Matthew 26:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done."

NIV: He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

NASB: He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done.'

CSB: Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done."

NLT: Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, 'My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.'

KJV: He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

NKJV: Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”

Most of the disciples are sitting together some distance away from Jesus (Matthew 26:36). He has brought Peter, James, and John deeper into the garden at Gethsemane and has asked them to watch with Him (Matthew 26:37). Now for the second time, He has left them to walk about a stone's throw away (Luke 22:40) and pray in agony to God the Father (Matthew 26:38–39; Mark 14:34; Luke 22:44).

Jesus again emphasizes that He wants His Father's will to be done. His natural, human emotions are agonized over what He knows is coming (Hebrews 4:15). The reference to drinking connects to Jesus' previous prayer in verse 39, where He describes the coming judgment of and separation from God as a "cup." He knows the time has come to endure these things, and He is declaring His desire—His preference—not to do so to God the Father. He will trust His Father's decision.

Jesus, of course, has understood for a long time that His destiny was to die on the cross for the sins of humanity, to be raised back to life in a demonstration of the power of God. He has repeatedly told the disciples that His arrest, conviction, and execution were near (Matthew 16:21). It is likely this awareness of what will soon take place that drives Him to ask the Father whether it is possible to have it pass on from Him. He only makes the request, though, with the understanding that He will do absolutely anything the Father directs. God's will is primary, above and beyond His request.

Matthew 26:36–46 follows Jesus and the disciples into a place called Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives. He takes Peter, James, and John aside from the main group, then prays to God the Father in indescribably intense anguish. He prays a sincere wish that what's about to happen would not be necessary, but entirely submits to the will of God the Father. The disciples cannot stay awake, despite being roused more than once by Christ. Jesus prays three times, before pointing out Judas, the betrayer, who is coming with a crowd to arrest Him. These events are also depicted in Mark 14:32–42 and Luke 22:39–46.

The Jewish religious leaders further their plots to arrest and kill Jesus, finding a willing traitor in Judas Iscariot. A woman anoints Christ with oil during a dinner at Bethany. Next, Jesus and the disciples hold the Passover meal in an upper room where Jesus predicts His arrests and introduces the sacrament of communion. Then Jesus prays in unimaginable agony in the garden of Gethsemane before being betrayed by Judas and captured. The disciples scatter. Before the high priest, Jesus explicitly claims to be divine. They convict Him of blasphemy and sentence Him to death. As this happens, Peter denies knowing Jesus and runs away in shame.

After a long series of teaching (Matthew 24—25), Matthew 26 begins with Jesus saying He will be delivered up for death. Christ is anointed at a dinner in Bethany and Judas agrees to turn Him over to the chief priests. Jesus holds a Passover meal with the disciples, predicts an act of treachery, and introduces the sacrament of communion. He tells the disciples they will run in fear and that Peter will deny Him, which happens just as prophesied. Christ prays in great sorrow in a garden and is then arrested and taken away and unfairly sentenced to death. After this, Jesus will be taken to the Roman governor, where Jewish leadership will press for Him to be executed as an insurgent.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.