The Disciples Sleeping in Gethsemane.
Matt. 26:36-4636Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And 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. 40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. (Matthew 26:36‑46).
WE have seen how Jesus desired the disciples to watch with Him, and how He craved their sympathies, as He passed through the agony which filled His soul in the garden of Gethsemane. But we have to learn from the same scripture, that they were too weak to watch even one hour. The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. Peter had indeed boasted that he at least would not be offended, whoever else might be, and that he would not deny Jesus, even though called to die. But here in Gethsemane, while Jesus was praying in agony, and while Judas was leading the officers to the place where Jesus was, in order to take Him, Peter and the other disciples were asleep. How very sad to see this after Peter’s self-confident boast!
When they entered the garden, Jesus said to them, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation.” They were in the greatest danger. The enemy was at hand to take Jesus, and they would be tempted to flee, and Peter would be tempted to deny Him, and so He would have them pray that they might not enter into temptation. And then He also asked Peter, James, and John, to watch with Him, while He prayed. But when He returned to them after He had gone off a little distance and prayed, He found them asleep. So He said to Peter, “What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?” and then He repeats the exhortation, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation,” adding also, “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Then He went away again, and prayed as He had done before, but when He returned they were again asleep, and did not know what to answer Him. See Mark 14:4040And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. (Mark 14:40). Thus poor Peter, and all of them were beginning to prove their own weakness, and that just at the very moment when danger was at hand. And if they could not pray, nor watch even for one hour, what could they do when in the presence of the enemy? How would they stand when the Shepherd should be smitten, when wicked ‘man was having his hour, and they would have to meet the power of darkness?
With the poor disciples it was not willfulness, but weakness. In Luke we are told that, “He found them sleeping for sorrow.” They loved their blessed Master, and were full of grief at the thought of His being taken from them. But this gave them neither strength nor courage. They needed to pray, as well as to watch, but instead of praying, they yielded to the pressure of sorrow, and fell asleep. They did not realize that in God alone could strength be found.
And is it not often so now with those who love the Lord Jesus, but who do not watch and pray. They are taken unawares by the enemy, and are overcome; and then with grief they have to confess their failure afterward.
Let us learn, dear young Christian readers, the need to “watch and pray.” We have a dreadful enemy who is ever seeking our ruin, and we need to watch; but we need also to pray, because God alone can keep us from the power of that enemy.
And oh! unsaved reader, if the believer so needs to watch and pray, lest they fall under the enemy’s power, what about you who are being led captive at his will? Ah! you need something more than watching and praying. You need a Saviour. You need Jesus. He alone can deliver you. Oh! then, accept Him as your Saviour, and He will save you from the enemy’s power, and also from your sins.
ML 03/04/1906