After all the disciples had declared they were loyal to the death, Jesus took his inner circle of Peter, James, and John to a more secluded area of the Mount of Olives called Gethsemane and told them he was “very sorrowful.” The word used here is περιλυπός (peri-lup-os). “Peri” is something that surrounds or encompasses another thing. Hence, “perimeter,” the measure around something. The other part of the word “Lupos” would be better translated as grief. Some translations do render this word as “overwhelmed with grief.” Perhaps this is a distinction that makes no difference but the point is that this was no minor bout of depression Jesus was experiencing. He could have used some support from the people who said they were ready to die for him.
He tells his three closest friends “wait here and watch.” The word used for “watch” here is γπηγοπέω (gre-gor-e-o). This is not strictly a Greek word. It is borrowed from Latin and doesn’t occur in any of the Classical Greek texts. The root is “grex” which is Latin for “flock.” “Gregarius” then meant “of the flock.” A “miles gregalis” was the lowest rank in the army, a private. The uniform he wore was a “sagulum gregale.” The name Gregory was probably a slave’s name as Greeks and Romans tended to name slaves according to their occupation. Gregory is one who watches. Ophelia is one who is helpful, etc.
Privates in the army and slaves ordered to stand guard over the master’s property had a lot of incentive not to be lax in their job back in those days but the disciples didn’t take the order from Jesus very seriously. Less than an hour later he comes back and finds them asleep. So he says to Peter, the guy who is ready to be tied up and killed for him, “Are you not strong enough to stand guard for an hour?” Then he advises all three, “Watch and pray so that y’all do not enter into a test. (trial or temptation).”
But they don’t.
Later he comes back and says, “Sleep (through) the rest (of this) and take (your) ease. It is enough.” This is forgiveness for failure at its best. When he needed them most, they weren’t there, but he said they’d done enough anyway.
Today’s Christians have in effect been left behind by Jesus with the same instructions. “Wait here and watch.” “Watch and pray so you don’t suffer testing.” And for the most part we end up sleeping through the whole thing. It takes some deep and awful trouble to get me to pray continuously for an hour. While I’m taking my ease I rarely think about being watchful and praying.
Somebody told me a story once about a man who wanted to learn to pray. He went to a monastery and asked for the monk who was the most effective in prayer. It was already evening and the monk was asleep when he arrived but the abbot let the man stay in prayerful monk’s cell that night. First thing in the morning he heard the monk say, “Good morning, God.” When the monk noticed him the man told him why he had come. The monk smiled and nodded. He invited the man to follow him that day while he tended the garden and did other chores. At any moment the man expected the monk would begin saying some profound prayer. All day long people came up to the monk and asked him to pray for one thing or another. He would agree to do so and go on about his business. Finally after they had eaten supper and gone back to the cell the man thought, “This is it. Now I’m going to find out the secret of effective prayer.”
But the monk just said, “Goodnight, God” and blew out the candle.
If you don’t understand this story, my explanation won’t help. But one of these days I hope to be like that monk.
