And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

“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. Also, He who had said above, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, now commendably humbling Himself, falls on His face. But He shews His devotion in His prayer, and as beloved and well-pleasing to His Father, He adds, Not as I will, but as thou wilt, teaching us that we should pray, not that our own will, but that God’s will, should be done. And as He began to have fear and sorrow, He prays accordingly that the cup of His Passion may pass from Him, yet not as He wills, but as His Father wills; wills, that is, not according to His Divine and impassible Substance, but according to His human and weak nature. For in taking upon Him the nature of human flesh, He fulfilled all the properties thereof, that it might be seen that He had flesh not in appearance only, but in-reality. The believer indeed must in the first instance be loth to incur pain, seeing it leads to death, and he is a man of flesh; but if it be God’s will, he acquiesces because he is a believer. For as we ought not to be too confident that we may not seem to make a boast of our own strength; so neither ought we to be distrustful, lest we should seem to charge God our helper with weakness. It is to be observed that Mark and Luke write the same, but John does not introduce this prayer of Jesus’, that this cup may pass from Him, because the first three are rather occupied about Him, according to His human nature, John according to His divine. Otherwise; Jesus makes this petition, because He sees what the Jews will suffer for requiring His death.”

“Otherwise; He says not, Let this cup pass away from Me, for that would be the speech of one who feared it; but He prays that it may pass not so as that He should be passed over, but that when it has passed from Him, it may go to another. His whole fear then is for those who were to suffer, and therefore He prays for those who were to suffer after Him, saying, Let this cup pass from me, i. e. as it is drunk by Me, so let it be drunk by these, without mistrust, without sense of pain, without fear of death. He says, If it be possible, because flesh and blood shrink from these things, and it is hard for human bodies not to sink beneath their infliction. That He says, Not as I will, but as thou wilt, He would fain indeed that they should not suffer, lest their faith should fail in their sufferings, if indeed we might attain to the glory of our joint inheritance with Him without the hardship of sharing in His Passion. He says, Not as I will, but as thou wilt, because it is the Father’s will that strength to drink of the cup should pass from Him to them, that the Devil might be vanquished not so much by Christ as by His disciples also.”

“(Serm. 58, 5.) This speech of the Head is the health of the whole body, this saying is instruction to the faithful, animates the confessor, crowns the martyr. For who could vanquish the hatred of the world, or the whirlwind of temptations, or the terrors of the persecutors, if Christ did not in all and for all say to the Father, Thy will be done. Let all the sons of the Church then utter this prayer, that when the pressure of some mighty temptation lies upon them, they may embrace endurance of the suffering, disregarding its terrors.”

“Having set down the institution of the new sacrament, here the future scandal of the disciples is foretold. And first the place is set forth; second the prediction, where it says and he said to them. And this fits both with what precedes and with what follows. Hence it can be connected with either. He says therefore and when a hymn had been sung. By this he gives us an example in two ways: because first there was a meal and a material supper, after which we ought to give thanks and praise God; Psalm 21:27: "the poor shall eat and shall be filled, and they shall praise the Lord that seek him." Likewise after that there was the sacramental supper, after which we likewise ought to give thanks. Hence after that, he sang a hymn. Hence what is said after communion in the Mass represents this hymn; therefore the faithful ought to wait until the end of Mass in order to hear this hymn. And this is what is said in John 17:1: "Father, glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you." And when this was said, they went out to the Mount of Olives. For the Mount of Olives signifies richness, because olives are rich; hence it signifies spiritual richness. In Genesis 49:20: "his bread is fat." Hence it signifies the richness of grace and of the heavenly glory to which he is being led forward; Psalm 67:16: "a mountain of God, a fat mountain." Oil soothes weary limbs, mitigates pain, provides fuel for fire and brightness. So it will be in that glory, because all labor will be removed, all pain; all brightness will be present. Likewise, what he says, to the Mount of Olives, fits the future prediction. By oil mercy is signified: for just as it floats above other liquids, so does mercy; Psalm 144:9: "his tender mercies are over all his works." Likewise on the mountain he shows the scandal, so that mercy might be signified as preceding it. "When the just man shall fall, he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth his hand under him," Psalm 36:24. Then he says, (…) "all of you shall be scandalized because of me this night." Here the scandal is set forth. And first in general; second in particular, where it says but Peter answering. Concerning the first he does two things. First he foretells it; second, lest it seem to happen by chance, he brings forward an authority, where it says for it is written: "I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered." And in this word the sin of the disciples is aggravated in many respects. First from its universality, all of you; Isaiah 1:6: "from the sole of the foot unto the top of the head, there is no soundness therein," and so on. Likewise the matter is touched upon, you shall be scandalized because of me; 1 Corinthians 1:23: "we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block." The Jews, because they sought nothing but the weakness of the flesh, suffered scandal. Likewise the sin is aggravated by the nearness of the time, because after so many warnings, after the reception of the sacrament. Hence they had already forgotten what he had done for them; hence they are well compared to a man beholding the countenance of his birth in a mirror: "for he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was," James 1:24. Likewise because it happens at night, for "they that are drunk, are drunk in the night," and "they that sleep, sleep in the night," 1 Thessalonians 5:7: so also those who are scandalized. Then he adds the authority: for it is written: "I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered." And it is written in Zechariah 13:7, and there it says: "strike the shepherd," namely Christ, "and the sheep shall be scattered"; but here it says "I will strike," and quite fittingly, because the prophet desired that this should happen, and therefore said, "strike the shepherd"; but Christ speaks in his own person; and on this day he foretells first the passion of Christ; second the scandal, when he says "I will strike the shepherd." This shepherd is Christ; John 10:11: "I am the good shepherd." And 1 Peter 2:25: "you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls." And he was struck, because God delivered him up, "for he spared not even his own Son," Romans 8:32: and this on account of our sins; Isaiah 53:8: "for the wickedness of my people have I struck him." Likewise he foretells the scandal, "and the sheep shall be scattered." The sheep are the faithful; John 10:27: "my sheep hear my voice." And thus God allowed them to be scattered, that afterward he might gather them together; Psalm 146:2: "he will gather together the dispersed of Israel." John 10:16: "other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and them also I must bring." Then he foretells the joys of the resurrection: "but after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee"; for although the Father raised him up, as is said elsewhere, Acts 2:24: "whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell," nevertheless he rose by his own power, because the power of the Father is the power of the Son; 2 Corinthians ult., 4: "for although he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God." Likewise, against what he had said, that the sheep would be scattered, he says "I will go before you into Galilee." For sheep follow the shepherd: hence the shepherd gathers them by calling them by name; therefore he says "I will go before." Or it can be referred to what he says "after I shall be risen again." Because some might believe that a long time would pass until his resurrection, therefore he said that it would not be long, because "I will go before you into Galilee." His custom was to remain but little in Judea, but to pass quickly into Galilee. He wishes therefore to say: I will rise again before you can come into Galilee, so as to show that he is the one who will appear to them. Therefore they were able to be sufficiently assured. Likewise, what he says, that he will go before, gives security. Because they were suffering persecution in Judea, therefore he says that he will go before into Galilee, so as to remove them from fear. And Chrysostom says that it must not be understood that he first appeared in Galilee: rather he appeared here, but not first, indeed rather in Jerusalem. Why then does he rather say "into Galilee"? Galilee is interpreted "passing over": hence it is signified that through the resurrection we shall pass from mortal life to immortal life; and in this he went before us, because Christ is the firstfruits of them that sleep. Likewise the passing over of the disciples to the Gentiles is signified: and in this Christ went before, by moving hearts. "But Peter answering." Here the prediction concerning the scandal of Peter is set forth. And first the occasion is set forth; second the prediction; third the excuse. The second is where it says "Jesus said to him," and so on; the third where it says "Peter said to him," and so on. Here there is a question of the letter; because it seems that Peter said this after they had departed from the supper room; but Luke 22:34-39 seems to say that it was before they departed, and John 13:36-38 agrees with this. Augustine resolves this by saying that Peter said this three times, and thus all accounts agree, because if we consider the narrative, he says this for several reasons. This movement arose from the fact that he had foretold the scandal. Luke 22:32 the Lord had said: "I have prayed for thee, Peter, that thy faith fail not," and then Peter said: "Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death." But in John it is said for another reason; because John 13:33 the Lord said: "whither I go, you cannot come at this time." Then Peter said: "I will lay down my life for thee." Therefore he said it three times; hence it can be that he said it twice in the supper room, but once outside, as is said here. And it can be that he spoke from fervor, and did not consider his own powers. Yet he sinned in three respects. First because he trusted himself more than the Lord, though it is written in Romans 3:4: "God is true; but every man a liar." Likewise because he preferred himself to the others; hence he said, "and even if all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized." Hence he considered himself firmer than the others; and he fell into what is said in Luke 18:11: "I am not as the rest of men," and so on. Likewise because he attributed to himself what he ought not, though it is written John 15:5: "without me you can do nothing." Because therefore he spoke arrogantly, therefore the more did he permit him to fall. And God does this, because God greatly hates pride; Job 40:6: "and looking on every one that is proud, he humbleth him." "Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice." Because you might think that I speak by way of threat, therefore I say to thee, "amen," that is, I say to thee from the heart, that "before the cock crow in this night, thou wilt deny me thrice." And his fault is aggravated by the nearness of the time, because "in this night." Likewise by the multiplicity, because "thrice": just as he had presumed three times, so he denied three times after the presumption; Job 31:27: "if my heart hath rejoiced in secret." But there is a question about this "before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice"; because in Mark 14:30 it is stated that "before the cock crow twice." According to Augustine it can be resolved that according to the history what Mark says is true. And what Matthew says can be resolved thus, that a man is said to do a thing when he does it in intention, as above at 5:28: "whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart." Thus Peter in his intention denied three times, or even more times; from which he conceived a fear that was sufficient for denying three times or more; therefore he says that he denied three times because he had already conceived that he would deny three times or more. Hence Matthew said what he intended inwardly; but Mark, what he did outwardly. Or it can be said otherwise, that when I say: I will do this within such a time, then it is not necessary that it be done within that time, but it suffices that it be begun. Hence what he said, that he would deny three times, it was not necessary that it be completed before the cock's crow, but only begun. There follows the excuse of Peter, "Peter said to him," and so on. Peter excuses himself, "even if I should die with thee, I will not deny thee." And yet he feared, because at the voice of a maidservant he denied. Jerome says that he did not know what he was saying, because Christ alone was to die, that he alone might be the Redeemer; Isaiah 63:3: "I have trodden the winepress alone." Then he sets down the affirmation, namely of the others likewise, "and all the disciples said the same." Hence they said as Peter had said; yet the others had a better reason than Peter for excusing themselves, because the others spoke without such an assertion. "Then Jesus came with them into a country place, which is called Gethsemani." In this part the preparation is set forth, which is by prayer; and he does three things. First the purpose of praying is proposed; second the necessity of praying; third the manner. The second is where it says "and taking with him Peter," and so on; the third where it says "and going a little further, he fell upon his face." Concerning the first he does two things. First the place is set forth; second he foretells the purpose, "and he said to his disciples." He says therefore "then Jesus came with them into a country place, which is called Gethsemani." The contrary seems to be said in John 18:1, that Jesus went forth and came over the brook Cedron. Hence it should be noted that that country place was at the foot of the Mount of Olives, hence it was the same place; and he came there after supper, as if to walk about. Then he foretells the purpose of praying, "and he said to his disciples: sit you here, till I go yonder, and pray." A similar thing is found in Genesis 22:5: "Abraham said to his young men: stay you here with the ass, I and the boy will go with speed as far as yonder, and after we have worshipped, will return to you." But here Damascene raises a question. Prayer is an ascent into God, but the intellect of Christ was joined to God; how then did he who was doing this need God? Hence it should be said that he prayed not for his own sake, but for our benefit. And this is twofold, because he prayed in order to give us an example, that in tribulation we might have recourse to the Lord; Psalm 119:1: "in my trouble I cried to the Lord." Likewise, that he might show that he was from another, and that he had it from another; hence he says: "the Son cannot do anything of himself." And in the same place, 8:28: "I do nothing of myself." Likewise, to exclude an error, because some said that the power of the Father and of the Son was not the same; John 8:49: "I honor my Father." He gives, therefore, an example of prayer, and how one ought to pray. For the first condition of prayer is that it ought to be humble prayer: which is signified because he went into a valley; Judith 9:16: "the prayer of the humble and the meek hath always pleased thee." Likewise it ought to be devout; hence in Gethsemani, that is, in a country place of richness; Psalm 62:6: "let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness." Likewise it ought to be solitary, as above at 6:6: "enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father." "And taking with him Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee," and so on. Here he foretells the necessity of prayer: and this was sorrow. And first he sets forth witnesses of the sorrow; second he shows the sorrow; third he dispels it. The second is where it says "he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad"; the third where it says "stay you here, and watch with me." He says therefore, "and taking with him Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee," and so on. He took three with him. And why these rather than the others? One reason is that these were firmer, and because weakness scandalizes all, therefore he wished to show his weakness rather to these than to the others. Likewise he had shown them glory; therefore he wished that just as they had seen his glory, so they might see his weakness, that they might know that neither weakness swallowed up glory, nor glory swallowed up weakness. There follows the showing of the weakness. And first in deed; second in word. And according to this he does three things: because first he says according to what Christ was made sorrowful; second why he was made sorrowful; third how he was made sorrowful. As to the first, "he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad." Here two errors must be avoided; for some said that he was made sorrowful according to his divinity: and this cannot be, because he was made sorrowful because he was passible, but the divinity was not passible. Likewise the opinion of the Arians, otherwise of Eunomius, was that in Christ there was no soul, but the Word in place of a soul. And why did he say this? So that all things that pertain to defect might be referred to the Word, so that he might be shown to be less than the Father. And this is false. Therefore he suffered according to what he was able to suffer, that is, according to his soul. Then he says to them: "my soul is sorrowful even unto death," and so on. He does not say: I am sorrowful, because "I" is indicative of the person, but he was not made sorrowful inasmuch as he is the Word, but according to the soul; therefore the error both of Arius and of Apollinaris is excluded; likewise that of the Manicheans, who hold that he did not truly suffer. Hence it is clear according to what he was made sorrowful. But why was he made sorrowful? The words of the saints differ. For Hilary and many others said that he was not made sorrowful for his own sake, nor on account of his own death, but on account of the scandal of the disciples: and he wishes to prove this by the fact that he took them with him. Damascene says that he was sorrowful for his own sake. And why? Because sorrow arises from the fact that we lack that which we naturally love. The soul naturally wills to be united to the body, and this was in the soul of Christ, because he ate, and drank, and hungered. Therefore separation was against natural desire: therefore to be separated was sorrowful for him. Yet we can understand that something belongs to the soul in itself, and something belongs to the soul by comparison to another: just as a bitter drink, considered in itself, is painful, but referred to the end of our salvation, is a cause of joy. Just as something belongs to reason as nature is, and something belongs to reason inasmuch as it is reason: so this death of Christ was matter for sorrow according as it was considered in itself; but according as it was referred to reason, referring it to the end, thus he rejoiced. Therefore the words of Hilary and Jerome are understood as referring to the end. Likewise it is asked how sorrow falls in Christ. Hence it must be noted that sometimes sorrow happens according to passion, sometimes according to propassion. According to passion, when something suffers and is changed: but when it suffers, and is not changed, then it has propassion. But sometimes such things are in us in such a way that reason is changed, and then the passions are complete; but when reason is not changed, then it is propassion. But in Christ reason was never changed; therefore it was propassion, and not passion. Hence the Evangelist says pointedly "he began to be sorrowful." Likewise Augustine says that we have sorrow as something contracted, but Christ as something assumed: for that is contracted which is had by origin through birth, but Christ assumed our nature as he willed; therefore there was no necessity that he should receive passibility, such as sorrow, but it was from his will. Likewise it should be noted, as Damascene says, that in us the movement of the passions forestalls reason, because sometimes there is passion in us, and sometimes propassion; but in Christ there was nothing but propassion, and it never happened in Christ that a movement arose in the lower powers of the soul, rather the lower powers were totally subject to reason, and when he willed, he permitted the lower powers to act according to what was natural to them. Therefore another Evangelist said that he troubled himself, because these movements could not have happened except according as he willed. Then he says to them: "my soul is sorrowful even unto death." Note what he says, "even unto death," by which I shall make satisfaction for this scandal and for the others. Or according to another explanation: do not believe that it must last forever, because as long as the body will be passible, and this is until death, "my soul is sorrowful," and then it will be glorified. Then he excludes the others, "stay you here, and watch with me. And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying and saying." Above he touched the cause of the sorrow, here however he treats of the order of Christ's prayer. And because he prayed three times, therefore this part is divided into three parts according to the three prayers. And concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the prayer of the one praying; second he rebukes the failure of the disciples, where it says "and he cometh to his disciples," and so on. And in the first he first sets forth the condition of the one praying; second the tenor of the prayer. A threefold condition, moreover, is commended, because first it notes solicitude, second humility, third devotion. Solicitude, because "going a little further," because he separated himself even from those whom he had chosen; above at 6:6: "when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret." But note that it was not far, but "a little," so as to note that he is not far from those who call upon him; Psalm 144:18: "the Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him." Likewise, so that they might see him praying, and receive a form. Therefore there follows humility, "and he fell upon his face," hence he shows an example of humility. And first on account of common humility, because humility is necessary for prayer; Ecclesiasticus 35:21: "the prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds." Likewise on account of a special humility, namely that of Peter, because he had said: "even if I should die with thee, I will not deny thee." Therefore the Lord fell down, that he might signify that he ought not to trust in his own power; above at 11:29: "learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart." Likewise the condition of piety, or of devotion, is signified, when he says "my Father"; for it is necessary for one praying to pray out of devotion, hence it says "my Father," because he alone is uniquely the Son, but we are so by adoption; John ult., 17: "I ascend to my Father and your Father"; as if to say, mine in one way, and yours in another. Consequently he adds the tenor of the prayer: "if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me." This prayer can be expounded in three ways, and in whatever way it is expounded, two things must be considered. First you ought to consider in common as regards all, because, according to Damascene, prayer is an ascent of the mind into God: hence prayer belongs to the mind, or to the higher reason; yet it is constituted below God, but above human nature, or under the divine will. What then must be understood? According as it is when the higher reason descends to these things, insofar as it is fitting, yet in such a way that it is always subject to the divine reason; and this is noted when it says "nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt"; because the higher reason follows the will of nature, yet not simply, that is, if referred to the higher, it is not repugnant. Hence he wishes to say: I will that what I will be fulfilled, if it is not repugnant to thy justice, but I will that thy justice be fulfilled. And in this he teaches an example of how we ought to order our affections, because we ought to order them in such a way that they do not dissent from the divine rule. Hence it is not a grave matter if someone shrinks from what is grave to nature, provided he order it to the divine will. Likewise it can be expounded, according to Chrysostom and Origen, in such a way that by the chalice the passion of Christ is signified, of which it is said in Psalm 115:13: "I will take the chalice of salvation," and so on. It is established that Christ had a natural human will; and this is what shrinks from death: therefore, in order to show himself man, he asks that the chalice pass from him; and this is so natural, that the petition was not removed from him. Likewise he said "if it be possible, let the chalice pass," that is, the passion: but I do not say it absolutely, but "if it be possible." And because someone might believe that he doubted whether it was possible for God, therefore he shows that it is possible, because "all things are possible to thee," Mark 14:36. "Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt," that is, if it is fitting to thy justice, I will it; therefore he says "not as I will." Hence he touches two wills: one which he had from the Father inasmuch as he is God; one which he had with the Father. And in this the error of many is confounded. Likewise another will inasmuch as he is man: and this will he submitted in all things to the Father, giving us in this an example, that we should submit our will to the will of God; John 6:38: "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me." According to Jerome, he was not asking simply, but that this chalice might pass in this way. He saw that he was to suffer at the hands of the Jews; he willed therefore that it should pass, that is, that he might so redeem the world, that it might not be the crime of the Jews; Romans 11:11: "by their offence, salvation is come to the Gentiles." Hilary indeed says thus: the Lord does not ask that he not die, but he asks that the chalice pass over to others; as if he were to say: I will take the chalice with confidence. I ask that my disciples receive it without diffidence. But why does he say "if it be possible"? Because it seems against nature that they should receive death without sorrow. Hence he wishes to say: I would that the others not suffer, if it were possible; but let it be done as thou willest, that is, according to thy ordinance. "And he cometh to his disciples." Here he rebukes the failure of the disciples. And first the failure is set forth; second the rebuke; third the admonition; fourth the reason for the admonition. When he had prayed, "he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep." And this has an explanation according to the letter, because already part of the night had passed, therefore they were weighed down with sleep. Likewise the cause was that they were sorrowful, and sleep easily steals upon such; Proverbs 17:22: "a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones." Likewise it is signified that while Christ was going up for us to the passion, many slept, just as "they all slumbered and slept," above at 25:5. And he says to Peter: "so, could you not watch one hour with me?" But why did he say this rather to Peter? The reason is that Peter had boasted more that he would stand by him in his necessities: therefore now it was a foreshadowing of his fall. "Could you not watch one hour with me?" And what is the reason that he afterward said it to all? Because all had promised along with Peter; hence it was said above: "and all the disciples said the same." "Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation." In this part the admonition is added. You trust in yourselves; but you ought to have recourse to the aid of prayer, hence "pray that ye enter not into temptation." Hence above at 6:13, in the common prayer, he teaches us to ask this: "and lead us not into temptation." And he places watchfulness before this as a preparation; Ecclesiasticus 18:23: "before prayer prepare thy soul," that is, prudence is necessary; above at 10:16: "be ye wise as serpents." "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak"; as if to say: what you promise, is from the readiness of the spirit; but nevertheless prayer is not necessary on account of the spirit, but on account of the flesh, which is weak; therefore watchfulness is necessary. Similar is what the Apostle says, Romans 8:10: "the body indeed is dead, because of sin, but the spirit liveth, because of justification." But it should be noted that the flesh of all is weak, but not the spirit of all is willing. In the wicked, indeed, just as the flesh is weak, so also is the spirit: on the contrary in the good, because they have the spirit willing, and therefore at the resurrection the spirit will restore the body ready. Or there can be a twofold weakness. One evil, which inclines to sin, according to what the Apostle says, Romans 7:18: "there dwelleth not in my flesh that which is good." Another weakness good, according as the flesh fails in readiness, according to what is said in the Song of Songs 5:8: "tell my beloved that I languish with love." And for this reason a man ought to watch, as Origen says, just as one who has a great treasure watches diligently that he may guard it. Again, "a second time he went and prayed." Here he prays a second time. According to Chrysostom, he prays a second time for this reason, that he might show more firmly the truth of human nature: hence in Genesis 41:32: "that which thou hast seen the second time, is a token of firmness." But what he says, "if this chalice may not pass, but I must drink it, thy will be done," can be expounded in three ways. First thus. Above he had asked under a condition, here however, because he was assured that it could not be but that he should drink it, therefore he asks that his will be done; as if he were to say: if it cannot be but that I shall pass over to the glory of immortality, since mortality was not contracted, but assumed: therefore whether he suffered or not, he was to pass over to the glory of immortality. But it could not pass from him and from his members; hence if he did not drink it, it would not pass from the members. He wishes therefore to say: if it cannot pass from me, and from my members, thy will be done; Psalm 39:9: "that I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it." Second, Jerome expounds it thus: if it cannot be that the truth pass over to the Gentiles, unless the Jews exceed the measure, thy will be done: for by their offense salvation was made for the Gentiles. Hilary expounds it thus: if it cannot be that the other saints drink the chalice of the passion except by my example, thy will be done; because the other saints took the example from the passion of Christ. He wishes therefore to say: if it cannot pass from me into the disciples, unless I drink it, so that they may be made stronger to drink it, thy will be done. Consequently the second falling asleep of the disciples is set forth: "and he cometh again, and findeth them sleeping: for their eyes were heavy," with sleep, that is, on account of sleep, and on account of sorrow; Psalm 30:10: "my eye is troubled with wrath." "And leaving them, he went again, and he prayed the third time." Here he treats of the third prayer: and he does two things. First he sets forth the order; second the concession of sleep, where it says "then cometh he to his disciples," and so on. He says, "and leaving them, he went again, and prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word." But what does it signify that he prayed three times? He prayed three times so that he might free us from evils present, past, and future. Likewise so that he might teach our prayer to be directed to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; hence in the prayers of the Church it is always said: "glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit." Likewise so that by the threefold prayer he might free the threefold denial of Peter; Luke 22:32: "I have prayed for thee, Peter, that thy faith fail not." Likewise he prayed three times against three fears. For there is a fear opposed to concupiscence; for there is a threefold concupiscence, of curiosity, of pride, and of the flesh, and this threefold concupiscence is touched upon in 1 John 2:16: "all that is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life." To this threefold concupiscence a threefold fear corresponds, namely: to the concupiscence of the flesh, the fear of pain; to the concupiscence of the eyes, the fear of poverty; to the concupiscence of pride, the fear of reproach and disgrace. And Christ suffered these, not because he needed them, but for us. Then "he cometh to his disciples, and saith to them." And first he indulges their sleep; second he rouses them, where it says "rise, let us go." First he gives leave; second he assigns the reason, where it says "behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man shall be betrayed." The first time Christ found them sleeping and rebuked them; the second time he found them sleeping, and was silent; the third time he found them sleeping, and permitted the sleep. What is the reason? The literal reason is that a form of correction is given to prelates; because when he comes to someone, and finds him sleeping, he does not know whether it happens to him from negligence, or from weakness. And he can indulge it. Likewise, because after the resurrection he found them sleeping, and reproached them; Luke 24:25: "O foolish, and slow of heart to believe." Likewise he visited them after they had received the Holy Spirit, and then said nothing, because they were still weak; because they were still observing the legal precepts, as is said of Peter in Galatians 2:11. But at last, at his coming, he will visit them, and will let them rest in holy and peaceful quiet; Psalm 4:9: "in peace in the selfsame I will sleep, and I will rest." According to Augustine, he grants it to them here, and above he denied it: but this sleep here is other than the one above. Because there is a sleep of oppression, and of this he speaks above, hence it is said at verse 43: "their eyes were heavy," with sleep, and this is to be rebuked. But this sleep here is a sleep of quiet; and this is permitted. Likewise there is a sleep on account of disturbance; and this is forbidden. Of this it is said in Ephesians 5:14: "rise thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead." For sometimes there is sleep on account of the quiet of the body, but yet the soul watches: "I sleep, and my heart watcheth," Song of Songs 5:2. Likewise, because they were going to labor, therefore it was fitting that they should rest. Then he assigns the reason, "behold the hour is at hand." He did not have to do this from any necessity, but from the divine ordinance; John 7:30: "they sought therefore to lay hands on him, but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come." But this hour had come; John 13:1: "Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father." But someone might say: if the hour is from the divine ordinance, then those who kill him do not sin. Therefore along with this he sets forth the sin, "and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners," that is, they do not do this thus from the divine ordinance, but from the fulfillment of their own will. Jeremiah 12:7: "I have given my dear soul into the hand of her enemies." Then he sets forth the rousing. And first he sets it forth; second the necessity, where it says "behold." Now in what he says, "rise," he shows his own readiness; hence John 18:3 it is said that he went to meet them. And why? "Behold he is at hand that will betray me." He was near, not that he saw with the bodily eye, but by the spirit itself, namely by the eye of the divinity. But how did he say to them "rise," when he had given them leave to sleep? Augustine resolves this, because he had said it by way of reproach; as if he were to say: sleep as much as you will, behold the hour is at hand, and so on. And Augustine says that this would suffice, unless something better should occur; therefore he says otherwise, that they slept a little while, and when they had slept, he said "rise, let us go."”

“And he cometh unto the disciples,.... The three he took with him, Peter, James, and John, after he had finished his prayer, and findeth them asleep: many things might contribute to, and bring this drowsiness upon them; as the great fatigue they had had in preparing the passover in the day, the plentiful meal they had eaten at night, though without excess, and the lateness of the night, it being now probably midnight; but the chief reason of their sleepiness was their sorrow, as is expressed in Luk 22:45, what Christ had said to them of his soul troubles, and what they saw in him, had filled their hearts with sorrow, which brought on them an amazement and stupidity of mind; and this issued in sleep. We have other instances of persons in excessive grief and trouble falling asleep, as Elijah in Kg1 19:4, and Jonah in Jon 1:5, so that this did not arise from a secure, lazy, indolent frame of spirit; or from any disregard to Christ, and neglect of him, and unconcernedness for him; but from their great sorrow of heart; for, the trouble and distress that he was in, added to the causes above mentioned. Though some have thought, that Satan might be, concerned in it, who induced this sleepiness, or increased it, that he might the more easily surprise them with his temptations, he was preparing for them, which I will not deny. Now, though this sleep was natural bodily sleep, which the disciples fell into, yet was an emblem of, and carried in it a resemblance to, the spiritual sleep and drowsiness of the people of God; for as this was after a delightful entertainment and conversation with Christ at the passover and Lord's supper, so it sometimes is, that the children of God fall into a sleepy frame of soul, after much communion with Christ, as the church did in Sol 5:1, and as this sleep befell them, when Christ was withdrawn a little space from them; so it was with the church, when her beloved was absent from her, Sol 3:1, and with the wise virgins when the bridegroom tarried, Mat 25:6, and as this was not an entire thorough sleep; they knew all the while what Christ was doing, and could relate, as they have done, the circumstances of it; so the children of God, when asleep, they are not like unregenerate persons, in a dead sleep of sin, that hear, and see, and feel, and know nothing; but though they are asleep, their hearts are awake, as was the church's, Sol 5:2, yet as the disciples were so much asleep, that the bare words of Christ did not arouse them from it for a while; so such is the sleep of the saints sometimes, that they are not to be aroused by the bare ministry of the word, though the most powerful arguments, and the most moving and melting language are made use of, as were with the church, Sol 5:2, and saith unto Peter, what! could ye not watch with me one hour? This was said particularly to Peter, because he had so lately, in such a confident manner, declared, that he would not be offended with Christ, but abide with him, stand by him, and even die with him, was there an occasion for it; and yet, in so short a space of time, was fallen asleep, as were the rest who said the same things also: and it is as if Christ should say, how will you be able to stand by me throughout this night, when ye cannot watch with me so much as one hour, though I so earnestly desired you to tarry here, and watch with me, and you saw in what distress I was in? how will you be able to withstand the temptations that will beset you quickly, and perform your promises of love, fidelity, constancy, and close attachment to me, in the greatest dangers, when you cannot keep yourselves awake one hour for my sake?”

“Going a little further. St. Luke says, about a stone’s cast, kneeling down; or as here in Matthew, prostrating himself. He did both. — Father, if it is possible. Which is the same, says St. Augustine, as if he said, if thou wilt, let this cup of sufferings pass from me. — Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. He that was God and man, had both a divine and a human will. He was pleased to let us know what he naturally feared, as man, and in the sensitive part of his soul; yet shews his human will had nothing contrary to his divine will, by presently adding, but not my will, but thine be done. Here, as related by St. Luke, followed his bloody sweat. (Luke xxii. 43[44?].) (Witham) — These words are a source of instruction for all Christians. These words inflame the breasts of confessors; the same also crown the fortitude of the martyrs. For, who could overcome the hatred of the world, the assaults of temptations, and the terrors of persecutors, unless Christ in all, and for all, had said to his eternal Father: Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou willest. Let all the children of the Church then understand well these words, that when calamities violently beat upon us, we may with resignation exclaim: nevertheless, not as I will, but, &c. (St. Leo the great)”