Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 26]
touto\). The figure can mean only the approaching death. Jesus
had used it of his coming death when James and John came to him
with their ambitious request, "the cup which I am about to drink"
(Mt 20:22). But now the Master is about to taste the bitter
dregs in the cup of death for the sin of the world. He was not
afraid that he would die before the Cross, though he
instinctively shrank from the cup, but instantly surrendered his
will to the Father's will and drank it to the full. Evidently
Satan tempted Christ now to draw back from the Cross. Here Jesus
won the power to go on to Calvary.
26:40 {What} (\hout•s\). The Greek adverb is not interrogation or
exclamatory \ti\, but only "so" or "thus." There is a tone of sad
disappointment at the discovery that they were asleep after the
earnest plea that they keep awake (verse 38). "Did you not thus
have strength enough to keep awake one hour?" Every word struck
home.
26:41 {Watch and pray} (\gr•goreite kai proseuchesthe\). 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 (\peirasmon\,
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} (\pneuma\) here is the moral life
(\intellect, will, emotions\) as opposed to the flesh (cf. Isa
31:3; Ro 7:25). {Except I drink it} (\ean m• auto pi•\).
Condition of the third class undetermined, but with likelihood of
determination, whereas {if this cannot pass away} (\ei ou dunatai
touto parelthein\) 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.
26:43 {For their eyes were heavy} (\•san gar aut•n hoi ophthalmoi
bebar•menoi\). Past perfect passive indicative periphrastic.
Their eyes had been weighted down with sleep and still were as
they had been on the Mount of Transfiguration (Lu 9:32).
26:45 {Sleep on now and take your rest} (\katheudete loipon kai
anapauesthe\). This makes it "mournful irony" (Plummer) or
reproachful concession: "Ye may sleep and rest indefinitely so
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