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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:39

Verse 39 39.And he went forward a little. We have seen in other passages, that in order to excite himself to greater earnestness of prayer, the Lord prayed in the absence of witnesses; for when we are withdrawn from the gaze of men, we succeed better in collecting our senses, so as to attend more closely to what we are doing. It is not, indeed, necessary — nay more, it is not always proper — that we should retire to distant corners whenever we pray; but when some great necessity urges us,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:40

Verse 40 40.And he came to his disciples. Though he was neither delivered from fear, nor freed from anxiety, yet he interrupted the ardor of prayer, and administered this consolation. For believers are not required to be so constant in prayer as never to cease from conversing with God; but on the contrary, following the example of Christ, they continue their prayers till they have proceeded as far as their infirmity allows, then cease for a short time, and immediately after drawing breath... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:41

Verse 41 41.Watch and pray. As the disciples were unmoved by their Master’s danger, their attention is directed to themselves, that a conviction of their own danger may arouse them. Christ therefore threatens that, if they do not watch and pray, they may be soon overwhelmed by temptation. As if he had said, “Though you take no concern about me, do not fail, at least, to think of yourselves; for your own interests are involved in it, and if you do not take care, temptation will immediately... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:42

Verse 42 42.Again he went away a second time. By these words Christ seems as if, having subdued fear, he came with greater freedom and courage to submit to the will of the Father; for he no longer asks to have the cup removed from him, but, leaving out this prayer, insists rather on obeying the purpose of God. But according to Mark, this progress is not described; and even when Christ returned a second time, we are told that he repeated the same prayer; and, indeed, I have no doubt, that at... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:14-50

Judas. By piecing together what the various Gospels tell us about Judas, we can see the process by which our Lord separated him from the rest. 1 . Our Lord indicated that among the disciples there was a traitor. Unable to detect the conscious look of guilt in the face of any of his companions, each, conscious of the deep, unfathomed capacity for evil in his own heart, can but frankly ask the Master, "Lord, is it I?" But there was one of them who did not join in the question. 2 .... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:31-46

The Mount of Olives. I. THE CONVERSATION BY THE WAY . 1 . The Lord ' s prediction that all should forsake him. Partly in the upper room, partly on the way, the Lord had uttered those most sacred and precious words which St. John was led by the Holy Spirit to preserve in those chapters which have well been called the holiest of the holy. St. Matthew relates only one thing which passed as they went in the late evening, in the solemn light of the Paschal moon, their hearts,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:36-46

The agedly of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. ( Mark 14:32-42 ; Luke 22:39-46 ; John 18:1 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:36-46

The agony in the garden. Jesus, with his apostles, after the eventful moonlight walk from Jerusalem, came to a place at the foot of the Mount of Olives, called "Gethsemane," or the oil presses. Here he entered upon a scene the moral grandeur of which is only exceeded by that of Calvary. The olive in the oil press, like the grape in the wine press, was trodden (see Micah 6:15 ). The sufferings of the Lord in the garden were purely mental; those on the cross were physical also. Meditate... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:39

He went a little further. Deeper into the wood, beneath the gloomy shadow of the olive trees, yet so as not to feel absolutely alone. St. Luke names the distance, "He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast." By some clerical error the genuine reading, προελθω Ì ν , "having gone forward," has been altered in most of the best manuscripts into προσελθω Ì ν , "having approached." There can be no doubt that this latter reading is erroneous; and it is well, as occasion bids, to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:39

Gethsemane a representative conflict. Wherein does the scene of Calvary differ from the scene of Gethsemane? It would be easy to point out the sameness, the essential oneness, of the two scenes. But there is a difference. It lies in this: At Calvary the physical suffering is prominent. Our thought is sympathizingly occupied with our Lord's bodily agonies, and bleeding, breaking heart. At Gethsemane the physical is subordinate, the mental and spiritual are prominent; we are in the presence of... read more

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