ACC ~ Matthew 26 v38

THE PROCESS OF DEATH IS FEARED

HILARY OF POITIERS: Then he said, “My soul is sad, even to death.” Did he say, My soul is sad because of death? Certainly not. For if death were the reason for his fear, he certainly ought to have said so. But the reason for his fear lies elsewhere. Actually we have no indication, since the reason for what begins in another person may differ from what it is at the end. He had just said before, “You will all fall away this night because of me.” [1] He knew that they would be frightened, that they would run away and deny knowing him. And since blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is forgiven neither here nor in eternity, he feared they might deny that he is God, once they looked upon him beaten and spat upon and crucified. This was the reason that prompted Peter, who, in betraying Christ, denied him in this way: “I do not know the man,” [2] for anything said against the Son of man will be forgiven. Christ is therefore sad even to death. So it is not death itself but the process of death that is feared, for after his death the faith of the believers would be strengthened by the power of the resurrection. ON MATTHEW 31.5. [3]

[1] Mt 26:31.

[2] Mt 26:72.

[3] SC 258:230-32.

KEEP WATCH WITH ME

ORIGEN: “Stay here and keep watch with me.” It is as though Jesus had said, “Although I told the other disciples to ‘sit here while I go and pray’ but brought you three along with me, I don’t want you to come any further, for you are not yet able. So, stay here keeping watch as I keep watch, knowing that the others were commanded to sit over there because they are weaker and need to be protected from this agony. [But] I have brought you who are stronger with me to labor with me in watching and praying. Nevertheless, you remain here, that each one stand firm in the state of his calling, [1] for every grace (however great it may be) has a superior.” What Jesus meant when he said “remain here” is explained by what was said next: “going a little farther, he fell on his face.” Therefore let us remain where Jesus commanded us to remain, as the apostle also admonished: “Everyone should remain in the state in which he was called.” [2] And let us do everything in our power to keep watch with him who “neither slumbers nor sleeps, who keeps Israel.” [3] COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 91. [4]

[1] The physical continuation indicates the spiritual condition. First the more imperfect disciples stop; then Peter, James and John, who are less imperfect. Jesus continues alone.

[2] 1 Cor 7:20.

[3] Ps 121:4 (120:4 LXX).

[4] GCS 38.2:207.

MY SOUL IS VERY SORROWFUL

JEROME: What we said before about Christ’s suffering and what took place before it is also brought out in this chapter. [1] It shows that the Lord, to test the fidelity of the human nature he had taken on, truly felt sorrowful. However, lest the suffering in his soul be overwhelming, he began to feel sorrowful over the events taking place just before his suffering. For it is one thing to feel sorrowful and another thing to begin to feel sorrowful. But he felt sorrowful, not because he feared the suffering that lay ahead and because he had scolded Peter for his timidity but because of the most unfortunate Judas and the falling away of all the apostles and the rejection by the Jewish people and the overturning of woeful Jerusalem. Jonah too became sad when the plant or ivy had withered, unwilling to have his booth disappear. [2] COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 4.26.37. [3]

[1] To explain Jesus’ agitation, Jerome resorts to the medical distinction between pathos (passio, “disease”) and propatheia (propassio, “beginning/anticipation of disease”). Pathos in the moral sense is considered evil, while propatheia signifies the beginning of the agitation, not yet morally wrong because voluntary assent is lacking.

[2] Jon 4:8. The lament of Jonah for the shadow of the ivy plant that withered (Jon 4:6-8), since Jonah is the prefigurement of Christ, prefigures the sorrow of Christ for the contrariness of the Jews, for the weakness of the disciples and for the future destruction of Jerusalem.

[3] CCL 77:253-54.