The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 523

take it in the sense of suocnmbing to, fe.lling tl1at we are hea.rd and that an answer wil1 under, being ,-,.nquished by temptation, be given; even as Christ obtained not tho like iµ..-[,rr.,v in 1 Tim. Yi. 9, "immorgi et withdrawa.l of the cup, but strength to eucenmbere." The.t Peter aud the rest submit, endure, and conquer. \Ve wust were now to be tempted was oertain (Luke compare this threefold prayer and contest xxii. 31, 32), and it was too lllte to dopre- with tho threefold temptation at the begin- CRte the trio.I; bnt it was right and ex- ning of our Lord's ministry. pedient t.o ask of God grace to withstand Ver. 45.-Cometh he. St. Hilary com- in the evil hour. The spirit ( 1rv•vµa) indeed ments on these three visits: "On his first is willing, but the :11.esh is weak. This we.s return he reproves, on the second he holds an added motive for vigilanoo and prayer. his peace, on the third he bids to rest." The apostles had shown " certain readiness The contest wa.s over; the huma.n will was of spirit when they offered to die with now entirely one with the Divine will. Christ (ver. 35); but the flesh, the mllterial Sleep on now ( -rb /1.o,,,.&,,, henceforward), and and lower ne.ture, represses the higher take your rest. This is probably to be impulse, checks the will, e.nd prevents it understood literally. There was a short. from carrying out that which it is prompted interval still before the apprehension and, to perform (see the action of these con- the subsequent events; as they could not. trariant forces notioed by St. Paul, Rom. vii.). watch, they might use this in finishing "For the corruptible body pressetb down their sleep, and recruiting their wearied the soul, e.nd the ee.rLby tabernacle weighetb bodies in preparation for the coming trie.L down tile mind that musetb upon many Many expositors find e.n irony in Christ's things" (Wisd. ix. 15). Our Lord at words, taken in connection with those that tl.iis very time was experiencing and ex- follow, as if he meant," In a few minutes emplifying the truth of his saying, though I shall be seized; sleep on if you can; you in his case the wee.knees of the flesh was will soon be miserably awakened, make entirely overmastered by the willing spirit. the most of the present." But at this It is noted that Polycarp quotes this maxim moment the tender Jesus would surely of Christ in his 'Epistle to the Philippians,' never have condescended to address his eh. 7. friends in such a style. All his words and Ver. 42.-Aga.in the second time. A actious were animated with the deepest pleona.stic expression, u in John iv. 54; love for them and anxiety on their account. xxi. 16, etc., oalling especial e.ttention to A change to irony is really inconcdvable "the numerics.I re-repetition of the SaTiolll''s under the circumstances. Nor is there any prayer" (Morison). St. Matthew a.lone gives reason to take the sentence interrogatively, the words of this second prayer, which differs " Sleep ye at such a moment? " It is more in some respects from the first. The possi- aimple to regard the words as said bona bility of the cup passing e.way was con- fide, with no mental reservation and no sidered no longer; the continue.nee of the implied censure. We may suppose that a trial showed that it was not to be. U this pause ensued before the utterance of the cup may (can) not pass away from me . . . next clause, and tLe.t the Lord allowed his thy will be done. He accepts the cup; bis fatigued followers to sleep on till the last human will coincides with the Divine will; moment. Behold, the hour is at hand, and he acquiesces witl, perfect self-resignation. (Kal, equivalent to when) the Son of man is The cup, relatively to the circumstances, betrayed (1rc,palillio-ra1, ia being betrayed) couhl not pa.ea away from the Saviolll'. into the handa of sinners. He calls all Ver. 43.-He oame and found them asleep sinners who take part in his apprehension, (sleeping) again. In the best manuscripts trial, and death-not the Romans only (as "again" is counectcd with the verb "came." Acts ii. 23), but priests, elders, multitude, This was b.ie second visit; he was still who joined in the crowd and incurred the craving for their sympathy, still desirous guilt. There is now no sign of wavering; of tl.icir safety under temptation. Heavy he is ready, yea, eag<Jr to meet the suffer- (f3,fJc,p7Jµ<vo,). Weighed down with drowsi- ings which be foresees. ness; St. Mark adds, "Neither wist they Ver. 46.-ll.ise, let us be going. He will wLat to answer him." He partially aroused meet, and he wishes his disciples to meet, them, but they were too overcome with the coming attack with aln,crity and readi- sleep to enter fully into the situation or ness. So with them he goes towards the i.o attend to the obvious duty befora them. entrance of the garden where he had left Ver. 44..--Saying the same worda (11.o-yov, the eight. Behold. Judas and his com- word, i.e. prayer). Three times be prayed, panions come in sight. and hie prayer was always of the same Vere. 47-56.-Betrayal and appreheneion import-teaching us by example to be urgent, instant, in supplication, and, though of Jeel.l.8 (Mark xiv. 43-52; Luke xxil. tLe special req ueet be llenied, to be sure 47-53: John xviii. 2-11.) on. xxvi.1-75.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 629