Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 14:40
And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
40. their eyes were heavy ] “sopli her yzen were greuyd,” Wyclif. Even as had been the case on the Mount of Transfiguration. The original word supported by the best MSS. only occurs here, and denotes that the Apostles were utterly tired, and their eyes “weighed down.”
neither wist they what to answer him ] A graphic touch peculiar to the second Evangelist, just as the imperfect tense equally graphically implies that the eyes of the Apostles were constantly becoming weighed down in spite of any efforts they might make to keep awake. Comp. the scene at the Transfiguration, Mar 9:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mar 14:40
He found them asleep.
Power of sleep
The most violent passion and excitement cannot keep even powerful minds from sleep; Alexander the Great slept on the field of Arbela, and Napoleon upon that of Austerlitz. Even stripes and torture cannot keep off sleep, as criminals have been known to give way to it on the rack. Noises, which at first serve to drive it away, soon become indispensable to its existence; thus a stagecoach, stopping to change horses, wakes all the passengers. The proprietor of an iron forge, who slept close to the din of hammers, forges, and blast furnaces, would wake if there was any interruption to them during the night, and a sick miller, who had his mill stopped on that account, passed sleepless nights until the mill resumed its usual noise. Homer, in his Iliad, elegantly represents sleep as overcoming all men, and even the gods, except Jupiter alone. (Christian Journal.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
And when he returned, he found them asleep again,…. Notwithstanding the expostulation he had used with them, the exhortation he had given them, and the danger he had suggested to them:
for their eyes were heavy: with sleep and sorrow:
neither wist they what to answer him; partly through confusion and shame, not knowing how to excuse themselves; and partly, through their being stupefied with sleep and grief.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Very heavy (). Perfective use of – with the participle. Matthew has the simple verb. Mark’s word is only here in the N.T. and is rare in Greek writers. Mark has the vivid present passive participle, while Matthew has the perfect passive .
And they wist not what to answer him ( ). Deliberative subjunctive retained in the indirect question. Alone in Mark and reminds one of the like embarrassment of these same three disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mr 9:6). On both occasions weakness of the flesh prevented their real sympathy with Jesus in his highest and deepest experiences. “Both their shame and their drowsiness would make them dumb” (Gould).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Heavy [] . Lit., weighed down : very heavy.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when He returned,” (kai palin elthon) “And upon returning again,”
2) “He found them asleep again,” (heuren autous katheudontas) “He found them (the three) sleeping,” Luk 22:45; Mat 26:45. They were weighed down with irresistible sleep.
3) “(For their eyes were heavy,)” (esan gar auton hoi ophthalmoi katabarunomenoi) “Because their eyes were having become very heavy,” Mat 26:43, brought on by weakness of the flesh, during the long weary day, Mar 14:38.
4) “Neither wist they what to answer Him.” (kai ouk edeisan ti apokirithosin auto) “And they did not know what to answer or say in reply to Him,” being drowsy and probably ashamed. They were dumbfounded, taken back, speechless, because of their stupidity produced by sleep. They did not know how to excuse themselves, Rom 2:1.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mar 14:40. Neither wist they Neither knew they.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
Ver. 40. Neither wist they what to answer ] They were ashamed to excuse it, yet fell again into it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 14:40 . , “their eyes were very heavy”; R. V [133] , weighed down with irresistible sleep. , here and occasionally in the Sept [134] = the more usual (from the simple verb comes in T.R.). , etc.: this remark recalls the experience of the same three on the hill of transfiguration ( cf. Mar 9:6 ). But in the earlier instance the reference is to the stupidity produced by sleep, here probably to shame on account of unseasonable sleep. They felt that they ought to have kept awake during their Master’s hour of trial, and knew not how to excuse themselves.
[133] Revised Version.
[134]Septuagint.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
neither wist they = and they knew not (Greek. ou. App-105).
wist = knew. Greek. oida. App-132, “Wist” is the Past Tense of Anglo-Saxon wftan = to know.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
neither: Mar 9:33, Mar 9:34, Gen 44:16, Rom 3:19
Reciprocal: Exo 34:29 – wist Mat 26:42 – the second Mar 13:36 – he find Mar 14:37 – and findeth Luk 22:45 – sleeping
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
0
Eyes were heavy because of their grief and worry over the situation.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 14:40. And they knew not, etc. Comp. Peters remark on the Mount of Transfiguration (chap. Mar 9:6). They could make no reply, either from a sense of their failure, or more probably from physical stupor.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 40
Wist they; knew they.