Matthew 26:38-46

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 26:36-46

Hitherto, we have seen the preparatives for Christ's sufferings; now, we enter upon the bloody scene. In these verses we have the story of his agony in the garden. This was the beginning of sorrows to our Lord Jesus. Now the sword of the Lord began to awake against the man that was his Fellow; and how should it be quiet when the Lord had given it a charge? The clouds had been gathering a good while, and looked black. He had said, some days before, Now is my soul troubled, John 12:27. But now... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 26:36-46

26:36-46 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go away and pray in this place." So he took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be distressed and in sore trouble. Then he said to them, "My soul is much distressed with a distress like death. Stay here, and watch with me." He went a little way forward and fell on his face in prayer. "My Father," He said, "if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. But let it be not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:38

Then saith he unto them ,.... The three disciples, Peter, James, and John, who, by his looks and gestures, might know somewhat of the inward distress of his mind; yet he choose to express it to them in words, saying, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death . That Christ had an human soul, as well as an human body, is clear from hence; and which was possessed of the same passions as ours are, but without sin, such as joy, love, grief, sorrow, &c.; and at this time its sorrows... read more

John Gill

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

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