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

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. For the exposition, see the notes at Luke 22:39-46.

Ver. 44-46. Mark saith nothing of this third praying, but saith, ,42, And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betray me is at hand. What the meaning of saying the same words is, we heard before; praying to the same sense, or saying the same thing, or matter, though using other words, as it is plain he hid. Luke tells us, , there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. This is not the first time we read of angels appearing and ministering to Christ. They did so, , after his conflict with the devil in the wilderness. Now an angel appeared to him in the hour of temptation. Then he had without, troubles; but now he hath within, fears, being in a great agony. Thus it is said, ,28, that he being in a conflict, and praying, Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. A voice was heard, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. There the answer was testified by a voice from heaven; here it is by an angel. So God, , let Daniel know his prayer was heard. Hannah knew another way, by the peace of her spirit after prayer—her countenance was no more sad, . How the angel did strengthen him we are not told. Let no man think that he who was the Son of God needed an angel to strengthen him: he was not now exerting his Divine virtue, but by his suffering showing that he was truly man, and, as to that nature, made lower than the angels. Luke addeth, , And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. These words are expressive of the great conflict of our Saviour’ s spirit, which was such as thrust out sweat like great drops of blood: whether they were very blood, or sweat with some mixture or tincture of blood, is very hard to determine, nor of any consequence for us to know: it is no unusual thing for bodies to breathe out sweat in ordinary conflicts of spirit; this was much more than ordinary. Luke saith, ,46, that when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, and said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. All three evangelists agree, that Christ coming the third time found them sleeping. Luke gives one reason of it, for sorrow. Their sorrow, added to their watching, may be some excuse for their sleeping, though otherwise it was a time which called for more waking. The evangelists do not so well agree in what Christ said to his disciples.

46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. Ver. 46. Rise, let us be going] To meet that death which till he had prayed he greatly feared. So it was with Esther, Ezra 4:16, and with David, Psalms 116:3-4. See the power of faithful prayer to disarm death, and to alter the countenance of greatest danger. Quoties me oratio, quem paene desperantem susceperat, reddidit exultantem, &c.? How oft hath prayer recruited me? (Bern. Serm. 33 in Cant.) Behold, he is at hand] Behold, for the miracle of the matter, yet now no miracle. " Tuta frequensque via est per amici fallere nomen: Tuta frequensque licet sit, via crimen habet."

(46) Rise, let us be going.—It is obvious that the latter clause does not involve any suggestion of flight, but rather a call to confront the danger.

Verse 46. Rise, let us be going] That is, to meet them, giving thereby the fullest proof that I know all their designs, and might have, by flight or otherwise, provided for my own safety; but I go willingly to meet that death which their malice designs me, and, through it, provide for the life of the world.

36–46. The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1 In St Luke’s account Matthew 26:43-44 are peculiar to his Gospel. The use of the rare word “agony” by the same evangelist has given the title to this passage. St Luke also relates that “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” There is, however, some reason for doubting the genuineness of these verses.

Rise, let us be going - That is, probably, “with them.” Let us go wheresoever they shall lead us. The time when “I must die” is come. It is no longer proper to attempt an escape, and no more time can be given to repose.

46. Behold, he is at hand — ”As I sat beneath the olives, and observed how very near the city was, with what perfect ease a person there could survey at a glance the entire length of the eastern