Matthew 26:38

KJV

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

KJV (with Strong's)

Then {G5119} saith he {G3004} unto them {G846}, My {G3450} soul {G5590} is {G2076} exceeding sorrowful {G4036}, even unto {G2193} death {G2288}: tarry ye {G3306} here {G5602}, and {G2532} watch {G1127} with {G3326} me {G1700}.

Complete Jewish Bible

and he said to them, "My heart is so filled with sadness that I could die! Remain here and stay awake with me."

Berean Standard Bible

Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”

American Standard Version

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In the Garden of Gethsemane, just hours before His crucifixion, Jesus Christ reveals the profound depth of His emotional and spiritual anguish to His inner circle—Peter, James, and John. His declaration, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death," lays bare His full humanity and the immense spiritual burden He was carrying, as He invites His closest disciples to share in His vigil and prayerful watchfulness during this critical hour.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated immediately after the Last Supper, where Jesus instituted the new covenant and prophesied Peter's denial, and just before His arrest and trial. Having sung a hymn, Jesus leads His disciples to the [Garden of Gethsemane](/matthew/26-36 "Matthew 26:36 - Jesus Enters Gethsemane") on the Mount of Olives. He instructs most of the disciples to sit, but takes Peter, James, and John deeper into the garden. This intimate moment of vulnerability and spiritual struggle serves as a prelude to His fervent prayer where He wrestles with the Father's will, asking if "this cup" might pass from Him, yet ultimately submitting to the divine plan. It underscores the immense pressure and spiritual battle Jesus faced as He prepared to bear the sins of humanity.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Mount of Olives, and specifically the Garden of Gethsemane (meaning "oil press"), was a familiar retreat for Jesus and His disciples, a place of quiet contemplation and prayer. For a Jew in distress, pouring out one's soul to God was a common and deeply ingrained practice, often accompanied by physical prostration. The concept of "sorrow unto death" would have resonated with Old Testament expressions of profound despair, where emotional distress could feel physically debilitating or even life-threatening, as seen in figures like Job or David. This setting highlights Jesus' adherence to Jewish custom while simultaneously elevating the spiritual stakes of His unique suffering.
* **Key Themes:** This pivotal moment in Gethsemane contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Matthew's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. First, it powerfully demonstrates **Jesus' full humanity and vulnerability**, showing that He genuinely experienced overwhelming sorrow and distress, not as a stoic deity but as one who fully empathizes with human pain and suffering, as described in [Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest"). Second, the "exceeding sorrowful" state points to the **immense weight of atonement** and the spiritual burden of facing the cross, bearing the sins of the world, and enduring the Father's wrath. This highlights the horrific nature of sin and the immeasurable cost of redemption. Finally, Jesus' request to "tarry ye here, and watch with me" reveals His **need for companionship and spiritual vigilance**, even in His unique suffering, echoing the call for disciples to be alert and prayerful, a theme Jesus reiterates in [Matthew 26:41](/matthew/26-41 "Matthew 26:41 - Watch and Pray").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **sorrowful (Greek, _perílypos'_):** From G4036, meaning "grieved all around" or "intensely sad." This word conveys an overwhelming, pervasive sadness that envelops the entire being, suggesting a profound emotional and spiritual distress that leaves no part untouched. It is a sorrow that surrounds and saturates.
* **death (Greek, _thánatos'_):** From G2288, referring to physical death or, figuratively, a state of extreme peril or despair. Here, "unto death" emphasizes the severity of Jesus' anguish, indicating a sorrow so profound and debilitating that it threatened His very life or brought Him to the brink of collapse, both emotionally and potentially physically.
* **watch (Greek, _grēgoreúō'_):):** From G1127, meaning "to keep awake," "be vigilant," or "stay alert." This command is not merely a request for physical presence but for spiritual attentiveness, prayerful support, and a shared awareness of the gravity of the moment. It implies a readiness to endure and resist temptation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then saith he unto them,"**: This introductory phrase sets the scene, indicating a direct address from Jesus to His chosen three disciples (Peter, James, and John) whom He had taken further into the garden. It marks the beginning of His raw, personal confession of anguish.
* **"My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death:"**: Here, Jesus expresses the depth of His inner turmoil. "My soul" (Greek _psychḗ_) refers to His innermost being, His mind, emotions, and will. The phrase "exceeding sorrowful" (Greek _perílypos_) emphasizes an overwhelming, all-encompassing grief. The addition "even unto death" (Greek _héōs thanátou_) highlights the extreme intensity of this sorrow, suggesting it was so profound that it threatened His very life, pushing Him to the brink of physical and emotional collapse. This is not hyperbole but a genuine expression of existential agony.
* **"tarry ye here, and watch with me."**: This is Jesus' direct instruction and plea to His disciples. "Tarry ye here" (Greek _ménō hōde_) is a command to remain in that specific spot, indicating a need for their close proximity. "And watch with me" (Greek _kaí grēgoreúō metá emoû_) is a call for spiritual vigilance and companionship in prayer. Jesus desired their active, prayerful presence and support, not merely their physical company, as He faced the spiritual battle ahead.

#### Literary Devices
Matthew 26:38 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the intensity of Jesus' experience. The phrase "exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" functions as **Hyperbole**, not in the sense of exaggeration, but to convey an extreme, almost unbearable degree of emotional and spiritual suffering. While not literally dying at that moment, the sorrow was so profound it felt life-threatening. The use of "My soul" (Greek _psychḗ_) can be seen as a form of **Synecdoche**, where the part (soul) represents the whole person, emphasizing that His entire being was engulfed in this anguish. Furthermore, the scene itself is rich in **Symbolism**: Gethsemane, the "oil press," symbolizes the crushing pressure Jesus endured. His call to "watch" serves as a **Metaphor** for spiritual alertness and prayerful engagement, extending beyond mere physical wakefulness to a deeper, shared vigilance against the spiritual forces at play. This moment also serves as **Foreshadowing**, hinting at the ultimate physical death and spiritual abandonment Jesus would soon experience on the cross.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse offers a profound glimpse into the theological reality of the Incarnation and the nature of Christ's atoning work. It underscores that Jesus was fully human, not just appearing to suffer, but genuinely experiencing the depths of human anguish, a sorrow intensified by the unique burden of bearing the world's sin. This Gethsemane agony was a crucial part of His redemptive work, demonstrating the immeasurable cost of our salvation and God's profound empathy for human suffering. It reveals that the path to redemption was not easy or detached, but fraught with immense spiritual and emotional struggle, making His victory all the more glorious and His High Priestly intercession all the more compassionate.

* [Psalm 42:5](/psalms/42-5 "Psalm 42:5 - Why are you cast down, O my soul?")
* [Mark 14:34](/mark/14-34 "Mark 14:34 - Jesus' Anguish in Gethsemane")
* [Hebrews 5:7-9](/hebrews/5-7-9 "Hebrews 5:7-9 - Christ's Prayers and Obedience")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 26:38 provides a powerful and deeply relatable image of Jesus in His raw humanity, offering profound lessons for believers today. It normalizes profound sorrow and distress, even for those in deepest communion with God. Jesus, the Son of God, experienced overwhelming grief, demonstrating that it is not a sign of spiritual weakness to feel pain, to express it, or to seek comfort and support from trusted companions. This passage invites us to bring our own deepest sorrows and anxieties before God, knowing that our Savior understands and empathizes with our suffering. Furthermore, understanding the depth of Jesus' agony in Gethsemane should immeasurably deepen our appreciation for the salvation He secured. It was not a casual act, but one wrought with immense spiritual and emotional agony, highlighting the horrific nature of sin and the unfathomable love that bore its weight. Finally, Jesus' call to "watch" serves as an enduring reminder for believers to remain spiritually vigilant, prayerful, and supportive of one another, especially in times of trial and temptation, standing with Christ not only in comfort but also in His suffering and His mission.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Jesus' vulnerability in Gethsemane challenge your perceptions of strength and spiritual maturity?**
* **What does Jesus' "exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" reveal about the true cost of sin and the depth of God's love for humanity?**
* **In what ways are you called to "watch" with Christ in your own life, both in prayer and in spiritual vigilance?**
* **How can you offer compassionate presence and support to others who are experiencing profound sorrow, mirroring Jesus' desire for His disciples to "tarry and watch"?**

### FAQ
**Why did Jesus ask His disciples to "watch with me" if He was facing a unique spiritual battle only He could endure?**

Answer: Jesus' request for His disciples to "watch with me" was not an indication that He needed their help to overcome the spiritual battle, which was uniquely His to bear. Rather, it highlights His full humanity and His desire for companionship and prayerful solidarity in His deepest hour of need. Just as any human in profound distress might seek the comforting presence of loved ones, Jesus sought the support of His closest friends. Their "watching" was meant to be a shared vigil of prayer and spiritual alertness, preparing them for the trials ahead and demonstrating their faithfulness, even though they ultimately failed to remain awake. It was an invitation to participate in the spiritual gravity of the moment, to be present with Him in His suffering, and to learn the importance of vigilance in the face of temptation, as He later admonishes them in [Matthew 26:41](/matthew/26-41 "Matthew 26:41 - Watch and Pray").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 26:38, with Jesus' profound anguish in Gethsemane, serves as a pivotal moment in the unfolding drama of Christ's redemptive work, deeply rooted in Old Testament prophecy and culminating in the New Testament's declaration of His atoning sacrifice. This scene fulfills the prophetic suffering of the Messiah, particularly echoing the "suffering servant" passages in [Isaiah 53](/isaiah/53 "Isaiah 53 - The Suffering Servant"), where it is foretold that He would be "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Jesus' "exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" is not merely human despair but the sinless Son of God beginning to bear the crushing weight of humanity's sin, experiencing the spiritual separation from the Father that was the essence of the "cup" He prayed to have removed ([Matthew 26:39](/matthew/26-39 "Matthew 26:39 - Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane")). This Gethsemane agony foreshadows His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, where He truly became sin for us ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")), demonstrating the infinite cost of redemption. His willingness to endure such sorrow, even to the point of feeling death's shadow, underscores His perfect obedience to the Father's will, an obedience that makes Him the source of eternal salvation for all who believe ([Hebrews 5:8-9](/hebrews/5-8-9 "Hebrews 5:8-9 - Christ's Obedience and Salvation")). Thus, Gethsemane is not just a display of Jesus' humanity, but a vital step in His divine mission to overcome sin and death, establishing Him as our empathetic High Priest who understands our weaknesses ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")) and the victorious Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

John 12:27

¶ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

1 Peter 3:18

¶ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

1 Peter 2:24

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Galatians 3:13

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:

Isaiah 53:10

¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Matthew 26:40

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.