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Mark 14:35

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And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

And {G2532} he went forward {G4281} a little {G3397}, and fell {G4098} on {G1909} the ground {G1093}, and {G2532} prayed {G4336} that {G2443}, if {G1487} it were {G2076} possible {G1415}, the hour {G5610} might pass {G3928} from {G575} him {G846}.

Going on a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that if possible, the hour might pass from him:

Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from Him.

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him.

Commentary

Mark 14:35 presents a poignant moment in the life of Jesus, capturing His profound anguish and submission in the Garden of Gethsemane just hours before His crucifixion. The verse depicts Jesus moving away from His disciples for a private, intense time of prayer, falling to the ground in a posture of deep humility and earnest supplication.

Context

This verse is part of the Passion narrative in Mark's Gospel, specifically detailing events immediately following the Last Supper and Jesus' prophecy of Peter's denial. Jesus, having shared the Passover meal with His disciples, leads them to the Garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives. He asks Peter, James, and John to stay awake and pray with Him, but then withdraws even further into solitude for this agonizing prayer. This scene sets the stage for His arrest and the subsequent trials and crucifixion, highlighting the immense spiritual and emotional burden He carried.

Key Themes

  • Jesus' Humanity and Anguish: This scene powerfully underscores the full humanity of Jesus. He is not merely a divine being unaffected by pain, but one who genuinely experiences fear, sorrow, and deep distress. His falling to the ground signifies extreme emotional and physical agony, a raw expression of His dread concerning the suffering to come.
  • The "Hour" of Suffering: Jesus' prayer, "that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him," refers to the imminent, predestined time of His betrayal, arrest, torture, and crucifixion. This "hour" represents the culmination of His earthly mission, the moment He would bear the sins of the world and experience separation from the Father. His prayer reflects a deep, personal struggle with the cup of suffering.
  • Submission to God's Will: While expressing a natural human desire to avoid immense suffering, this prayer implicitly leads to Jesus' ultimate submission to the Father's will, as explicitly stated in the subsequent verse (Mark 14:36). It demonstrates that even in the face of excruciating pain, His primary desire was to fulfill the divine purpose.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "hour" is hōra (ὥρα), which here signifies not just a unit of time, but a specific, decisive, and predestined moment. It carries the weight of destiny and the culmination of God's redemptive plan. Jesus' posture of falling "on the ground" (Greek: epi tēs gēs) indicates a posture of extreme humility, desperation, and total surrender in prayer.

Reflection and Application

Mark 14:35 offers profound lessons for believers. It reveals that even Jesus, fully God and fully man, experienced profound emotional struggle and sought divine intervention in His darkest hour. This gives us permission to bring our deepest fears, anxieties, and desires before God, knowing He understands our human weakness. More importantly, it teaches us the ultimate value of submitting our will to God's, even when His path for us involves suffering or hardship. Jesus' example encourages us to trust that God's plan, though sometimes painful, is always for our ultimate good and His greater glory. When we face our own "hours" of trial, we are called to pray earnestly, yet ultimately yield to the Father's perfect will.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Mark 14:41 (3 votes)

    And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take [your] rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

  • 1 Chronicles 21:15 (2 votes)

    And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

  • 1 Chronicles 21:16 (2 votes)

    And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders [of Israel, who were] clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

  • Acts 10:25 (2 votes)

    And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped [him].

  • Acts 10:26 (2 votes)

    But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

  • Matthew 26:39 (2 votes)

    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].

  • Revelation 5:14 (2 votes)

    And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four [and] twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.