His decease[/u]. (Luke's account.) Then in John 10, He says that no-one is taking His life from Him, He is laying it down of Himself. He is actively engaged in doing the laying down of His life.
This is why He could dismiss His spirit, after [b]He[/b] said 'It is finished'. It didn't finish Him. He finished it.
This was the accomplishment of Eve's seed bruising the serpent's head with His heel. He always told Satan to get behind Him. He knew who He was and when facing the cross, despised the shame of it for the joy which was set before Him. In this, He became the Finisher of faith. There is an interesting statement in John 10 which I have never heard expounded, (so here's my two cents), where He alludes to having asked His Father something; John writes:
17 "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, [u]and I have power to take it again[/u]. [b]This command I have received from My Father[/b]."
Going back to Gesthemane then, I believe what He was not looking forward to, was 'tasting' [u]sin[/u]\\death (which is represented in the vinegar He sucked out of the sponge, just before He cried 'It is finished' and gave up His spirit).
He was the Prince of Life, and He had to become sin and taste death. Uughh.
According to an elder brother here, the Hebrew understanding of 'taste' was like their understanding of 'hour'. One hour included the whole day. Likewise, to taste death, is to take the full draught of it.
I don't think the Son was ever rebellious, because He had seen what happened when Lucifer rebelled - how he was cast out of heaven and the presence of God in all His glory - and He deeply desired to redeem mankind from that same fate of eternal separation. When Satan tried to kill Him from time to time on earth, they were 'old' sparring partners, and the order was always that the Son pleased the Father, loved and obeyed Him, and Satan was always subservient, getting behind Jesus when Jesus told him to, and diabolical.
But, Jesus found out the limitations of being a Man and came to appreciate fully, what it was to be tempted to sin. Nevertheless, between the joy that was set before Him when it came to enduring the cross, and glory which He desired to return to of which we read in John 17, He stayed focused until He had fulfilled all that the Father had entrusted Him to be and do.
Perhaps there was one other thing which helped Him live perfectly - the knowledge that His blood would finally cleanse the heavenlies, (Heb 9:23), and that those men who followed in His footsteps (die\\dead to sin - Rom 6) could receive the Holy Spirit and be received there one day.
Hebrews is a great book for getting to grips with these things. These (last) verses come to mind.
Hebrews 10
4 For [i]it is[/i] not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come --
In the volume of the book it is written of Me --
To do Your will, O God.' "
Remember, David was the man after God's own heart - who subdued kingdoms, prophesied, played the harp and sang psalms.
Psalms 22:22
I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly [u]I will praise You[/u].
Psalms 22:25
My praise [i]shall be[/i] of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
Hebrews 2:12
saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."
Remembering Jesus was the [u]Word[/u] made Flesh, I believe He knew what He was coming to fulfill and that He couldn't fulfill it any other way.
Psalm 22 again
9 But You [i]are[/i] He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust [i]while[/i] on My mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother's womb You [i]have been[/i] My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
For trouble [i]is[/i] near;
For [i]there is[/i] none to help.
