Matthew 26:43

Mat 26:43. Γὰρ, κ.τ.λ., for, etc.) The cause of their sleeping a second time [‘Aetiologia;’ see Appendix].—βεβαρημένοι, weighed down. Such slothfulness frequently overpowers the godly when it is least becoming.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 26:43 . καθεύδοντας : again! surprising, one would say incredible on first thoughts, but not on second. It was late and they were sad, and sadness is soporific.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 43. Their eyes were heavy.] That is, they could not keep them open. Was there nothing preternatural in this? Was there no influence here from the powers of darkness?

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(43) He came and found them asleep again.—The motive of this return we may reverently believe to have been, as before, the craving for human sympathy in that hour of awful agony. He does not now rouse them or speak to them. He looks on them sorrowfully, and they meet His gaze with bewildered and stupefied astonishment. “They wist not what to answer Him” (Mar_14:40).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he left them, and went away again,.... At some little distance from them; they being so overpowered with sleep, that he could have no conversation with them:

and prayed the third time; as the Apostle Paul did, when under temptation, he prayed thrice that it might depart from him, Co2 12:8,

saying the same words: the Arabic version renders it, "in the words which he before expressed"; and Munster's Hebrew Gospel reads, "he said the same prayer"; not in the selfsame words, or in the express form he had before delivered it; for it is certain, that his second prayer is not expressed in the same form of words as the first: but the sense is, that he prayed to the same purpose; the matter and substance of his prayer was the same, namely, that he might be exempted from suffering; but if that could not be admitted of, he was desirous to be resigned to the will of his heavenly Father, and was determined to submit unto it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

Ver. 43. He came and found them asleep again] After so sweet an admonition, so sovereign a reproof; who knows how often an infirmity may recur, even after repentance? See it in Samson, in Jonah, in those apostles, for their contention "who should be greatest," &c.

For their eyes were heavy] For sorrow (saith St Luke, Luk 22:45), which, exhausting the spirits, renders a man more sluggish; and hindering concoction, sends up vapours to the brain, and so causeth sleep. This was somewhat, but not sufficient to excuse them. Christ took them with him into the garden for their society and prayers. But they not only not help him, but wound him by their dulness unto duty, and instead of wiping off his bloody sweat, they draw more out of him. Judas had somewhat else to do now than to sleep, when Peter was fast, and could not hold up. Zechariah the prophet lay under such a like drowsy distemper, Zec 4:1, for though awaked and set to work, he was even ready to fall asleep at it.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He came and found them asleep (sleeping) again. In the best manuscripts "again" is connected with the verb "came." This was his second visit; he was still craving for their sympathy, still desirous of their safety under temptation. Heavy (bebarhmenoi). Weighed down with drowsiness; St. Mark adds, "Neither wist they what to answer him." He partially aroused them, but they were too overcome with sleep to enter fully into the situation or to attend to the obvious duty before them.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

43. He came and found them asleep again. The motive of this return we may reverently believe to have been, as before, the craving for human sympathy in that hour of awful agony. Our Savior, we must not forget, was human as well as divine.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

43.] Mark adds, and it is a note of accuracy, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδεισαν τί ἀποκριθῶσιν αὐτῷ.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(M) 43. And He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed down.] Mk. has: “And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were being weighed down. And they knew not what to answer Him.”—βεβαρημένοι] Sc. ὕπνῳ, cf. Hom. Od. iii. 139, οἴνῳ βεβαρηότες. Mk. has καταβαρυνόμενοι. For Mt.’s omission of καὶ οὐκ ᾔδεισαν, κ.τ.λ., cf. similar omissions from Mar 6:52, Mar 9:6, and Introduction, p. xxxiii f.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.