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Explanation for:
Matthew
26
:
44
And leaving them, he went again: and he prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word.
10
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He intercedes for everyone, having endured suffering on behalf of all humanity without exception, and the apostles found their spirits weakened and burdened by the impending denial. After praying once more, so that through the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter might be clarified, and having gained reassurance that the apostles' fear would be alleviated through their repentance, He, prepared to endure suffering, advances toward His adversaries and voluntarily surrenders Himself to death."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He approached His disciples and specifically addressed Peter, asking, “Could you not remain awake for one hour with Me?” While the others slept, He admonished Peter, recalling his earlier words. He chose to emphasize “with Me” purposefully, suggesting that if you cannot stay awake with Me, how can you claim to give your life for Me? This sentiment is echoed in His subsequent instruction: “Watch and pray, lest you fall into temptation.” Observe how He teaches them to shun arrogance, encouraging them to humble their minds and hearts and to yield everything to God.\\n\\nFollowing this, He specifically calls out to Peter again, saying, “Simon! Simon! Look, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you.” Then He turns to all of them, urging them to pray so they do not fall into temptation. In doing so, He diminishes their pride and urges them to be vigilant. To soften His correction, He adds, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Though you aspire to disregard death, He implies, you cannot do so without divine assistance, for earthly desires can diminish the spirit. He subsequently prays earnestly, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done,” demonstrating His complete alignment with God’s will, signifying that in all things He seeks to be in harmony with it."},{"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 he left, he prayed for the third time, confirming his humanity, as the number three symbolizes truth and reliability."},{"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":"He engaged in prayer a second and third time, demonstrating the importance of persistent prayer and not losing heart. He returned to the disciples once more to highlight their frailty. Despite receiving a warning, they became so drowsy that they were unable to respond to Him. Consequently, the Savior chose not to rebuke them on this occasion. According to Luke (Luke 22:43, 44), it is noted that \\"an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him,\\" encouraging Him, as a human, to remain strong and brave; in His anguish, He prayed with even greater fervor, teaching us to also seek fervent prayer in times of peril. His sweat was like “drops” (θρομβοι) “of blood falling to the ground,” with θρομβοι referring to thick droplets of blood. The account does not state that Jesus sweat blood per se, but rather that in His agony, He experienced significant perspiration. To ensure that His suffering was not perceived as mere pretense, the Savior expressed grief not only through His demeanor but also showed it more explicitly and prayed repeatedly. An angel came to bolster His spirit, yet He continued to feel weak and prayed even more earnestly to the extent that strong sweat flowed from Him. All of this was endured to affirm that He experienced humanity authentically, not in a merely illusory manner. If there are those who doubt His Incarnation after observing all that He, in His humanity, endured, how much more skepticism would arise if these events did not occur. We should also reflect on how the evangelists became aware of what the Savior expressed in His prayer, the frequency of His prayers, the visit of the angel, and other details. At that moment, the disciples were all asleep and subsequently fled from Him. It seems likely that the Master recounted this to His disciples after the Resurrection, during the forty days He spent with them, as noted in the Book of Acts (Acts 1:3)."},{"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":"After departing from them, He went away once more and prayed a third time, repeating the same words. In this moment, the prophetic words of Isaiah from the Old Testament were realized in Him: ‘I tread the grindstone alone, and of the nations there was none with Me’ (Isaiah 63:3). Instead of receiving a tangible answer to His prayers, an angel appeared to provide support to Jesus, manifesting in a manner that allowed the nearby disciples to perceive that someone was quietly speaking with the Master. Just as angels had attended to the Lord following His initial temptation in the wilderness, an angel now came to the Gethsemane Prayer, fortifying His human nature for the impending trials, soothing His troubled and sorrowful spirit, and replenishing the comfort He might have found in the prayerful sympathy of His closest disciples, had they not succumbed to fleshly weakness. The angel fortified Jesus—Him who upholds all things by the power of His voice! Such remarkable mystery resides within these words! What profound depths of our Savior's Divine humility! Blessed Augustine remarked, “I would not know how immense is the kindness and love of my Lord and Savior toward me, a sinner, if He had not revealed to me their significance.” If we too face temptation, let us stand before the figure of Jesus in prayer. Let us gaze upon the cup descending from above, and prostrate ourselves before the heavenly Father, saying, in the words of His only Son, “Let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will: ‘Thy will be done!’” And the Heavenly Father will heed our prayers, just as He listened to the prayer of the Only Begotten, granting us solace of conscience and tranquility of heart in place of a strengthening angel."},{"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":"After departing from His disciples, Jesus withdrew once again to pray for the third time, repeating the same words. In the midst of His struggle, His prayers became more intense, and His perspiration resembled great drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). He concluded this third prayer with a resolute expression of submission: Thy will be done. In the first prayer, He earnestly beseeched the Father to remove the cup of anguish from Him: 'All things are possible to You; let this cup pass from Me. Yet, not what I will, but what You will' (Mark 14:36). When He received no answer, He proceeded to the second prayer, where He acknowledged His submission to God’s will: 'If this cup cannot pass from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done' (Matthew 26:42). Still without a response, He engaged in a third prayer, echoing the same request. It is clear from the content of this prayer how Jesus progressively surrendered to the Father’s wishes and gained strength of spirit; nevertheless, an angel was sent to Him during His third prayer, which, by its mere presence, was meant to further uplift Jesus and provide Him with the fortitude to confront the impending suffering. This assistance was essential, as His strength was waning, evidenced by the unusual perspiration appearing on His face, resembling drops of blood falling to the ground. Whether this sweat was truly blood or merely likened to it by the Evangelist remains uncertain. Regardless, upon the angel's arrival, Jesus found renewed strength, not only in His spirit but also in His physical being, enabling Him to withstand that painful, sleepless night and the subsequent trials that awaited Him."},{"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":"In a moment of intense supplication, Christ momentarily considered the unimaginable task of forsaking the monumental act of salvation, earnestly addressing the Father: ‘Abba Father, all things are possible to Thee; carry this cup past me’; yet He swiftly entrusted everything to the will of the One who sent Him: ‘but not what I want, but what Thou wilt.’ At this time, the interplay of His Divine and human natures was revealed with profound clarity. Although it may initially appear that His human nature predominates, it is essential to recognize that this was the pinnacle of Christ’s self-humbling, when ‘He humbled Himself and became obedient even unto death’ (Phil. 2:8), giving Himself wholly to the Father as the embodiment of fallen humanity. However, the very capacity to submit in this manner, the deep communion with the Father regarding His will and guidance, along with the ultimate victory of self-denial over human frailty, serve as evident markers of His Divinity."},{"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 the momentous vigil in Gethsemane had concluded, the great Savior returned to His previous position and offered a third prayer, uttering the same plea. With this, the act of supplication reached its end; the yearnings and longings of humanity were quelled and replaced by unwavering submission to the divine will of God. The cloud of anguish and sorrow dissipated, leading to a state of serene peace in both mind and body. Thus, the inner struggle of Gethsemane concluded with a profound and enigmatic triumph."},{"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, once filled with boldness, now appeared to be overcome by profound sorrow. Not long ago, He proclaimed, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified,’ and urged, ‘Go ahead, for I have conquered the world.’ Yet now He was ready to appeal to the Father, requesting that the bitter cup might pass from Him. What brought about such deep anguish in Jesus’ spirit, causing such a swift shift in His state? It was certainly not merely the anticipation of physical pain; after all, death should weigh equally upon the righteous as it does upon the wicked. It is often observed that the guilty may seek punishment as a means of easing their conscience. Even regular individuals have faced bodily suffering without despair. Yet He faced death bearing the transgressions of all humanity, fully encountering the fierce judgment of God and feeling utterly abandoned by Divine presence. In those moments, He must have experienced a sense of divine forsakenness, which accounted for the sudden transformation in His internal state. This profound turmoil had already been foreshadowed earlier (John 12:27) and during the Last Supper (13:21). A dark cloud enveloped the soul of the most righteous One. He withdrew from His disciples to seek solace in prayer. The intensity of His supplication was such that, rather than perspiration, blood flowed from the pores of His skin, falling in drops. In this moment, the Son's hidden sacrifice to the Father became manifest, a commitment to obedience that could not be avoided. To offer comfort to the Son of Man, an angel was sent. Meanwhile, the disciples succumbed to sleep; despite His three attempts to rouse them, reminding them of the need for vigilance and prayer—asserting that while the spirit is willing, the flesh is fragile—divine assistance was necessary to overcome 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":"The supplication and the angel's visitation fortified both the spiritual and physical resolve of Christ. Prepared to embrace the chalice of anguish, He approached the disciples for the third time, inquiring, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is finished; the hour has arrived: behold, the Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go; look, he who betrays me is near.” Just then, as He had foretold, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, scribes, and elders (Mark 14:41-43)."}]}
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