Jesus Exceeding Sorrowful unto Death - Matthew 26:38

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”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse thirty-eight of his book, Matthew writes how Jesus said, “my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death” where we read:

Then said he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful,

even unto death: tarry you here, and watch with me.

The verse reads, “Then said he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, ...” Matthew began words, “Then said” which means “at this moment and time uttered, declared and proclaimed” “he unto them” or “Jesus to Peter, James and John”, “My soul” which refers to “Jesus' seat of the feelings, desires, affections and aversions” “is exceeding sorrowful” or “overcome with sorrow so much as to cause one's death”. Matthew shared how Jesus told Peter, James and John He was “extremely overcome with grief”.

The verse goes on to say “... even unto death: tarry you here, and watch with me.” Matthew added the words, “even unto death” which means “until the separation, whether natural or violent, of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended”: “tarry you here” or “Peter, James and John were to remain and abide where they were in the garden”, “and watch with me” which means “and give strict attention, be cautious and actively awake”. Matthew shared how Jesus added that His “sorrow” was to the point of His life expiring, and He instructed Peter, James and John to “be cautious and actively awake” where they were seated in the garden.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus was “greatly moved” in soul over that which He was to pray in the garden. Though Peter, James and John were with Him, they had no idea how much this event was affecting Him. Jesus' only request of the disciples was to “be cautious” and “actively awake” while He went to pray, and we shall see how they failed to do this, but Jesus did not. He was purposed to “save” people regardless of what He would endure, and when a person understands how greatly He sorrowed on their behalf, their best response is to “believe and trust” in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus, “went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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