Luke 22 45

Luke 22:45 kjv

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

Luke 22:45 nkjv

When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.

Luke 22:45 niv

When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.

Luke 22:45 esv

And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow,

Luke 22:45 nlt

At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief.

Luke 22 verses

Luke 22 45 Meaning

Luke 22:45 describes Jesus, having concluded an agonizing session of prayer, returning to His disciples only to find them profoundly asleep, a sleep induced by overwhelming grief. This verse highlights the physical and emotional exhaustion experienced by the disciples due to their great sorrow, contrasting sharply with Jesus' spiritual vigilance in His time of ultimate trial. It sets the scene for their subsequent inability to stay alert and spiritually ready.

Luke 22 45 Context

Luke 22:45 is situated within the dramatic narrative of Jesus' agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, immediately preceding His betrayal and arrest. Following the Last Supper, Jesus retreats to the Mount of Olives to pray (Lk 22:39). He takes Peter, James, and John deeper into the garden, instructing them to "pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Lk 22:40). Luke's account uniquely emphasizes Jesus' extreme distress, even to the point of His sweat becoming like "great drops of blood falling to the ground," and an angel appearing to strengthen Him (Lk 22:44). This verse follows Jesus' fervent prayer, portraying Him rising to check on His chosen disciples. Their sleeping from sorrow underscores the immense spiritual burden of the hour, which they were unable to bear, failing to heed Jesus' call for watchful prayer. It highlights their human frailty in contrast to Jesus' divine endurance and unwavering commitment to His Father's will.

Luke 22 45 Word analysis

• When He rose (ἀναστὰς - anastas): This aorist active participle of anistēmi (to stand up, to arise) signifies Jesus finishing or coming up from His posture of intense prayer. It suggests a completion of that specific segment of intercession and a shift in His focus back to His disciples and the immediate external reality.
• from prayer (ἀπὸ τῆς προσευχῆς - apo tēs proseuchēs): The preposition apo signifies separation or origin, indicating Jesus' departure from the act of prayer. Proseuchē is a general term for prayer, but in this context, it refers to the deep, agonizing communion Jesus had just experienced with God, often associated with pleading or supplication.
• He came (ἦλθεν - ēlthen): This imperfect active indicative of erchomai (to come, to go) simply denotes Jesus' movement towards the disciples. It implies His immediate action after rising from prayer, demonstrating His pastoral concern even in His own deep distress.
• to the disciples (πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς - pros tous mathētas): Pros indicates direction towards. While Jesus had initially brought only Peter, James, and John with Him deeper into Gethsemane (as per Matthew and Mark), Luke often refers to "the disciples" more generally, suggesting His broader concern for the group who accompanied Him to the garden. This shows His focus was not only on Himself but on their spiritual readiness as well.
• and found them (καὶ εὗρεν αὐτοὺς - kai heuren autous): Kai (and) connects the actions. Heuren (from heuriskō - to find, discover) indicates Jesus' direct observation. It's a statement of discovery, portraying the situation as it truly was upon His return.
• sleeping (κοιμωμένους - koimōmenous): This present passive participle of koimaō (to put to sleep, to be asleep) implies that they were currently in a state of deep slumber. Unlike mere dozing, this term often connotes a profound sleep, sometimes even used metaphorically for death in the New Testament. Here, it signifies an overwhelming physical and mental unconsciousness.
• from sorrow (ἀπὸ τῆς λύπης - apo tēs lypēs): This is a crucial detail, specifically highlighted by Luke, explaining the cause of their sleep. Apo again signifies cause or origin. Lypē refers to deep sadness, grief, or distress. Their sorrow was so profound and intense due to the impending events, Jesus' distress, and their inability to fully grasp or prevent the tragedy, that it exhausted them to the point of sleep. This distinguishes their sleep from mere negligence, portraying it as a physical manifestation of overwhelming emotional burden.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• When He rose from prayer: Emphasizes Jesus' disciplined adherence to His communion with God, despite His anguish, contrasting with the disciples' lack of vigilance. It signifies the conclusion of a significant moment of spiritual warfare for Jesus.
• He came to the disciples: Shows Jesus' proactive and caring nature, seeking out His closest companions even as He faces His ultimate trial. It underlines His continued shepherding role.
• and found them sleeping from sorrow: This phrase is highly poignant. It not only reports their state but provides the mitigating factor (sorrow) for their unwatchfulness. It highlights the debilitating effect of intense grief, an empathetic understanding of human limitation. This is a contrast between the Spirit's willingness and the flesh's profound weakness in the face of immense suffering. Their spiritual weakness was compounded by an almost physiological response to unbearable emotional distress.

Luke 22 45 Bonus section

The Lukean emphasis on Jesus' prayer life throughout his Gospel makes this particular instance in Gethsemane even more significant. Luke portrays Jesus as a man of constant prayer, turning to God at crucial junctures. Here, the disciples' failure to even stay awake for Jesus as He prayed contrasts sharply with His deep commitment to His Father. Luke's detail "from sorrow" might also reflect a specific medical observation by a physician (Luke is traditionally identified as a physician), understanding how intense psychological stress and grief can lead to extreme fatigue and collapse, not just spiritual negligence. This aspect deepens the pathos of the scene and portrays Jesus' gentle compassion towards their human frailty even as He challenges their unreadiness. This scene reminds believers that genuine prayer and watchfulness are not merely acts of religious duty but vital resources for navigating life's greatest sorrows and spiritual temptations.

Luke 22 45 Commentary

Luke 22:45 offers a powerful glimpse into the human and divine interaction in the crucible of Gethsemane. After enduring immense spiritual and physical agony in prayer, Jesus finds His disciples asleep, a scene laden with profound theological and practical implications. Their sleep is explicitly attributed to "sorrow," not laziness or indifference. This detail is unique to Luke and speaks to a deep empathy for the disciples' emotional state. The weight of the impending passion, the raw anguish of Jesus, and the fear of the unknown had so overwhelmed them that their bodies, particularly under such stress, succumbed to exhaustion.

This verse stands as a stark contrast. Jesus perseveres in prayer, drawing strength from His Father amidst unthinkable suffering, while His disciples are overcome by their emotional burdens, rendering them spiritually inactive. It highlights the persistent challenge of human weakness even among those closest to the Lord. While their spirit might have been willing to "watch and pray," as Jesus instructed elsewhere (Matt 26:41; Mk 14:38), their physical and emotional flesh proved too weak. This vulnerability sets the stage for their impending flight and Peter's denial. The passage is not solely a rebuke but an illustration of humanity's profound limitations when faced with ultimate spiritual battles. It teaches us about the critical need for constant vigilance and prayer, not just in times of ease but especially in the midst of overwhelming sorrow and spiritual assault. It encourages understanding that overwhelming emotional pain can have real physical consequences.