Matthew 26:44

KJV

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} he left {G863} them {G846}, and went away {G565} again {G3825}, and prayed {G4336}{G1537} the third time {G5154}, saying {G2036} the same {G846} words {G3056}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Leaving them again, he went off and prayed a third time, saying the same words.

Berean Standard Bible

So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.

American Standard Version

And he left them again, and went away, and prayed a third time, saying again the same words.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 26:44 captures a profoundly intimate and agonizing moment in the Garden of Gethsemane, just hours before Jesus' arrest and crucifixion. This verse highlights Jesus' third return to earnest prayer, reiterating His plea to the Father, even as His closest disciples succumbed to sleep. It powerfully underscores His unwavering commitment to divine communion and His ultimate, resolute submission to God's sovereign will, despite the immense human anguish He experienced.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Matthew 26:44 is nestled within the intensely dramatic narrative of Jesus' passion in the Garden of Gethsemane, following the Last Supper and prior to His betrayal and arrest. Jesus has specifically taken Peter, James, and John deeper into the garden, asking them to "remain here and watch with me" ([Matthew 26:38](/matthew/26-38 "Matthew 26:38 - Jesus' Anguish in Gethsemane")). This verse marks the third instance of Jesus withdrawing to pray alone, each time returning to find His disciples asleep, a poignant contrast to His own spiritual struggle and their human weakness. The repetition of His prayer and the disciples' inability to stay awake amplify the gravity of the moment and the isolation Jesus felt as He confronted the weight of humanity's sin and the impending cross.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Garden of Gethsemane, located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, was a familiar place for Jesus and His disciples, often used for prayer and quiet reflection. The timing is during the Passover week, a period of immense religious significance and heightened tension in Jerusalem. Jewish prayer customs often involved earnest, sometimes repetitive, supplication, and the act of prostrating oneself (as Jesus did in [Matthew 26:39](/matthew/26-39 "Matthew 26:39 - Jesus Prays in Gethsemane")) signified deep humility and intense petition. The disciples' inability to stay awake, despite the critical nature of the hour, can be understood in part due to the late hour and emotional exhaustion, but it also reflects a spiritual unpreparedness that Jesus addresses in [Matthew 26:41](/matthew/26-41 "Matthew 26:41 - Watch and Pray").
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Matthew's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. It powerfully illustrates **Perseverance in Prayer**, showcasing Jesus' unwavering commitment to communion with the Father even in the face of overwhelming distress and the anticipation of immense suffering. It highlights **Submission to God's Will**, as Jesus, despite His human desire for the "cup" to pass ([Matthew 26:39](/matthew/26-39 "Matthew 26:39 - Jesus' Prayer for the Cup to Pass")), ultimately yields to the divine plan, echoing the call for God's will to be done found in [the Lord's Prayer](/matthew/6-10 "Matthew 6:10 - Thy Will Be Done"). Furthermore, it emphasizes the profound **Humanity of Christ**, revealing His genuine agony, sorrow, and fear, yet also His perfect reliance on the Father's strength to fulfill His redemptive mission.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **prayed (Greek, _proseúchomai'_):** From G4336, meaning "to pray to God, i.e. supplicate, worship." This word signifies a deliberate and earnest act of communion with God, not a casual or perfunctory utterance. In the context of Gethsemane, it underscores the intensity and depth of Jesus' spiritual struggle and His direct appeal to the Father for strength and alignment with divine will.
* **third time (Greek, _trítos'_):** From G5154, meaning "third; neuter (as noun) a third part, or (as adverb) a (or the) third time, thirdly." The repetition "the third time" is highly significant, emphasizing the persistence and unwavering focus of Jesus' prayer. It highlights His profound earnestness and the prolonged nature of His spiritual battle, demonstrating a pattern of returning to the Father in deep distress.
* **words (Greek, _lógos'_):** From G3056, meaning "something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive." Here, "the same words" indicates that the essence and content of Jesus' prayer remained consistent across His repeated supplications. This consistency points to the singular, overwhelming concern of His heart—His impending suffering and His desire for the Father's will to be done—rather than a shifting or wandering focus.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And he left them,"**: This phrase emphasizes Jesus' deliberate act of separating Himself from the sleeping disciples, highlighting His increasing isolation as He approaches the apex of His suffering. It underscores the contrast between His intense spiritual engagement and their physical and spiritual slumber.
* **"and went away again,"**: The adverb "again" (G3825, _pálin'_) reinforces the repetitive nature of Jesus' withdrawal for prayer. This is the third instance, indicating a persistent, almost ritualistic, return to private communion with the Father, driven by the profound agony of His soul.
* **"and prayed the third time,"**: This clause explicitly states the number of times Jesus has engaged in this profound, solitary prayer. The threefold repetition signifies not a lack of faith, but an intense, earnest, and prolonged wrestling in prayer, demonstrating the depth of His humanity and His perfect reliance on divine strength.
* **"saying the same words."**: This crucial detail reveals the consistent nature of Jesus' petition. While the exact wording might have varied slightly in expression, the core request and submission to the Father's will remained unchanged, indicating a fixed and unwavering focus on the divine plan despite His human anguish.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices. **Repetition** is central, with Jesus praying "the third time, saying the same words." This threefold pattern intensifies the dramatic tension and emphasizes the depth of Jesus' agony and the earnestness of His supplication. It also serves as a stark **Contrast** to the disciples' repeated inability to stay awake, highlighting their spiritual weakness against Jesus' spiritual strength and unwavering resolve. Furthermore, the scene carries a strong element of **Foreshadowing**, as Jesus' ultimate submission in Gethsemane prepares the reader for His complete obedience on the cross, where His suffering culminates in the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. The very consistency of His "same words" underscores the unshakeable nature of His commitment to the Father's will, even unto death.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 26:44 offers a profound theological insight into the nature of Christ's perfect obedience and His reliance on the Father, even in the face of unimaginable suffering. It reveals that true submission to God's will is not passive resignation but an active, persistent, and often agonizing wrestling in prayer until one's human desires align perfectly with the divine purpose. Jesus' repeated prayer, culminating in His resolute acceptance, demonstrates that the path to fulfilling God's will often involves intense spiritual struggle and a deep, sustained communion with Him. This moment in Gethsemane is a powerful testament to the reality of Jesus' humanity and the depth of His trust in the Father, even as He prepared to bear the sin of the world.

* [Luke 22:42](/luke/22-42 "Luke 22:42 - Jesus' Prayer of Submission")
* [Hebrews 5:7-8](/hebrews/5-7-8 "Hebrews 5:7-8 - Christ's Prayers and Obedience")
* [Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Obedience to Death")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 26:44 serves as a profound model for believers facing their own trials and temptations. Jesus' example teaches us the indispensable value of persistent and earnest prayer, especially when our souls are overwhelmed with sorrow or fear. He did not pray once and give up; He returned to the Father again and again, demonstrating that true spiritual battle requires unwavering commitment to communion with God. This verse challenges us to bring our deepest anxieties and most difficult decisions before God, not just once, but with sustained and heartfelt petition, trusting that He hears and provides strength. Moreover, it underscores the importance of aligning our will with God's, even when His path seems arduous or contrary to our immediate desires. Just as Jesus found the strength to embrace the cross through prayer, we too can find divine grace and fortitude to walk in obedience, trusting in God's perfect plan and His unwavering love for us.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you called to pray with greater persistence, even when answers are not immediately apparent?**
* **How does Jesus' example of submitting His will to the Father's challenge your own approach to difficult circumstances or decisions?**
* **What does Jesus' reliance on prayer in His moment of deepest agony teach you about finding strength in your own weakness?**

### FAQ
**Why did Jesus pray the "same words" three times? Was it a sign of weakness or a lack of faith?**

Answer: Jesus praying the "same words" three times was not a sign of weakness or lack of faith, but rather an indication of the intense spiritual and emotional agony He was experiencing and the profound earnestness of His prayer. The repetition emphasizes the depth of His struggle and His unwavering focus on the core petition: that if it were possible, the "cup" of suffering might pass from Him, yet ultimately, His Father's will be done ([Matthew 26:39](/matthew/26-39 "Matthew 26:39 - Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane")). This persistence demonstrates His perfect humanity—He genuinely wrestled with the impending suffering—and His perfect obedience, as He consistently brought His will into alignment with the divine plan. It highlights His perseverance in prayer, a model for believers to continue seeking God's will even when the path is difficult.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 26:44, with Jesus' persistent prayer and ultimate submission in Gethsemane, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in His perfect obedience that led directly to the cross. This moment reveals Jesus as the quintessential obedient Son, whose human will, though experiencing profound agony, perfectly aligned with the Father's redemptive plan. His "same words" of submission foreshadow His ultimate cry of "It is finished!" on the cross ([John 19:30](/john/19-30 "John 19:30 - Jesus' Final Words")), signifying the completion of the very work He prayed to accomplish. Gethsemane is where the battle for our salvation was spiritually won through His resolute "not my will, but yours be done," paving the way for His atoning sacrifice. As our Great High Priest, Jesus experienced the full weight of human temptation and suffering, yet remained sinless, enabling Him to sympathize with our weaknesses ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Christ Our High Priest")). His Gethsemane prayer, therefore, is not merely an example of perseverance, but a critical step in His journey to become the "author of eternal salvation to all who obey him" ([Hebrews 5:9](/hebrews/5-9 "Hebrews 5:9 - Christ, Author of Salvation")), demonstrating the perfect obedience required for our redemption.

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

2 Corinthians 12:8

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

Luke 18:1

¶ And he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Daniel 9:17

Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.

Daniel 9:19

O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

Matthew 6:7

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.