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Matthew 26

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

And 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.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

He 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.

And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Then 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.

Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

What does Matthew 26:37 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 26:37 is part of the narrative where Jesus enters the Garden of Gethsemane right before his arrest.

In this moment of deep emotional stress, Jesus takes three of his disciples, Peter, and James and John (the sons of Zebedee), with him.

The expression "began to be sorrowful and very heavy" indicates that Jesus was experiencing a profound sense of anguish and distress.

These feelings illustrate Jesus' human nature, as he anticipates the suffering and death that await him on the cross.

This verse highlights the depth of his emotional turmoil as he approaches his crucifixion.

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Historical Context

Matthew 26:37 is set during the final days of Jesus' life, in the period of the Jewish festival of Passover.

Jesus and his disciples had traveled to Jerusalem to observe this important Jewish feast.

The Garden of Gethsemane, where this event takes place, is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

This setting is historically significant, as it serves as the location for Jesus' imminent arrest, which sets the passion narrative into motion.

During this era, Roman occupation exerted significant political and social pressure on the people of Judea, contributing to the tense environment within which Jesus' ministry and final days unfold.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse is rich in meaning. It presents Jesus as someone who fully understands the weight of the mission he is about to complete.

Theologians often discuss the dual nature of Christ, both divine and human, citing this verse as evidence of Jesus' human emotions.

The Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, and most Protestant denominations interpret this passage as showcasing the mystery of the Incarnation; Jesus is fully God and fully man, experiencing human emotions like sorrow and dread.

From a Calvinist perspective, this sorrow may be seen as part of God's divine plan and Jesus’ role as the suffering servant. An Arminian viewpoint might emphasize Jesus' human choice and his submission to the will of the Father.

Practical Applications

Matthew 26:37 can be applied in daily life by showing the importance of acknowledging and expressing emotions, even when they are difficult.

It also exemplifies the need for close friends during times of extreme distress and demonstrates that seeking support and fellowship is a natural and healthy response to life's challenges.

This verse can remind believers that experiencing sorrow or depression does not signify a lack of faith but is a part of the human experience that even Jesus himself went through.

Cross-References

Mark 14:33-34: "And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch."
Luke 22:44: "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."
Hebrews 4:15: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
Psalm 42:11: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text of this verse include:

"sorrowful" (λυπούμενος, lypoumenos): To be distressed or in grief.
"very heavy" (ἀδημονεῖν, adēmonein): To be full of anguish or to feel troubled.

This word expresses a stronger emotion than just sorrow, suggesting acute emotional distress.

These terms intensify the understanding of the distress Jesus was feeling, going beyond normal sadness to an overwhelming and deep emotional pain.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing this verse within Christian texts to other ancient myths and religions, one might consider the theme of a deity or hero facing great trials or suffering.

A cultural parallel can be drawn with the Greek myth of Prometheus, who suffers for bringing fire (and thus knowledge) to humanity.

In many religious narratives, figures like the Bodhisattva in Buddhism demonstrate great compassion, often taking on suffering for the sake of others.

These stories, while different in context and interpretation, share themes of burden-bearing and self-sacrifice related to a greater purpose.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, this verse might be analyzed through the lens of psychology and stress response.

Jesus' experience in this moment parallels what is understood about the human condition under severe psychological stress, including physiological responses such as sweating and a heavy sense of dread.

The fact that intense emotional distress can manifest physically is now well-documented in psychological literature, providing insight into the very real experiences depicted in this biblical narrative.

Commentaries

Bible scholars and religious commentators provide varied interpretations of this verse:

John Calvin saw Jesus' distress as not only a fear of death but also a confrontation with the divine judgment and the weight of humanity's sins that he was about to bear.
William Barclay suggests that the sadness and distress of Jesus stem from a combination of his contemplation of the world's sin, the betrayal by Judas, and the desertion by his disciples.
The Expositor's Bible Commentary notes that Jesus' deep sorrow demonstrates his identification with and understanding of human weaknesses and limitations.
Theological scholar R.T.

France emphasizes the importance of the inner circle of disciples witnessing Jesus' human vulnerability, revealing the intensity of his upcoming sacrifice.

Matthew 26

Matthew 26

What does Matthew 26:37 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 26:37 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?