Matthew 26 39

Matthew 26:39 kjv

And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Matthew 26:39 nkjv

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

Matthew 26:39 niv

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Matthew 26:39 esv

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

Matthew 26:39 nlt

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."

Matthew 26 verses

Matthew 26 39 Meaning

Matthew 26:39 portrays Jesus in Gethsemane, expressing His profound human struggle and anguish in prayer before His crucifixion. He acknowledges the terrifying prospect of the "cup" of suffering and God's wrath, yet ultimately submits His personal will to the perfect will of the Father. This verse reveals the deep agony of Christ, who, though divine, fully embraced human weakness and temptation, conquering it through obedience and trust. It encapsulates the core of His redemptive mission: a complete yielding to the divine plan for humanity's salvation.

Matthew 26 39 Context

Matthew chapter 26 sets the scene for Jesus' final hours before His crucifixion. It opens with the plotting of His arrest, transitions to the Last Supper where He institutes communion and predicts His betrayal and Peter's denial. Immediately following the supper, Jesus and His disciples go to Gethsemane. This specific verse takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane, a crucial moment of spiritual and emotional agony for Jesus. Historically and culturally, Gethsemane was an olive grove, likely with an oil press, signifying the crushing pressure Jesus was experiencing. The act of falling on His face was a common Jewish posture of intense prayer, deep reverence, or profound distress. The setting also highlights the stark contrast between the disciples' inability to stay awake and Jesus' solitary wrestling with the divine will, emphasizing the unique burden He carried as the Christ. His prayer in Gethsemane is a climactic demonstration of His complete submission to the Father's plan, despite the overwhelming suffering that lay ahead. This event occurs on the night of His arrest, marking the transition from His public ministry to the direct path of atonement.

Matthew 26 39 Word analysis

• "And going a little farther": Greek: προελθὼν μικρόν (proelthōn mikron).
  • Signifies a deliberate separation from the immediate vicinity of His sleeping disciples.
  • Highlights Jesus seeking solitary intimacy for intense communion with the Father.
  • This physical distance underscores the uniqueness and isolation of His upcoming struggle.
• "he fell on his face": Greek: ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ (epesen epi prosōpon autou).
  • Posture of ultimate humility, deep reverence, profound sorrow, or extreme submission.
  • Indicates overwhelming distress, anguish, and a desperate plea to God.
  • Not just kneeling, but fully prostrate, signifying complete abandonment to divine will.
• "and prayed": Greek: προσηύξατο (prosēuxato).
  • Simple past tense, indicating a direct act of prayer.
  • In this context, implies an intense, fervent, and wrestling prayer, an outpouring of His very being.
• "saying": Introduces the direct content of His prayer, revealing His internal struggle.
• "My Father": Greek: Πάτερ μου (Pater mou).
  • Intimate, personal address to God. In Mark's parallel, "Abba" (Aramaic), further emphasizing intimacy and filial relationship.
  • Even in extreme distress, Jesus maintains a close, trusting relationship with the Father.
  • It speaks to the unique father-son bond that forms the foundation of His prayer and submission.
• "if it be possible": Greek: εἰ δυνατόν (ei dynaton).
  • A deeply human plea from one facing unthinkable agony.
  • Not a questioning of God's power, but a plea for an alternative path if one aligned with God's perfect plan could spare Him the foreseen suffering.
  • Reveals the profound burden of bearing humanity's sin and divine wrath.
• "let this cup pass from me": Greek: παρελθέτω ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο (parelthetō ap’ emou to potērion touto).
  • "The cup" is a common biblical metaphor for destiny, often specifically for suffering or God's wrath and judgment (as seen in many Old Testament prophetic books).
  • Jesus fully grasps the nature and magnitude of the suffering He is to endure: not just physical pain, but the spiritual anguish of bearing sin and being momentarily forsaken by the Father.
  • His human nature recoils from this terrifying prospect.
• "nevertheless": Greek: πλὴν (plēn).
  • A strong adversative conjunction, signifying a crucial turning point in His prayer.
  • Introduces the definitive act of His complete submission, overcoming the natural human aversion.
• "not as I will, but as you will": Greek: οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω ἀλλ’ ὡς σύ (ouch hōs egō thelō all’ hōs sy).
  • The heart of the verse and the epitome of Christ's perfect obedience.
  • Demonstrates complete alignment of His will with the Father's sovereign plan.
  • This choice defines His identity as the suffering servant and secures humanity's redemption. It is a moment of victory over temptation, sealing His unwavering commitment to His mission.

Matthew 26 39 Bonus section

• The Agony: Luke's account (Lk 22:44) adds that "being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." This "hematidrosis" (sweating blood) is a rare medical phenomenon caused by extreme distress, confirming the unprecedented intensity of Jesus' suffering even before the physical crucifixion began.
• Solidarity with Humanity: This passage profoundly underscores Jesus' full humanity. He faced genuine temptation and the natural human desire to avoid suffering, yet He overcame it through prayer and unwavering commitment to God's will. This demonstrates His perfect empathy for human struggles and His pathway to overcoming them.
• Contrast with Adam: The garden of Gethsemane often serves as a theological counterpoint to the Garden of Eden. In Eden, humanity's will opposed God's, leading to sin and death. In Gethsemane, Jesus' perfect human will submitted to God's, reversing the curse and leading to salvation and life.

Matthew 26 39 Commentary

Matthew 26:39 encapsulates the spiritual agony of Christ in Gethsemane, a pivotal moment revealing His full humanity and perfect obedience. As He faced the immense "cup" of God's wrath and human sin, His human nature naturally recoiled from such terrifying suffering. The intimate address "My Father" underscores His trusting relationship, even as He pleads for an alternative, "if it be possible." Yet, His ultimate resolve, "not as I will, but as you will," proclaims His complete surrender and devotion to the Father's redemptive plan. This struggle in the garden foreshadows His ultimate victory on the cross, establishing Jesus as the supreme example of humility, trust, and submission. It teaches us that even when our human will shrinks from hardship, our ultimate path to spiritual growth and fulfilling God's purpose lies in aligning our desires with His perfect will. It underscores the profound cost of our salvation and the depth of Jesus' love and obedience.