Jesus Prays a Third Time - Matthew 26:44

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus came, “unto a place called Gethsemane, and said unto the disciples, Sit you 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 said he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry you 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 you will. And he came unto the disciples, and finds them asleep, and said unto Peter, What, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that you 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, your will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse forty-four of his book, Matthew writes how Jesus, “went again, and prayed the third time” where we read:

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

The verse reads, “And he left them, and went away again, ...” Matthew began words, “and he left them” which means “and Jesus departed from the disciples”, “and went away again” or “and departed aside for another time”. Matthew shared how Jesus departed from His sleeping disciples another time.

The verse goes on to say, “... and prayed the third time, saying the same words.” Matthew continued with the words, “and prayed” which means “and supplicated, worshiped and offered prayers” “the third time” or “for the third time”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” “the same words” or “the identical and selfsame words”. Matthew shared how Jesus “prayed” “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as you will” for the third time.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus was persistent in His prayer asking His Heavenly Father God whether there was any way for Him for this “cup” to pass from Him. The indicated answer was “no”, and He submitted His “will” to God's. The reason for His willingness to “drink the cup” was to “save” people from their sins, and if there was any other way that mankind could be saved, God would have told Jesus. Jesus is, “the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father, but by Him” (See John 14:6), and those who are wise will realize there is no other way to receive “everlasting life” with God but to submit themselves to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus tells His disciples, “sleep on now, and take your rest”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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