Mat 26:30-46, Mar 14:32-41 | Family

Matthew 26:30-46

Offended; made to stumble. The word is here, as elsewhere in the New Testament, applied to the life and conduct. How the disciples should be offended appears in the course of the narrative; they should be led to forsake him, and in one case to deny him.

It is written; Zec 13:7.

The Shepherd; Christ.

The sheep; his disciples. Seasons of intimate and endearing communion with Christ may be followed by seasons of great and peculiar trial. It is a great blessing that Christ is acquainted beforehand with all our trials, and can in the best way provide for them; so that they shall in the end not injure us, but promote our benefit. Into Galilee; Mt 28:7. Deny me; Mt 26:74. Though I should die; his meaning was, that he would not deny Christ even to save his own life. Persons may seem to be very courageous in time of safety, and be great cowards in time of danger. When a good man thinks highly of himself, and is confident in his own strength, he is preparing for a downfall; and if he does not lose his soul, he will have reason to be grateful. Gethsemane; a garden, or retired spot, on the west side of the mount of Olives, not far from the brook Cedron. Two sons of Zebedee; James and John. The same that were with him on the mount of transfiguration. Chap Mt 17:1,2.

Very heavy; exceedingly depressed. Even unto death; with death-like sorrow, inexpressible anguish. This cup; the anguish he was enduring and was to endure. Unto Peter; who had just before been so strong in his professions of fidelity to his Master. That ye enter not into temptation; that is, so as to be overcome by it; for the hour of the Saviour's suffering was also to be that of the fiery trial of his disciples. Compare Lu 22:31.

The spirit; "the inward man." This was animiated by sincere love towards the Saviour.

The flesh; used here to denote all that weakness of fallen nature which makes it liable to be overcome by temptation. The sufferings of Jesus Christ, when he bore our sins in his own body on the tree, and tasted death for every man, were inexpressibly great. The Father said, "Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow: smite the Shepherd." Zec 13:7. His soul was made "an offering for sin," and as such it "pleased the Lord to bruise him" and "put him to grief." Isa 53:10. Sleep on--take your rest; see note to Mr 14:41.

Mark 14:32-41

32-46. The agony in the garden. Mt 26:36-50. The most earnest desires and fervent prayers for deliverance from evils are entirely consistent with perfect resignation to the will of God with regard to them. Abba; a Syriac word, meaning, Father.

This cup; the sufferings that were before him. Sleep on now--it is enough; some take the first clause interrogatively: Do ye now sleep on in such circumstances? it is enough that ye have slept, etc. Others take the first clause ironically, and the second earnestly: Sleep on now, if ye can in such circumstances, etc. Others still take the first clause permissively, as much as to say, My season of prayer when I desired you to watch is ended: sleep on for the rest of the time before the betrayer comes. And then, after a pause, as he sees Judas coming, It is enough that you have slept, etc. The latter is perhaps the preferable view.