Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrays me is at hand.
All Commentaries on Mark 14:42 Go To Mark 14
Bede
AD 735
The place Gethsemane, in which the Lord prayed, is shown up to this day at the foot of the Mount of Olives. The meaning of Gethsemane is, the valley of the fat, or of fatness. Now when our Lord prays on a mountain, He teaches us that we should when we pray ask for lofty things; but by praying in the valley of fatness, He implies that in our prayer humility and the fatness of interior love must be kept. He also by the valley of humility and the fatness of charity underwent death for us.
As being God, dwelling in the body, He shows the frailty of flesh, that the blasphemy of those who deny the Mystery of His Incarnation might find no place; for having taken up a body, He must needs also take up all that belongs to the body, hunger, thirst, pain, grief; for the Godhead cannot suffer the changes of those affections.
He does not mean natural sleep bythe sleep which He forbids, for the time of approaching danger did not allow ofit, but the sleep of unfaithfulness, and the torpor of the mind. But going forward a little, He falls on His face, and shows His lowliness of mind, by the posture of His body. Wherefore there follows: “And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.”.
He does not say, Pray that ye may not be tempted, because it is impossible for the human mind not to be tempted, but that ye enter not into temptation, that is, that temptation may not vanquish you.
He here represses the rash, who think that they can compass whatever they are confident about. But in proportion as we are confident from the ardour of our mind, so let us fear from the weakness of our flesh. For this place makes against those, who say that there was but one operation in the Lord and one Will. For He shows two wills, one human, which from the weakness of the flesh shrinks from suffering; one divine, which is most ready. It goes on: “And again He went away and prayed, and spake the same words. "Wherefore it goes on: “And He cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest.” He is not vehement against them, though after His rebuke they had done worse, but He tells them ironically, “Sleep on now, and take your rest,” because He knew that the betrayer was now close at hand. And that He spoke ironically is evident, by what is added; “It is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.” He speaks this, as deriding their sleep, as if He had said; Now indeed is a time for sleep, when the traitor isapproaching.Then He says; “Arise, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth Me is at hand.”
