Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.
41. the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak ] The touch of clemency mingled with the rebuke is characteristic of the gentleness of Jesus.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 41. That ye enter not into temptation] If ye cannot endure a little fatigue when there is no suffering, how will ye do when the temptation, the great trial of your fidelity and courage, cometh? Watch – that ye be not taken unawares; and pray – that when it comes ye may be enabled to bear it.
The spirit – is willing, but the flesh is weak] Your inclinations are good – ye are truly sincere; but your good purposes will be overpowered by your timidity. Ye wish to continue steadfast in your adherence to your Master; but your fears will lead you to desert him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Watch and pray,…. These two are very justly put together. There is, and ought to be, a watching before prayer, and “unto” it; a watching all opportunities, the most suitable and convenient to perform it; and there is a watching in it, both over our hearts, thoughts, words, and gestures, and after it, for a return of it, and answer to it: the reason of this exhortation follows,
that ye enter not into temptation; not that they might not be tempted at all; for none of the saints have been, or are without temptations; and they are needful for them; and it is the will of God they should be attended with them; and he has made gracious provisions for their help and relief under them; but that they might not enter into them, throw themselves in the way of temptation, be surprised by them at an unawares, fall into them headlong, be immersed in them, fall by them, and be overcome with them, so as to forsake Christ, or to deny him:
the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak: meaning either that the evil spirit Satan was very desirous of having them in his hands; very forward and ready to make the onset upon them; was cheerful, alert, and confident of victory; and was strong, robust, and powerful; and they were but flesh and blood, very weak and infirm, and unequal to the enemy; which is a sense not to be despised, seeing it carries in it a very strong reason why they ought to watch and pray, lest they fall into the temptations of such a powerful adversary; see Eph 6:12, or else by “spirit” may be meant the soul, as renewed and regenerated by the spirit of God; particularly the principle of grace in it, which is born of the Spirit, and is called by the same name, and which lusts against the flesh, or corrupt nature: this was willing to watch and pray, and guard against falling into temptations; was willing to abide by Christ, and express its love to him every way; but “the flesh”, or “body”, so the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, is “weak” and infirm, prone to sleep, indulges ease, and unfit to bear trouble, but ready to sink under it, and is for fleeing from it: and so the words contain our Lord’s excuse of his disciples in their present circumstances. Munster’s Hebrew Gospel reads the words thus, and “indeed the spirit is , watchful, but the flesh is weak”. The Ethiopic version after this manner, “the spirit desires, and the body is fatigued”. The Persic version, contrary both to the letter and sense of the words, renders them, “my spirit is firm, but my body is infirm”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Watch and pray ( ). Jesus repeats the command of verse 38 with the addition of prayer and with the warning against the peril of temptation. He himself was feeling the worst of all temptations of his earthly life just then. He did not wish then to enter such temptation (, here in this sense, not mere trial). Thus we are to understand the prayer in Mt 6:13 about leading (being led) into temptation. Their failure was due to weakness of the flesh as is often the case.
Spirit () here is the moral life (, w, ) as opposed to the flesh (cf. Isa 31:3; Rom 7:25).
Except I drink it ( ). Condition of the third class undetermined, but with likelihood of determination, whereas
if this cannot pass away ( ) is first-class condition, determined as fulfilled, assumed to be true. This delicate distinction accurately presents the real attitude of Jesus towards this subtle temptation.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
41. Watch and pray. As the disciples were unmoved by their Master’s danger, their attention is directed to themselves, that a conviction of their own danger may arouse them. Christ therefore threatens that, if they do not watch and pray, they may be soon overwhelmed by temptation. As if he had said, “Though you take no concern about me, do not fail, at least, to think of yourselves; for your own interests are involved in it, and if you do not take care, temptation will immediately swallow you up.” For to enter into temptation means to yield to it. (206) And let us observe, that the manner of resistance which is here enjoined is, not to draw courage from reliance on our own strength and perseverance, but, on the contrary, from a conviction of our weakness, to ask arms and strength from the Lord. Our watching, therefore, will be of no avail without prayer.
The spirit indeed is willing. That he may not terrify and discourage his disciples, he gently reproves their slothfulness, and adds consolation and good ground of hope. And, first, he reminds them, that though they are earnestly desirous to do what is right, still they must contend with the weakness of the flesh, and, therefore, that prayer is never unnecessary. We see, then, that he gives them the praise of willingness, in order that their weakness may not throw them into despair, and yet urges them to prayer, because they are not sufficiently endued with the power of the Spirit. Wherefore, this admonition relates properly to believers, who, being regenerated by the Spirit of God, are desirous to do what is right, but still labor under the weakness of the flesh; for though the grace of the Spirit is vigorous in them, they are weak according to the flesh. And though the disciples alone have their weakness here pointed out to them, yet, since what Christ says of them applies equally to all, we ought to draw from it a general rule, that it is our duty to keep diligent watch by praying; for we do not yet possess the power of the Spirit in such a measure as not to fall frequently through the weakness of the flesh, unless the Lord grant his assistance to raise up and uphold us. But there is no reason why we should tremble with excessive anxiety; for an undoubted remedy is held out to us, which we will neither have nor to seek nor to seek in vain; for Christ promises that all who, being earnest in prayer, shall perseveringly oppose the slothfulness of the flesh, will be victorious.
(206) “ Succomber et estre viencu;” — “to yield and to be overcome.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(41) Watch and pray.The first word is eminently characteristic of our Lords teaching at this period (Mat. 24:42; Mat. 25:13). It became the watchword of the early disciples (1Co. 16:13; Col. 4:2; 1Th. 5:6; 1Pe. 5:8). It left its mark in the history of Christendom in the new names of Gregory, and Vigilius, or Vigilantius, the watcher.
That ye enter not into temptationi.e., as in the Lords Prayer, to which our Lord manifestly recalls the minds of the disciplesthe trial of coming danger and persecution. In their present weakness that trial might prove greater than they could bear, and therefore they were to watch and pray, in order that they might not pass by negligence into too close contact with its power.
The spirit indeed is willing.Better, ready, or eager. There is a tenderness in the warning which is very noticeable. The Master recognises the element of good, their readiness to go with Him to prison or to death, in their higher nature. But the spirit and the flesh were contrary the one to the other (Gal. 5:17); and therefore they could not do the things that they would, without a higher strength than their own.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
41. Watch The words wake and watch are different forms of the same term. Yet to watch is more than to be awake. It implies that our wakeful powers are exerted to guard against the evil. Pray While we exert our own energies against the evil powers, let us also supplicate divine aid. That ye enter not into temptation As a fragile boat would avoid the rocks and rifts, so should the feeble Christian avoid the dangers of trials that may wreck him. The spirit Of the sincere but wavering disciple. Is willing Both to wake and to conquer the tempter. The flesh Of that disciple. Is weak It is weighed down and conquered by the tempter’s influences, or it is overcome in the hour of conflict.
How true a description was this of the disciples, as, for instance, Peter! His spirit was willing to watch, but Satan weighed him down through the flesh. His spirit was willing to adhere to his Master, but Satan overcame him through fleshly fear. But does our Lord intend this as an excuse for Peter, and an exemption from guilt? Rather, he renders it as a reason for his admonition to watch and pray, the neglect of which gave Satan his advantage over their earthly nature.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus, knowing how very important it is for them, tells them that they must not only ‘watch’ but must also ‘pray’. Testing lies ahead for them, testing of a supreme kind (see Luk 22:31-32), and He longs that they may be saved from it. Even in the midst of His own agony His heart reaches out to His disciples, and He is aware how great their need is to engage in prayer. His tenderness is also revealed in that He recognises the vain struggles that they have made as they have fought to stay awake. He knew that the cause of their failure did not lie in their lack of spirit, it arose because of the weakness of the flesh, and because in their humanness they were facing forces that they were unable to counter.
The spirit is that part of a man which is the very centre of his self-awareness (1Co 2:11) and can be illuminated by the Holy Spirit (1Co 2:14). It is the Godward part of man (‘the image and likeness of God’), and here clearly includes the determined spiritual heart and will. The flesh is the wholly human and animal aspect of man with all its physical weaknesses and proneness to self-interest and lack of interest in spiritual things, and lack of will towards anything that is good. It is controlled by fleshly weaknesses and fleshly desires (not all necessarily sinful) and wants nothing but to satisfy them. We may surmise that the weakness of their flesh here was partly due to the activity of Satan (who had desired to have Peter – Luk 22:31; compare Eph 6:12). Only such pressure would help to explain why men like these could not keep awake in spite of their determination. Indeed much that happened on that night can only be explained in terms of his activity. He was trying every trick he knew. He probably actually thought that he had a chance of winning. He had failed to see what he was up against. He still could not bring himself to the certainty that God had emptied Himself to this extent and had really become this seemingly weak and frail man.
The contrasts here must not be overlooked. There was only One present Whose spirit was strong enough to take Him through the physical and spiritual perils of that night. Even these brave men whom He had spent so much time in training could not cope with them. There was only One, Who in His aloneness had to represent the whole of mankind, Who was able to stand firm against the spiritual powers of darkness. Other men would one day finally overcome what man had once fallen prey to in a previous Garden, because One was here Whose spirit was strong enough to do so in this situation, in order that He might become a life-giving spirit (see 1Co 15:45), the One Who bore not the image of earth but the image of Heaven (1Co 15:49). The seed thought to all this is found here. One Man on Whom the whole world now depended.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 26:41 . ] indicating, not the object of the , but purpose , and that of the watching and praying .
] in order that ye may not be betrayed into circumstances in which ye might be led to show yourselves unfaithful to me (into the of Mat 26:31 ). Comp. Mat 6:13 . By watching and praying, as a means of maintaining clearness of judgment, freedom, and a determination to adhere to Christ, they were to avoid getting into such outward circumstances as might prove dangerous to their moral wellbeing. The watching here is no doubt of a physical nature (Mat 26:40 ), but the has the effect of imparting to it the character and sacredness belonging to spiritual watchfulness (Col 4:2 ).
, . . .] a general proposition (all the more telling that it is not introduced with a ), intended to refer, by way of warning, to the circumstances in which the disciples were placed, as though it had been said: ye are no doubt, so far as the principle of your ethical life in its general aim and tendency is concerned, willing and ready to remain true to me; but on the individual side of your nature, where the influence of sense is so strong, you are incapable of resisting the temptations to unfaithfulness by which you are beset. Comp. on Joh 3:6 . Euthymius Zigabenus: , , . In order, therefore, to avoid getting into a predicament in which, owing to the weakness in question, you would not be able to withstand the overmastering power of influences fatal to your salvation without the special protection and help of God that are to be obtained through vigilance and prayerfulness, watch and pray !
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Ver. 41. Watch and pray ] Yea, watch, while ye are praying, against corruption within, temptations without. Satan will be interrupting as the Pythoness did Paul praying, Act 16:16 ; as the fowls did Abraham sacrificing, Gen 15:11 ; as the enemies did Nehemiah with his Jews, building, who therefore prayed and watched, watched and prayed. Among all actions, Satan is ever busiest in the best; and most in the best part of the best, as in the end of prayer, when the heart should close up itself with most comfort. Watch therefore unto prayer, , Set all aside for it, and wait on it, as the word imports, Col 4:2 . While prayer stands still, the trade of godliness stands still; let this therefore be done, whatever is left undone. Take heed the devil take you not out of your trenches, as he did David, likely, 2Sa 11:2 ; out of your stronghold, as Joshua did the men of Ai. “Little children,” saith St John, “abide in God,” 1Jn 2:28 ; keep home, keep close to your Father, if you mean to be safe, if that evil one shall not touch you, 1Jn 5:18 , nor thrust his deadly sting into you, &c.
The spirit indeed is willing ] q.d. Though the spirit purpose otherwise, yet the flesh will falter, and ye will be foiled else. Or, our Saviour speaks this by way of excuse of their infirmity, q.d. I see you are willing, so far as you are spiritual and regenerate; but the flesh is treacherous and tyrannical. It rebels ever and anon, and would gladly reign. It hangs off, when called to suffer, and makes shy of the business. So Peter was carried whither he would not, Joh 21:18 . So Hilarion chides out his soul (which plaid loth to depart) with Egredere o anima, &c. So Mr Sanders, martyr, in a letter to his wife, a little before his death, Fain would his flesh, said he, make strange of that which the spirit doth embrace. O Lord, how loth is this loitering sluggard to pass forth in God’s path, &c. So Mr Bradford going to his death. Now I am climbing up the hill, said he, it will cause me to puff and blow before I come to the cliff. The hill is steep and high, my breath is short, and my strength is feeble. Pray therefore to the Lord for me, pray for me, pray for me, for God’s sake, pray for me. See Trapp on “ Joh 21:18 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
41. ] Luke gives this command at the beginning and end of the whole; but his account is manifestly only a compendium, and not to be pressed chronologically. The command has respect to the immediate trial which was about to try them, and (for . is a word of habit , not merely, as Eph 5:15 , or 1Co 15:34 , one of immediate import) also to the general duty of all disciples in all time .
. is not to come into temptation merely, to be tempted : this lies not in our own power to avoid, and its happening is rather joy than sorrow to us see Jas 1:2 , where the word is but it implies an entering into temptation with the will , and entertaining of the temptation. Grotius compares 1Ti 6:9 . ‘Plenius Hebri dicunt, intrare in manum tentationis, hoc est, in ejus potestatem atque dominium, ita ut ab ea subjugemur atque absorbeamur’ (Witsius, Exerc. in Orat. Dom. p. 196, cited by Stier, vi. 237).
. ] I cannot doubt that this is said by our Lord in its most general meaning, and that He Himself is included in it. At that moment He was giving as high and pre-eminent an example of its truth, as the disciples were affording a low and ignoble one. He, in the willingness of the spirit yielding Himself to the Father’s Will to suffer and die, but weighed down by the weakness of the flesh: they, having professed, and really having , a willing spirit to suffer with Him, but, even in the one hour’s watching, overcome by the burden of drowsiness. Observe it is here , not ; and compare Mat 26:38 and note. To enter further into the depths of this assertion of our Lord would carry us beyond the limits of annotation: but see Stier’s remarks, vi. 237 242.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
that = to the end that.
spirit. Greek. pneuma. App-101.
willing = ready.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
41.] Luke gives this command at the beginning and end of the whole; but his account is manifestly only a compendium, and not to be pressed chronologically. The command has respect to the immediate trial which was about to try them, and (for . is a word of habit, not merely, as Eph 5:15, or 1Co 15:34, one of immediate import) also to the general duty of all disciples in all time.
. is not to come into temptation merely, to be tempted: this lies not in our own power to avoid, and its happening is rather joy than sorrow to us-see Jam 1:2, where the word is -but it implies an entering into temptation with the will, and entertaining of the temptation. Grotius compares 1Ti 6:9. Plenius Hebri dicunt, intrare in manum tentationis, hoc est, in ejus potestatem atque dominium, ita ut ab ea subjugemur atque absorbeamur (Witsius, Exerc. in Orat. Dom. p. 196, cited by Stier, vi. 237).
.] I cannot doubt that this is said by our Lord in its most general meaning, and that He Himself is included in it. At that moment He was giving as high and pre-eminent an example of its truth, as the disciples were affording a low and ignoble one. He, in the willingness of the spirit-yielding Himself to the Fathers Will to suffer and die, but weighed down by the weakness of the flesh: they, having professed, and really having, a willing spirit to suffer with Him, but, even in the one hours watching, overcome by the burden of drowsiness. Observe it is here , not ; and compare Mat 26:38 and note. To enter further into the depths of this assertion of our Lord would carry us beyond the limits of annotation: but see Stiers remarks, vi. 237-242.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 26:41. , …, that ye enter not, etc.) This was to be the subject of their prayer; see Luk 22:40; cf. in ch. Mat 24:20.- , into temptation) which is close at hand, nay, which is already here.- ,[1151] …, the spirit indeed, etc.) This statement, sin only excepted, was true also of Jesus at that time; see Heb 5:7. Therefore He also both watched and prayed, Mat 26:39-40.-, spirit) Thence it is that the Apostles mention frequently flesh and spirit.-, flesh) We ought to take this, not as an excuse for torpor, but as an incentive to watchfulness.-, weak) for the right performance of the matter in hand.
[1151] -, willing-weak See Mat 26:33; Mat 26:35, and cf. Mat 26:40.-B. G. V.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Watch: Mat 24:42, Mat 25:13, Mar 13:33-37, Mar 14:38, Luk 21:36, Luk 22:40, Luk 22:46, 1Co 16:13, Eph 6:18, 1Pe 4:7, 1Pe 5:8, Rev 16:15
enter: Mat 6:13, Pro 4:14, Pro 4:15, Luk 8:13, Luk 11:4, 1Co 10:13, 2Pe 2:9, Rev 3:10
the spirit: Psa 119:4, Psa 119:5, Psa 119:24, Psa 119:25, Psa 119:32, Psa 119:35-37, Psa 119:115, Psa 119:117, Psa 119:1, Isa 26:8, Isa 26:9, Rom 7:18-25, Rom 8:3, 1Co 9:27, Gal 5:16, Gal 5:17, Gal 5:24, Phi 3:12-14
Reciprocal: Gen 32:25 – touched 2Sa 11:2 – arose from Neh 4:9 – set a watch Psa 119:40 – I have Son 3:2 – will rise Son 5:2 – sleep Jon 1:5 – and was Luk 9:55 – Ye know Luk 22:33 – I am Act 20:9 – being Rom 13:11 – it is 1Co 10:12 – General Gal 1:16 – flesh Col 4:2 – watch 1Th 5:6 – watch
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
WATCH AND PRAY
Watch and pray.
Mat 26:41
Here are two great safeguards against temptationwatchfulness and prayer.
I. Watchfulness.Watch!for the great enemy is ever watching you.
(a) Against the devil. You have to wrestle even against the very hosts of hell (Eph 6:2).
(b) Against the world. The world is watching too. It expects much from the Christian. It has a quick eye to see his faults.
(c) Against sins. Perhaps you used to fall into certain sins which by Gods grace you have overcome; but remember those sins are only subdued. They are not dead; they may at any moment spring into active life. And more, you may fall into new sins, sins which you never dreamed of committing.
II. Prayerfulness.How could we get strength to watch unless we pray? By prayer we may grasp the strength of God.
(a) You need the Holy Spirit to teach you to pray (Rom 8:26).
(b) Let your first thoughts in the morning be thoughts of prayer (Psa 5:3). As Dean Law so beautifully expressed it, The daybreak blessing is a day-long gain.
(c) Let your prayers be definite. Ask for something in particular.
(d) Let your prayers be persevering. Our Lord spoke two parables with the distinct object of encouraging perseverance in prayer (St. Luke 11).
(e) Remember you cannot ask too much. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph 3:20).
(f) Cultivate the habit of silent or ejaculatory prayer. What victories over self and Satan! what peace! what joy! might we get, if we continually lifted up our hearts to God and said, Lord, help me! There are several instances of this kind of prayer in the book of Neh 2:4; Neh 5:19; Neh 6:9; Neh 13:22; Neh 13:31; compare also Gen 17:18; 2Sa 15:31; 2Sa 17:23; 2Ch 18:31.
The Rev. F. Harper.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
6:41
Watch and pray denotes the two sides of the scheme of salvation, the human and the divine. Watching is a duty of man in order that he may not be overtaken or surprised by temptation. (See Gal 6:1.) While doing what is humanly possible, it is proper to look for help from God if man goes to Him in prayer. Spirit and flesh are the two parts of a human being; the first is the inner man and the other is the outer. The first is inclined to the better way of life and the other is more inclined to evil. A good picture of these two is presented in Rom 7:15-25.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 26:41. Watch and pray. The care for them, which was involved in the rebuke even, now becomes most prominent. They needed then, and, as the original implies what is habitual, always to watch, to be on their guard, as well as to pray. And that for themselves: that ye enter not into temptation. This includes an entertaining of the temptation. Others explain it: a temptation greater than ye can bear. Luke, whose account is at this point more condensed, inserts this admonition in a different place (Mat 22:40; Mat 22:46).
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. The spirit, i.e., the human spirit, but only as quickened by the Holy Spirit. Of itself it could have no such willingness. In the Epistles the word flesh generally means the whole depraved condition of man; but here, where it is contrasted with the human spirit, it probably refers to the material part of mans nature. The human spirit (when acted upon by the Holy Spirit), is willing to do the present duty, but the flesh, the body, which is weak (and weakened through sin), hinders and often produces failure. That was the case with the disciples. Nor is an application to our Lord forbidden. In Him, though weighed down by sorrow, so that the flesh almost gave way to death in its weakness (even unto death), the willingness of the spirit triumphed. Possibly there is a hint of the conflict in believers between the spirit and the depraved nature (flesh), even though in this case its actings were through the weary body.