Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrays me is at hand.
All Commentaries on Mark 14:42 Go To Mark 14
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
It was also His custom always to pray by Himself, in order to give us an example, to seek for silence and solitude in our prayers. There follows: “And He taketh with Him Peter, and James and John.” He takes only those who had been witnesses of His glory on Mount Tabor, that they who had seen His glory might also see His sufferings, and learn that He is really man, in that He is sorrowful. Wherefore there follows: “And began to besore amazed, and very heavy.” For since He had taken on Himself the whole of human nature, He took also those natural things which belong to man, amazement, heaviness, and sorrow; for men are naturally unwilling to die. Wherefore it goes on: “And He saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death.”.
But after His prayer, the Lord coming, and seeing His disciples sleeping, rebukes Peter alone. Wherefore it goes on: “And saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thouwatch with me one hour? As if He had said, If thou couldest not watch one hour with me, how wilt thou be able to despise death, thou whopromisest to die with Me? It goes on: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation,” that is, the temptation of denying Me.
As if He had said, Your spirit indeed is ready not to deny me, and for this reason ye promise; but your flesh is weak, in that unless God give power to your flesh through prayer, yes hall enter into temptation.
