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Explanation for:
Matthew
26
:
43
And he cometh again and findeth them sleeping: for their eyes were heavy.
10
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Hilarius of Poitiers","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88cb92f12b3278598f946_Hilarius%20of%20Poitiers.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The fact that Jesus, upon His return, encounters His disciples in slumber, chastises them initially, remains silent at a later point, and instructs them to rest on another occasion can be interpreted as follows: First, after His Resurrection, He admonished them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, as those who witnessed His rising still doubted (Mk. 16:14). Second, when the Holy Spirit was sent, He discovered them asleep, their vision clouded and unable to grasp the freedom offered by the gospel; they had been captivated by their attachment to the law, and their faith remained dormant. Finally, with His glorious return, He granted them peace and serenity."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"When the disciples stumbled upon them dozing once more, the Lord chose not to admonish them in order to spare them sorrow, instead He withdrew."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"They were burdened not only by sleep but also by grief, as noted by Luke (Luke 22:45), for they had come to terms with the death of the Savior. Mark (Mark 14:40) recorded that they did not realize how they had responded to Him."},{"author-name":"Philaret (Gumilevski)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896f4b6fd32caa244b5d7_Philaret%20(Gumilevski).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Their eyelids were heavy, and they were unaware of what to say in response to Him. This was the state in which the Savior discovered His disciples upon returning to them after His time of prayer. Sleep had overtaken them so completely that they did not know how to respond, remaining oblivious to both the past and the present. St. Luke offers an insight into their plight, describing them as being asleep due to their grief. Their condition was partly a result of being burdened with sorrowful thoughts and emotions stirred within them while they listened to the Savior's discussions before, during, and after the Last Supper. It is nevertheless remarkable that they could fall into such profound sleep even after receiving a stern admonition from the Savior. This illustrates that their drowsiness was not merely a physical fatigue from their various labors but also reflected a deeper lethargy of the soul, highlighting a spiritual slumber. What exactly was this state? How did it manifest in the disciples? The Savior had previously cautioned Peter, saying, \\"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.\\" The looming presence of dark forces burdened the frail disciples, shrouding their hearts in darkness and rendering them loose in spirit. This underscores the Savior's urgent call for them to remain vigilant and to pray."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"When He arrived, He discovered that they were once more asleep, their eyes heavy with weariness, unable to find words to respond to Him. He left them once more, fell to the ground again, and prayed fervently, sweating drops of blood."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The prayer went unanswered once more. Exhausted by the weight of human desire, Jesus returned to the disciples, hoping to find solace in conversation with them. However, he discovered them in a deep slumber. This time they were in such a profound sleep that it took a while for them to stir; their eyes were heavy, clouded by fatigue, and they failed to immediately comprehend their surroundings or respond to Jesus as he roused them."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"He retreated into the grove twice more to offer the same supplication, and on both occasions when He returned, He discovered His disciples in such profound slumber that they were unable to respond to His inquiries and admonitions."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After concluding His second prayer, the Savior returned to the disciples and discovered them in a profound slumber. Their eyes were heavy, as noted by the sacred Evangelists, and they were at a loss for words in response to Him. The Lord refrained from waking them or issuing a reprimand, for, as St. John Chrysostom explains, He chose not to exacerbate the suffering of those already burdened by their own frailty."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Jesus, who once displayed immense bravery, now appeared to be weighed down by profound sorrow. Not long ago, He proclaimed, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified,’ and urged, ‘Take heart, I have conquered the world.’ Yet now, He prepared to beseech the Father that this cup might be removed from Him. What could have caused such turmoil in His spirit and led to such a swift alteration in His state? Surely it was not the anticipation of physical torment awaiting Him in death, since the demise of the righteous should not be more daunting than that of the wicked. It has been observed that a wrongdoer may seek retribution to calm their conscience. Even the average person withstands physical suffering without dread. However, He died as if He were a sinner, carrying the weight of the sins of all, enduring the full force of divine justice, and feeling utterly abandoned by Divine guidance and support. In these moments, He must have sensed the forsakenness of God, which accounts for the sudden shift in His internal struggle. This turmoil had already begun to surface in His mind earlier (John 12:27) and during the Last Supper (13:21). A shadow of despair enveloped the soul of the holiest Righteous One. He withdrew from His disciples to engage in fervent prayer. So intense was His supplication that rather than sweat, blood streamed from His pores, falling in drops. In this moment, the Son fulfilled His secret offering to the Father, which was destined to be made manifest to all. Through His prayers, He surrendered entirely to the will of the Father, transforming what His soul had feared into a submission of inevitability. To comfort the Son of Man, an angel descended. Meanwhile, the disciples succumbed to weariness; despite three attempts to awaken them, He returned to find them unalert, reminding them of the necessity for vigilance and prayer, for while the spirit is willing, the flesh is feeble; thus, divine aid is essential to resist temptation."},{"author-name":"Nikolaj Alexandrow","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Christ returned to His disciples and found them in slumber. He chose not to awaken them, knowing the following day would bring many distressing trials for them, allowing them a brief respite from their burdens if they could not join Him in prayer. Once more, He withdrew from them, falling to the ground, and undertaken a fervent prayer, shedding blood as He agonized. This act of supplication and deep yearning that our Lord experienced in Gethsemane left Him in such spiritual turmoil that His physical state mirrored that of a man wrestling with death. It was essential to uphold His weary human nature in anticipation of the sufferings ahead, and ultimately, a Heavenly Messenger appeared to provide Him with strength."}]}
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