Sign in
MATTHEW 26:40 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 26:39Matt 26:41
“And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?”
And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter: so, could you not watch with me one hour? The disciples who were asked to watch are sleeping. The question to Peter — who a few minutes earlier claimed he would die with Jesus — is the gentle rebuke of disappointed expectation: could you not watch one hour? The one hour is both the specific time of prayer and the image of the sustained watchfulness that the Olivet Discourse had called for.

Church Fathers on Matthew 26:40

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
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a reflection on this verse
No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!