Matthew 26:39

And he went a little further, 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].

And {G2532} he went {G4281} a little {G3397} further {G4281}, and fell {G4098} on {G1909} his {G846} face {G4383}, and {G2532} prayed {G4336}, saying {G3004}, O my {G3450} Father {G3962}, if {G1487} it be {G2076} possible {G1415}, let {G3928} this {G5124} cup {G4221} pass {G3928} from {G575} me {G1700}: nevertheless {G4133} not {G3756} as {G5613} I {G1473} will {G2309}, but {G235} as {G5613} thou {G4771} wilt.

Going on a little farther, he fell on his face, praying, "My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet -- not what I want, but what you want!"

Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

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

Context

Matthew 26:39 finds Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, a place of olive trees at the foot of the Mount of Olives, shortly after the Last Supper and before His arrest. This moment captures Jesus in intense prayer, revealing the profound human agony He faced in anticipation of the crucifixion. He had just asked His disciples, Peter, James, and John, to watch and pray with Him, indicating the immense spiritual and emotional burden He was carrying.

Key Themes

  • Christ's Humanity and Agony: This verse powerfully demonstrates Jesus' full humanity. Though fully God, He experienced genuine fear, sorrow, and distress at the prospect of the suffering and separation from the Father that awaited Him on the cross. His prayer, "let this cup pass from me," is a raw expression of His human aversion to immense pain and divine judgment.
  • Submission to Divine Will: Despite His natural human desire to avoid the suffering, Jesus' ultimate declaration, "nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt," underscores His perfect obedience and unwavering commitment to the Father's preordained plan. This act of surrender highlights the core of His mission: to fulfill God's will for the redemption of humanity, even unto death.
  • The "Cup" of Suffering: The "cup" is a powerful biblical metaphor. In the Old Testament, it often symbolizes God's wrath, judgment, or a destined portion of suffering (e.g., Isaiah 51:17, Psalm 75:8). For Jesus, this cup represented not only the physical torment of crucifixion but, more significantly, bearing the full weight of humanity's sin and experiencing spiritual separation from God as He became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "let this cup pass from me" uses the Greek word potērion for "cup." This term, as noted, carries significant metaphorical weight in Jewish tradition, representing destiny, fortune, or, most often in a negative sense, divine wrath or a bitter portion of suffering. Jesus' prayer acknowledges the immensity of the task and the depth of the suffering involved. His subsequent phrase, "not as I will, but as thou wilt," uses the Greek thelēma for "will," emphasizing a conscious, deliberate alignment with the Father's sovereign purpose, even when His human will recoiled from the prospect. This perfect alignment is central to the doctrine of Christ's atonement.

Reflection and Application

Matthew 26:39 offers profound lessons for believers today:

  1. Honest Prayer in Distress: Jesus models how to approach God with raw honesty about our fears and desires, even when they conflict with what we perceive as God's will. It is permissible to ask for relief from suffering.
  2. Trusting God's Higher Purpose: Ultimately, Jesus' submission teaches us the importance of surrendering our will to God's. Even when God's path for us is difficult or painful, His wisdom and love are perfect. We can trust that His will is always for our ultimate good and His glory.
  3. The Cost of Redemption: This passage powerfully underscores the immense personal cost of our salvation. Jesus willingly faced unimaginable agony and separation from God to provide a way for humanity to be reconciled to the Father, demonstrating the depth of God's love for the world.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 6:38

    For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

  • Philippians 2:8

    And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

  • Matthew 26:42

    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.

  • Luke 22:41

    And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

  • Luke 22:42

    Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

  • John 5:30

    I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

  • Hebrews 5:7

    Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

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