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MATTHEW 26:39 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 26:38Matt 26:40
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying: my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. The prayer of Gethsemane: my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will. The if it be possible communicates the genuine human desire to avoid what is coming — the cup of suffering and judgment that Jesus is about to drink. The not as I will but as you will is the prayer of the one who has taught the disciples to pray your will be done (Matthew 6:10) and now prays it in its most costly application.

Church Fathers on Matthew 26:39

He took with Him the self-confident Peter, and the others, that they might see Him falling on His face and praying, and might learn not to think great things, but little things of themselves, and not to be hasty in promising, but careful in prayer. And therefore, 'He went forward a little,' not to go far from them, but that He might be near them in His prayer.

Origen · 3rd century

Whence He says emphatically, 'This cup,' that is, of this people of the Jews, who, if they shall put Me to death, can have no excuse for their ignorance, seeing they have the Law and the Prophets, who speak of Me.

Jerome · 4th century

And that none might think that He limited His Father’s power, He said not, 'If thou canst do it,' but 'If it may be,' or, 'If it be possible;' as much as to say, If thou wilt. For whatever God wills can be done, as Luke expresses more plainly; for he says not, 'If it be possible,' but 'If thou wilt.'

Augustine · 4th century · de Cons. Ev., iii, 4
Read all 27 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Matthew 26:39 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy