And he said to them: Why sleep you? Arise: pray: lest you enter into temptation.
και ειπεν αυτοις τι καθευδετε ανασταντες προσευχεσθε ινα μη εισελθητε εις πειρασμον
13 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 21 commentaries
And because not in appearance but in reality He took upon Himself our flesh, in order to confirm the truth of the dispensation He submits to bear human suffering; for it follows, And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly.
For it was midnight, and the disciples’ eyes were heavy from grief, and their sleep was not that of drowsiness but sorrow.
To make known unto us the power of prayer that we may exercise it in adversity, our Lord when praying is comforted by an Angel. (Matt. 4:11.)
But some say that the Angel appeared, glorifying Him, saying, O Lord, Thine is the power, for Thou art able to vanquish death, and to deliver weak mankind.
Now that the preceding prayer was of His human nature, not His divine, as the Arians say, is argued from what is said of His sweat, which follows, And his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Or this is proverbially said of one who has sweated intensely, that He sweated blood; the Evangelist then wishing to shew that He was moistened with large drops of sweat, takes drops of blood for an example. But afterwards finding His disciples asleep for sorrow, He upbraids them, at the same time reminding them to pray; for it follows, And when he rose from prayer and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping.
That is, that they should not be overcome by temptation, for not to be led into temptation is not to be overwhelmed by it. Or He simply bids us pray that our life may be quiet, and we be not cast into trouble of any kind. For it is of the devil and presumptuous, for a man to throw himself into temptation. Therefore James said not, “Cast yourselves into temptation,” but, When ye are fallen, count it all joy, (Jam. 1:2.) making a voluntary act out of an involuntary.
Our Lord praying with a bloody sweat represented the martyrdoms which should flow from His whole body, which is the Church.
Now Luke has not stated after which prayer He came to His disciples, still in nothing does he disagree with Matthew and Mark.
The human soul inevitably faces temptation. This understanding is echoed in the Lord's Prayer where we implore, “Lead us not into temptation which we cannot bear” (Matthew 6:13, Luke 11:4), acknowledging the reality of temptation while seeking the fortitude to withstand it. Similarly, in this context, He advises not merely to "Watch and pray that you may not be tempted," but rather to be vigilant "lest you fall into temptation," indicating the danger of being ensnared by it. Consider a martyr who is willing to offer his life for the faith; while he experiences temptation, he remains untrapped by it. Conversely, those who deny temptation find themselves ensnared and overwhelmed by it.
“The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” serves as a reminder to those who naively believe they can consistently live out their convictions. Thus, despite our sincere faith, the frailty of our bodies instills a sense of fear. Yet, as the apostle reminds us, the deeds of the flesh are subdued by the spirit (1 Pet. 3:18).
Many are shocked at this place who turn the sorrows of the Saviour to an argument of inherent weakness from the beginning, rather than taken upon Him for the time. But I am so far from considering it a thing to be excused, that I never more admire His mercy and majesty; for He would have conferred less upon me had He not taken upon Him my feelings. For He took upon Him my sorrow, that upon me He might bestow His joy. With confidence therefore I name His sadness, because I preach His cross. He must needs then have undergone affliction, that He might conquer. For they have no praise of fortitude whose wounds have produced stupor rather than pain. He wished therefore to instruct us how we should conquer death, and what is far greater, the anguish of coming death.
Thou smartedst then, O Lord, not from thy own but my wounds; for he was wounded for our transgressions. And perhaps He is sad, because that after Adam’s fall the passage by which we must depart from this world was such that death was necessary. Nor is it far from the truth that He was sad for His persecutors, who He knew would suffer punishment for their wicked sacrilege.
Examine the passage in this chapter, and you will gain a comprehensive insight into this subject as well.
He has expressed also the conflict of our mind in itself, as death approaches, for we suffer a certain thrill of terror and dread, when by the dissolution of the flesh we draw near to the eternal judgment; and with good reason, for the soul finds in a moment that which can never be changed.
In another place we read that Angels came and ministered unto Him. In testimony then of each nature, Angels are said both to have ministered to Him and comforted Him. For the Creator needed not the protection of His creature, but being made man as for our sakes He is sad, so for our sakes He is comforted.
Let no one ascribe this sweat to natural weakness, nay, it is contrary to nature to sweat blood, but rather let him derive therefrom a declaration to us, that He was now obtaining the accomplishment of His prayer, namely, that He might purge by His blood the faith of His disciples, still convicted of human frailty.
Our Lord proves by what comes after, that He prayed for His disciples whom He exhorts by watching and prayer to be partakers of His prayer; for it follows, And he saith unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
We have observed the Redeemer in the garden of Gethsemane, engaged in fervent prayer on our behalf. Let us return to this sacred place and discover what else our cherished Saviour is undertaking there. Although one might think that in the depths of His suffering, He would focus solely on His own plight, this is not the case. Even in His anguish, He was concerned for His dear disciples. After each prayer, He approached them to caution them about impending peril, and this repeated three times. Such remarkable tenderness from Heaven’s love! In the midst of His own trials, He does not forget His own. Leaders, teachers, and shepherds, take heed: in all your tribulations and the struggles of your ministry, do not neglect your responsibility for the care of those entrusted to you.
It is your duty to set aside your trials to attend to the well-being of those under your watch. Parents, observe the Saviour’s suffering in Gethsemane and follow His holy example, ensuring that you prioritize the eternal souls of your children. Regardless of the burdens and concerns you face at home, tend diligently to the hearts of your children, who are treasured by God. Keep watch and pray, lest you fall into temptation (Matthew 26:41). This divine principle is essential and redemptive. Vigilance and prayer are inextricably linked; one without the other becomes ineffective. Vigilance without prayer becomes mere daydreaming, and without divine strength, fatigue can overwhelm you. Conversely, prayer devoid of vigilance leads to self-indulgence: to pray without maintaining awareness and watchfulness is akin to not praying at all. Thus, it is critical to engage in vigilant watchfulness and fervent prayer. Vigilance wards off spiritual dangers, while earnest prayer solicits the heavenly aid necessary for overcoming threats. Vigilance dispels laziness and idleness, while prayer rejuvenates weary spirits. Vigilance sharpens our focus and disciplines our desires for good, preparing us against the insidious foe; through prayer, we invite divine might to achieve victory. Stay alert and pray, lest you succumb to an onslaught. The Saviour does not merely warn of encountering temptation; indeed, our engagement with temptation often hinges not on our own volition, but rather on circumstances that can appear inviting, with God permitting temptation for our growth. The Lord cautions us not to fall into temptation. To yield to temptation requires our will, and it signifies that our will is not steadfastly resisting the allure of sin. This echoes the Apostle’s words, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare” (1 Tim. 6:9). For the Apostles, to fall into temptation meant succumbing to doubt and turning away from faith amidst the turmoil stirred up by the Sanhedrin.
Regarding the disciples, He demonstrated Himself as the supreme ruler over temptation while being tested by the devil. This was affirmed when He instructed, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:46). They faced the challenge of possibly abandoning the Lord due to their preference for sleep over prayer. This is addressed by the conclusion, which clarifies the request: "Lead us not into temptation," meaning: "But deliver us from the evil one" (Luke 11:4).
In a moment of profound sorrow, the once bold Jesus appeared weighed down by distress. Not long before, He declared, “Now the Son of Man is glorified,” and urged, “Take heart; I have overcome the world.” Now, He was prepared to beseech the Father that this cup might be removed from Him. What ignited such deep anguish within His spirit, leading to such a swift transformation in His state? It was not the anticipation of the physical pain and suffering that awaited Him at death, for the righteous should not fear death more than the sinner. It is said that a wrongdoer seeks punishment as a means of unsettled conscience. Even the common individual faces physical torment without trepidation.
However, He bore the sins of all and endured death as a sinner, fully experiencing the wrath of Divine justice, and felt utterly abandoned by Divine assistance. In these moments, He must have experienced feelings of divine forsakenness. This emotional turmoil had already been foreshadowed in His initial moments of anguish (John 12:27) and during the Last Supper (13:21). An oppressive dread enveloped the soul of the purest Righteous One. He withdrew from His disciples to pray again. His prayer was so fervent that from His pores flowed not sweat, but blood, falling in drops. In this moment, the Son's silent sacrifice to the Father was being fulfilled, which was destined to be made known before all. Through prayer, He surrendered entirely to the Father’s will, transforming what His soul dreaded into a commitment of obedience. An angel appeared to provide comfort to the Son of Man. Meanwhile, the disciples succumbed to sleep; He returned three times to find them and reminded them of the need for vigilance and prayer, for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, demonstrating the necessity of divine assistance to resist temptation.
When James and John awakened, having previously asserted their ability to endure the suffering that their Lord would face and to receive the baptism He would undergo, they found themselves roused from a deep slumber. Christ regarded them with a sorrowful expression and admonished, ‘Watch and pray, lest ye fall into temptation: the spirit is watchful, but the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38).’ A significant trial awaited them, for when Jesus was arrested, they would be confronted with the question: Would they not be recognized as His followers? Would they not also be treated as His associates and face a similar fate? Their frail human nature would assert its influence, pressing upon their previously strong spirits to bring them low. If they were to face such a struggle, it was imperative that they remained vigilant in prayer, for it was through this vigilance that the awakened spirit could prevail against the weakness of the flesh.
However, the crowd, including His closest companions and disciples, offered Him neither comfort nor encouragement. When the Savior emerged from the depths of the grove to find His disciples, they were asleep! Even Peter was asleep, prompting the Savior to gently chide him: “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not stay awake for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” As if to excuse this human frailty, Christ added with kind understanding, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He returned to the grove to pray two more times, and each time He found His disciples in such deep slumber that they could not respond to His inquiries or admonitions.
On the third occasion, He roused them with a clear warning of the impending peril: “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand.”
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 12 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS