Scripture Daily

Context No. 233 of 4322 · Mark

Context · Reflection

Mark 14:37-42: in context

37He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour? 38Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39Again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40Again he returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they didn’t know what to answer him. 41He came the third time and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Arise! Let’s get going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand.”

This is Gethsemane, late on the last night of Jesus' life. He has taken Peter, James, and John a little apart and asked them to stay awake and keep watch while he prays in the worst distress he has ever known, close enough that they could have been with him in it.

He comes back and finds them asleep. He speaks to Peter by his old name, the one from before he was a disciple: Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not keep watch for one hour? It is not really a rebuke. He tells them to watch and pray so they will not fall into temptation, and then names the whole human problem gently, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Then it happens again, and a third time, the same prayer, the same sleeping friends, until they do not even know what to say to him. Peter, who will deny him three times before morning, cannot stay awake three times tonight.

On the third return the tone changes. He stops asking them to watch. Sleep on now, he says, take your rest, it is enough, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is handed over to sinners. The window to prepare with him has closed while they slept, and now the only thing left is to meet it. Rise, he says, let us be going, and he walks toward the man betraying him rather than away. What hour that I could have met awake have I slept through, because my body was tired and my heart was willing only in theory?

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