Matthew 26:36
At that time Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He told them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
Then Jesus went with them
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the narrative, as Jesus transitions from the Last Supper to the Garden of Gethsemane. The Greek word for "went" (ἐλθὼν) signifies a deliberate action, emphasizing Jesus' intentional movement towards His destiny. The inclusion of "with them" highlights the communal aspect of His journey, underscoring the importance of fellowship and support even in times of impending trial.

to a place called Gethsemane
Gethsemane, derived from the Aramaic "Gat Shmanim," meaning "oil press," is a garden located at the foot of the Mount of Olives. This setting is significant both geographically and symbolically. Historically, olive presses were places of crushing and extraction, mirroring the intense spiritual and emotional pressure Jesus would face. The garden's location also fulfills prophetic imagery, as the Mount of Olives is associated with messianic expectations in Jewish tradition.

and He told His disciples
This phrase indicates Jesus' role as a teacher and leader, providing guidance to His followers even in moments of personal anguish. The Greek verb "told" (λέγει) suggests a continuous action, implying that Jesus' instructions were part of an ongoing dialogue with His disciples. This highlights the importance of communication and instruction within the Christian community, especially during times of trial.

Sit here
The command to "sit" (καθίσατε) is both practical and symbolic. It suggests a temporary pause, a moment of rest before the coming storm. In a broader spiritual sense, it reflects the need for believers to find moments of stillness and reflection in their own lives, trusting in God's plan even when the path ahead is uncertain.

while I go over there and pray
This phrase encapsulates Jesus' dual nature as both fully divine and fully human. The act of prayer signifies His reliance on the Father, modeling the importance of seeking divine strength and guidance. The Greek word for "pray" (προσεύξομαι) conveys a sense of earnest supplication, reflecting the depth of Jesus' impending struggle. The physical act of "going over there" underscores His willingness to face His destiny alone, a poignant reminder of the personal sacrifices required in the pursuit of God's will.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is preparing for His impending crucifixion. He seeks solitude in prayer, demonstrating His reliance on the Father.

2. Disciples
The followers of Jesus who accompany Him to Gethsemane. They are instructed to sit and wait while Jesus prays, highlighting their role as witnesses to His suffering and obedience.

3. Gethsemane
A garden located on the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane is a place of pressing, both literally (as an olive press) and spiritually, as Jesus faces the weight of His mission.

4. Prayer
The act Jesus engages in, signifying His communion with the Father and His submission to God's will, even in the face of great distress.

5. Mount of Olives
The broader location of Gethsemane, often associated with significant events in Jesus' ministry and eschatological teachings.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Prayer in Times of Distress
Jesus models turning to God in prayer during moments of deep anguish, teaching us to seek divine strength and guidance.

Obedience to God's Will
Despite His distress, Jesus submits to the Father's will, reminding us of the importance of aligning our desires with God's purposes.

The Role of Community in Spiritual Struggles
Jesus brings His disciples with Him, illustrating the value of having a supportive community during challenging times.

Human Weakness and Divine Strength
The disciples' inability to stay awake contrasts with Jesus' perseverance, highlighting our need for God's strength in our weaknesses.

Preparation for Spiritual Battles
Gethsemane serves as a place of preparation for Jesus, encouraging us to prepare spiritually for the trials we face.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jesus' example in Gethsemane challenge your current approach to prayer, especially in times of distress?

2. In what ways can you cultivate a deeper obedience to God's will, as demonstrated by Jesus in this passage?

3. How can you support others in your community who are facing spiritual struggles, similar to how Jesus included His disciples?

4. Reflect on a time when you felt weak or unable to stay spiritually vigilant. How can this passage encourage you to rely on God's strength?

5. What steps can you take to better prepare for the spiritual battles you may face, drawing inspiration from Jesus' time in Gethsemane?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Hebrews 5:7-8
This passage speaks of Jesus' prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears, emphasizing His humanity and obedience through suffering.

Luke 22:39-46
Provides a parallel account of Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, offering additional details about His emotional state and the disciples' struggle to stay awake.

Psalm 22
Often seen as a prophetic psalm of Jesus' suffering, it connects to His anguish and reliance on God during His time in Gethsemane.

Philippians 2:5-8
Highlights Jesus' humility and obedience, even to the point of death, which is exemplified in His actions in Gethsemane.
Gethsemane, the Oil-PressAlexander MaclarenMatthew 26:36
The Power of Prayer in Relation to Outward CircumstancesFriedrich Schleiermacher Matthew 26:36
Truths Learnt in GethsemaneR. Tuck Matthew 26:36
JudasMarcus Dods Matthew 26:14-25, 47-50
A Visit to GethsemaneJ. Parsons.Matthew 26:36-39
Christ's AgonyA. L. R. Foote.Matthew 26:36-39
Christ's Agony in the GardenH. Melvill, B. D.Matthew 26:36-39
Comforts in TrialW. Bates.Matthew 26:36-39
Divine SorrowDean Stanley.Matthew 26:36-39
Duty of SubmissionSir Wm. Temple., E. de Pressense, D. D.Matthew 26:36-39
Emblem of ProvidenceW. Bates.Matthew 26:36-39
Falling on His FaceGeorge Dawson.Matthew 26:36-39
GethsemaneW. H. Davison.Matthew 26:36-39
God's Providence an Argument for SubmissionW. Bates.Matthew 26:36-39
Inducements to ResignationJ. Jortin.Matthew 26:36-39
Jesus PrayingC. H. Spurgeon.Matthew 26:36-39
Man's Evil NatureW. Bates.Matthew 26:36-39
Our Lord's Example of ResignationJ. Jortin.Matthew 26:36-39
PrayerF. W. Robertson, M. A.Matthew 26:36-39
Prayer to Seek God's Will, not Man's WishF. W. Robertson, M. A.Matthew 26:36-39
Present Comforts in AfflictionW. Bates.Matthew 26:36-39
ResignationW. Bates.Matthew 26:36-39
Storms Beat Round Mountain SoulsGeorge Dawson.Matthew 26:36-39
Submission a ProgressC. J. Vaughan, D. D.Matthew 26:36-39
Submission to the Divine WillMatthew 26:36-39
The Broken WillGeorge Dawson.Matthew 26:36-39
The Christian's GethsemaneCanon Liddon.Matthew 26:36-39
The Father's CupE. Stillingfleet.Matthew 26:36-39
The Figure of the CupHorace Bushnell.Matthew 26:36-39
The Language and Tone Befitting Our Prayers to GodGeorge Wray, M. A.Matthew 26:36-39
The Prayer in GethsemaneE. Stillingfleet.Matthew 26:36-39
The Representative Human ConflictSelected.Matthew 26:36-39
The Soul-Passion of ChristCanon Liddon.Matthew 26:36-39
The Soul-Sorrow of JesusJ. Macnaughton.Matthew 26:36-39
The Agony in the GardenJ.A. Macdonald Matthew 26:36-46
People
Caiaphas, Jesus, Judas, Peter, Simon, Zabdi, Zebedee
Places
Bethany, Galilee, Gethsemane, Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, Nazareth
Topics
Disciples, Gethsemane, Gethsem'ane, Named, Prayer, Says, Seated, Sit, Till, Whilst, Yonder
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Matthew 26:36

     2081   Christ, wisdom
     4240   garden, natural
     4488   oil
     5181   sitting
     5921   privacy

Matthew 26:34-37

     5113   Peter, disciple

Matthew 26:36-41

     8493   watchfulness, believers

Matthew 26:36-42

     2570   Christ, suffering

Matthew 26:36-43

     8613   prayer, persistence

Matthew 26:36-44

     6252   temptation, and Christ

Matthew 26:36-46

     2360   Christ, prayers of
     5537   sleeplessness

Library
January 9. "Not as I Will, but as Thou Wilt" (Matt. xxvi. 39).
"Not as I will, but as Thou wilt" (Matt. xxvi. 39). "To will and do of His good pleasure" (Phil. ii. 13). There are two attitudes in which our will should be given to God. First. We should have the surrendered will. This is where we must all begin, by yielding up to God our natural will, and having Him possess it. But next, He wants us to have the victorious will. As soon as He receives our will in honest surrender, He wants to put His will into it and make it stronger than ever for Him. It is henceforth
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

November 29. "Could Ye not Watch with Me one Hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 40. )
"Could ye not watch with Me one hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 40.) A young lady whose parents had died while she was an infant, had been kindly cared for by a dear friend of the family. Before she was old enough to know him, he went to Europe. Regularly he wrote to her through all his years of absence, and never failed to send her money for all her wants. Finally word came that during a certain week he would return and visit her. He did not fix the day or the hour. She received several invitations to take
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

January 3. "Watch and Pray" (Matt. xxvi. 41).
"Watch and pray" (Matt. xxvi. 41). We need to watch for prayers as well as for the answers to our prayers. It needs as much wisdom to pray rightly as it does faith to receive the answers to our prayers. We met a friend the other day, who had been in years of darkness because God had failed to answer certain prayers, and the result had been a state bordering on infidelity. A very few moments were sufficient to convince this friend that these prayers had been entirely unauthorized, and that God had
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

'Until that Day'
'I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.'--MATT. xxvi. 29. This remarkable saying of our Lord's is recorded in all of the accounts of the institution of the Lord's Supper. The thought embodied in it ought to be present in the minds of all who partake of that rite. It converts what is primarily a memorial into a prophecy. It bids us hope as well as, and because we, remember. The light behind us is cast forward on to
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Last Pleading of Love
'And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?'--MATT. xxvi. 50. We are accustomed to think of the betrayer of our Lord as a kind of monster, whose crime is so mysterious in its atrocity as to put him beyond the pale of human sympathy. The awful picture which the great Italian poet draws of him as alone in hell, shunned even there, as guilty beyond all others, expresses the general feeling about him. And even the attempts which have been made to diminish the greatness of his guilt, by
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Jesus Charged with Blasphemy
'Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses?'--MATT. xxvi. 65. Jesus was tried and condemned by two tribunals, the Jewish ecclesiastical and the Roman civil. In each case the charge corresponded to the Court. The Sanhedrin took no cognisance of, and had no concern with, rebellion against Caesar; though for the time they pretended loyalty. Pilate had still less concern about Jewish superstitions. And so the investigation in each
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The New Passover
'Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto Him, Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the passover? 18. And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with My disciples. 19. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. 20. Now when the even was come, He sat down with the twelve. 21. And as they did eat, He said,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

'This Cup'
'And Jesus took the cup, and grave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28. For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins'--MATT. xxvi. 27, 28. The comparative silence of our Lord as to the sacrificial character of His death has very often been urged as a reason for doubting that doctrine, and for regarding it as no part of the original Christian teaching. That silence may be accounted for by sufficient reasons. It has been very much
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Gethsemane, the Oil-Press
'Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37. And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38. Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me. 39. And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Real High Priest and his Counterfeit
'And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58. But Peter followed Him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. 59. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death; 60. But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61. And said,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Defence of Uncalculating Love
'Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7. There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat. 8. But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9. For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 10. When Jesus understood it, He said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon Me. 11. For ye have the poor
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Power of Prayer in Relation to Outward Circumstances.
TEXT: MATT. xxvi. 36-46. TO be a religious man and to pray are really one and the same thing. To join the thought of God with every thought of any importance that occurs to us; in all our admiration of external nature, to regard it as the work of His wisdom; to take counsel with God about all our plans, that we may be able to carry them out in His name; and even in our most mirthful hours to remember His all-seeing eye; this is the prayer without ceasing to which we are called, and which is really
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

An Awful Contrast
"Then did they spit in his face."--Matthew 26:67. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away."--Revelation 20:11. GUIDED BY OUR TEXT in Matthew's Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, and there let us, in deepest sorrow, realize the meaning of these terrible words: "Then did they spit in his face." There is more of deep and awful thunder in them than in the bolt that bursts overhead, there is
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896

A Woman's Memorial
And now my prayer is that we may be endued this morning with the same spirit as that which prompted the woman, when she broke her alabaster box upon the head of Christ. There must be something wonderful about this story, or else Christ would not have linked it with his gospel, for so hath he done. So long as this gospel lives shall this story of the woman be told; and when this story of the woman ceaseth to exist, then the gospel must cease to exist also, for they are co-eternal. As long as this
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

Sunday Next Before Easter.
What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. These words, we cannot doubt, have an application to ourselves, and to all Christians, far beyond the particular occasion on which they were actually spoken. They are, in fact, the words which Christ addresses daily to all of us. Every day, when he sees how often we have gone astray from him, he repeats to us, Could ye not watch with me one hour? Every
Thomas Arnold—The Christian Life

"For they that are after the Flesh do Mind the Things of the Flesh,",
Rom. viii. 5.--"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh,", &c. Though sin hath taken up the principal and inmost cabinet of the heart of man--though it hath fixed its imperial throne in the spirit of man, and makes use of all the powers and faculties in the soul to accomplish its accursed desires and fulfil its boundless lusts, yet it is not without good reason expressed in scripture, ordinarily under the name of "flesh," and a "body of death," and men dead in sins, are
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Wyclif -- Christ's Real Body not in the Eucharist
John Wyclif, eminent as scholar, preacher, and translator, was born in 1324 in Spresswel, near Richmond, Yorkshire, England. Known as the "Morning Star of the Reformation" he was a vigorous and argumentative speaker, exemplifying his own definition of preaching as something which should be "apt, apparent, full of true feeling, fearless in rebuking sins, and so addrest to the heart as to enlighten the spirit and subdue the will." On these lines he organized a band of Bible preachers who worked largely
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume I

That Man must not be Immersed in Business
"My Son, always commit thy cause to Me; I will dispose it aright in due time. Wait for My arrangement of it, and then thou shalt find it for thy profit." 2. O Lord, right freely I commit all things to Thee; for my planning can profit but little. Oh that I did not dwell so much on future events, but could offer myself altogether to Thy pleasures without delay. 3. "My Son, a man often striveth vehemently after somewhat which he desireth; but when he hath obtained it he beginneth to be of another
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Jesus Predicts, the Rulers Plot For, and Judas Bargains for his Death.
(Mount of Olives, Bethany, and Jerusalem. Tuesday After Sunset, Which Jews Regarded as the Beginning of Wednesday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 1-5, 14-16; ^B Mark XIV. 1, 2, 10, 11; ^C Luke XXII. 1-6. ^c 1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. { ^b 1 Now after two days was the feast of the passover and the unleavened bread:} ^a 1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days the passover cometh, and
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Preparation for Passover. Disciples Contend for Precedence.
(Bethany to Jerusalem. Thursday Afternoon and, After Sunset, Beginning of Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 17-20; ^B Mark XIV. 12-17; ^C Luke XXII. 7-18, 24-30. ^c 7 And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the passover must be sacrificed. [See p. 57. Leaven was to the Jew a symbol of corruption and impurity, because it causes bread to become stale. The feast of unleavened bread began properly on the fifteenth of Nisan, and lasted seven days, but this was the fourteenth Nisan, the day on which the paschal
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Judas' Betrayal and Peter's Denial Foretold.
(Jerusalem. Evening Before the Crucifixion.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 21-25, 31-35; ^B Mark XIV. 18-21, 27-31; ^C Luke XXII. 21-23, 31-38; ^D John XIII. 21-38. ^b 18 And ^d 21 When Jesus had thus said, ^b as they sat and were eating, ^d he was troubled in the spirit, and ^b Jesus ^d testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. ^b even he that eateth with me. ^c 21 But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. [The foreknowledge of Judas' crime
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Lord's Supper Instituted.
(Jerusalem. Evening Before the Crucifixion.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 26-29; ^B Mark XIV. 22-25; ^C Luke XXII. 19, 20; ^F I. Cor. XI. 23-26. ^a 26 And as they were eating, ^f the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; 24 and when he had given thanks, { ^b blessed,} ^f he brake it, ^a and he gave to the disciples, and said, ^b Take ye: ^a Take, eat; this is my body. ^f which is ^c given ^f for you: this do in remembrance of me. [As only unleavened bread was eaten during the paschal supper,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus Betrayed, Arrested, and Forsaken.
(Gethsemane. Friday, Several Hours Before Dawn.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 47-56; ^B Mark XIV. 43-52; ^C Luke XXII. 47-53; ^D John XVIII. 2-11. ^d 2 Now Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. [See p. 583.] 3 Judas then, having received the band of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. ^b 43 And straightway, while he yet spake, ^a lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Second Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Condemned by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.
(Palace of Caiaphas. Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 57, 59-68; ^B Mark XIV. 53, 55-65; ^C Luke XXII. 54, 63-65; ^D John XVIII. 24. ^d 24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. [Foiled in his attempted examination of Jesus, Annas sends him to trial.] ^b and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. ^a 57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, ^c and brought him into the high priest's house. ^a where
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

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