Matthew 26 37

Matthew 26:37 kjv

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Matthew 26:37 nkjv

And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

Matthew 26:37 niv

He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

Matthew 26:37 esv

And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

Matthew 26:37 nlt

He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed.

Matthew 26 verses

Matthew 26 37 Meaning

Matthew 26:37 details the profound and unprecedented anguish Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane, immediately preceding His betrayal and crucifixion. Taking His three closest disciples—Peter, James, and John—He revealed the depth of His emotional and spiritual distress, marking the intense onset of the suffering that would culminate on the cross. This verse vividly portrays His true humanity as He grappled with the horrific weight of sin and the imminent divine wrath He was to bear for humanity.

Matthew 26 37 Context

Matthew 26:37 occurs within the account of Jesus' final hours before His crucifixion, specifically in the Garden of Gethsemane. After the Last Supper and predicting Peter's denial, Jesus traveled to the Garden with His disciples. He left most of them, taking Peter, James, and John further into the garden. This chosen three were also present at the Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-8) and the raising of Jairus' daughter (Mk 5:37), underscoring their unique closeness to Him.This verse marks the initiation of Jesus' profound struggle with the "cup" (referring to the cup of God's wrath and suffering) He was about to drink. The garden of Gethsemane ("oil press") symbolizes the intense pressure and crushing He would endure, both spiritually and physically. It contrasts with His earlier calm composure and highlights the profound internal battle of His human will grappling with His divine mission. This deep anguish of soul precedes His arrest, trial, and crucifixion, setting the stage for the full extent of His vicarious suffering.

Matthew 26 37 Word analysis

• And taking with Him: Implies an intentional act of inclusion. Jesus specifically invited these three disciples, separating them from the others, indicating a moment of deep personal vulnerability He chose to share with His closest circle. This action suggests the intensity of the experience was beyond what the larger group could bear or understand.
• Peter: Greek Petros (Πέτρος), meaning "rock." A prominent disciple, often a spokesperson, impulsive yet deeply devoted. He was part of the inner circle chosen to witness unique events in Jesus' ministry. His inclusion highlights the gravity of the situation and the depth of trust Jesus placed in these few.
• and the two sons of Zebedee: Refers to James and John. They were called Boanerges ("Sons of Thunder") by Jesus (Mk 3:17), indicative of their zealous, perhaps impetuous, nature. Like Peter, they were privileged witnesses to major events like the Transfiguration. Their presence reinforces the special nature of this Gethsemane experience, emphasizing the spiritual weight being conveyed to those most intimately connected with Him.
• He began: This verb signifies the onset or commencement of an action. It implies a transition into a new and profoundly difficult state, emphasizing that His anguish was not merely present but actively increasing, a process unfolding within Him. This was the start of an internal suffering that would culminate in His atoning death.
• to be grieved: Greek lupeisthai (λυπεῖσθαι), meaning "to be pained," "to sorrow deeply," "to feel grief." This term describes profound emotional distress. It indicates a state of intense, consuming sorrow, extending beyond mere sadness into an agony that weighs heavily on the soul. It reflects His true human experience of suffering, not an unaffected divine being.
• and distressed: Greek adēmonein (ἀδημονεῖν), meaning "to be in great anguish," "agitated," "perplexed to the point of collapse," "utterly distraught." This is a strong and relatively rare New Testament word, occurring only here and in Mk 14:33, and Phil 2:26 (where Epaphroditus is "distressed" at the Philippians' sorrow over his illness). It describes an intense, overwhelming feeling of dread, anxiety, and mental agitation, almost to the point of confusion or loss of composure. It paints a picture of Jesus’ soul being intensely pressed, almost beyond endurance, as He confronted the weight of the world's sin and God's holy wrath.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee": This specific selection of three disciples is crucial. It points to a chosen intimacy, a spiritual weight that Jesus allowed only His closest companions to witness, albeit from a limited perspective. Their presence underscores the solemnity and gravity of what was transpiring internally within Jesus.
  • "He began to be grieved and distressed": This phrase captures the immediate onset and intensifying nature of Jesus' emotional and spiritual suffering. "Grieved" signifies profound sorrow, while "distressed" adds the layer of overwhelming inner agitation and anguish. It's not mere sadness but a visceral, overwhelming internal conflict in His humanity as He contemplated the cross and bearing the full burden of sin, highlighting the unique nature of His agony that transcends ordinary human suffering in both intensity and purpose. It reveals Jesus as fully human, experiencing genuine horror and dread.

Matthew 26 37 Bonus section

The scene in Gethsemane is a critical counter-point to ancient Greek and Roman philosophies (e.g., Stoicism) that prized apathy (absence of passion/suffering) as an ideal for wise individuals, even for their deities. Jesus, as the incarnate God, demonstrates profound human emotion and suffering, shattering any notion of an impassible, unfeeling deity. His very real grief and distress show that true strength lies not in the absence of emotion, but in acknowledging and processing profound pain while maintaining obedience to divine will. This vulnerability also highlights the active nature of the Father's wrath; Jesus wasn't merely facing physical death but the dreadful prospect of bearing God's judgment and temporary separation from the Father on the cross—a horror truly unique to His atoning work. The profound nature of His spiritual battle in Gethsemane truly prefigures the unimaginable cost of Calvary, emphasizing that the cross was a willing, painful act of submission to endure the unendurable for humanity's sake.

Matthew 26 37 Commentary

Matthew 26:37 portrays the true humanity of Jesus Christ in the face of immense suffering. It's not the suffering of a martyr facing death, but the unique agony of the Son of God, the sinless one, about to bear the full weight of humanity's sin and endure the outpouring of divine wrath. His choosing of Peter, James, and John for this moment signifies the extreme nature of His anguish; He wanted support and companionship in His greatest hour of spiritual crisis. The dual description "grieved and distressed" highlights the psychological and spiritual depth of His turmoil. Lupeisthai (grieved) indicates profound sorrow, while adēmonein (distressed) conveys an almost unmanageable, terrifying internal agitation, suggesting the abhorrent nature of sin and God's righteous judgment as a burden His soul found profoundly repugnant yet wholly necessary for salvation. This agonizing moment in Gethsemane demonstrates Jesus' perfect empathy with human suffering and His willing, yet profoundly difficult, submission to the Father's plan for redemption, marking the commencement of His substitutionary atonement.