Matthew 26:37-75

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:39

And he went a little further ,.... Luke says, Luke 22:41 , "about a stone's cast", about fifty or sixty feet from the place where they were, and fell on his face, and prayed ; partly to show his great reverence of God, the sword of whose justice was awaked against him, the terrors of whose law were set in array before him, and whose wrath was pouring down upon him; and partly to signify how much his soul was depressed, how low he was brought, and in what distress and anguish of spirit... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:40

And he cometh unto the disciples ,.... The three he took with him, Peter, James, and John, after he had finished his prayer, and findeth them asleep : many things might contribute to, and bring this drowsiness upon them; as the great fatigue they had had in preparing the passover in the day, the plentiful meal they had eaten at night, though without excess, and the lateness of the night, it being now probably midnight; but the chief reason of their sleepiness was their sorrow, as is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray ,.... These two are very justly put together. There is, and ought to be, a watching before prayer, and "unto" it; a watching all opportunities, the most suitable and convenient to perform it; and there is a watching in it, both over our hearts, thoughts, words, and gestures, and after it, for a return of it, and answer to it: the reason of this exhortation follows, that ye enter not into temptation ; not that they might not be tempted at all; for none of the saints have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:42

He went away again the second time ,.... To the same place as before, or at some little distance; after he had reproved his disciples for their sleeping, and had exhorted them to watchfulness and prayer, suggesting the danger they were liable to, and the condition they were in: and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done . The sense of this prayer to his God and Father is, that if his sufferings and death could not be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:43

And he came and found them asleep again ,.... For they were aroused and awaked, in some measure, by what he had said to them; but no sooner was he gone but they fell asleep again, and thus he found them a second time; or, "he came again and found them asleep"; so read the Vulgate Latin, the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel: for their eyes were heavy ; with sleep through fatigue, sorrow, &c.; Mark adds, "neither wist they what to answer him", Mark... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:44

And he left them, and went away again ,.... At some little distance from them; they being so overpowered with sleep, that he could have no conversation with them: and prayed the third time ; as the Apostle Paul did, when under temptation, he prayed thrice that it might depart from him, 2 Corinthians 12:8 , saying the same words : the Arabic version renders it, "in the words which he before expressed"; and Munster's Hebrew Gospel reads, "he said the same prayer"; not in the selfsame... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:45

Then cometh he to his disciples ,.... The three that were nearest to him, "the third time", as Mark says, Mark 14:41 , and as it was, and saith unto them, sleep on now, and take your rest . The Evangelist Mark adds, "it is enough", Mark 14:41 ; which has induced some interpreters to think, that these words were spoken seriously by Christ: though the sense cannot be that they had watched sufficiently, and now might sleep, and take their rest, for they had not watched at all; but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:46

Rise, let us be going ,.... Not to run away from the enemy, but to meet him: this was said, partly to arouse his sleepy disciples; and partly to show his love to his Father, and his submission to his will; as also to express the fortitude of his mind as man; he was now rid of his fears, and free from those agonies and dreadful apprehensions of things, he was but a little while ago possessed of; and likewise, to signify his willingness to be apprehended, and to suffer, and die, in the room of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:47

And while he yet spake ,.... While he was thus speaking to his disciples, before the last words, he is at hand that doth betray me, were well out of his mouth; such an exact knowledge had Christ of every motion of Judas, of what he was about, and where he was: lo! Judas, one of the twelve, came . The Persic version adds, "in sight"; of Christ, and the disciples; they saw him, and knew him, though some little distance: he came to Gethsemane, and into the garden, where they were, with a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:48

Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign ,.... By which it might be known who he was; for it being night, though they had lanterns and torches, as John says, John 18:3 , yet Judas himself might not be able to discern, him, so as to point him out, until he came very near him: moreover, Christ and his apostles might be clothed alike, so that a mistake might be easily made, and one of them be took for him: and so the Jews say F12 Toldos Jesu, p. 16. , that the two thousand men, they... read more

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