Luke 22:45
in Luke 22When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when he rose up from his prayer, he came unto the disciples, and found them sleeping for sorrow,
KJV
And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
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This verse in Luke 22
Commentary
9 notes on this verseWhen he rose from prayer, he found them sleeping, unconcerned in his sorrows; but see what a favourable construction is here put upon it, which we had not in the other evangelists--they were sleeping for sorrow.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(de Con. Ev. lib. iii. c. 4.) Now Luke has not stated after which prayer He came to His disciples, still in nothing does he disagree with Matthew and Mark.
For it was midnight, and the disciples' eyes were heavy from grief, and their sleep was not that of drowsiness but sorrow.
The Medieval Church3 voices
To make known unto us the power of prayer that we may exercise it in adversity, our Lord when praying is comforted by an Angel. (Matt. 4:11.) But some say that the Angel appeared, glorifying Him, saying, O Lord, Thine is the power, for Thou art able to vanquish death, and to deliver weak mankind. Now that the preceding prayer was of His human nature, not His divine, as the Arians say, is argued from what is said of His sweat, which follows, And his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Or this is proverbially said of one who has sweated intensely, that He sweated blood; the Evangelist then wishing to show that He was moistened with large drops of sweat, takes drops of blood for an example. But afterwards finding His disciples asleep for sorrow, He upbraids them, at the same time reminding them to pray; for it follows, And when he rose from prayer and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping. That is, that they should not be overcome by temptation, for not to be led into temptation is not to be overwhelmed by it. Or He simply bids us pray that our life may be quiet, and we be not cast into trouble of any kind. For it is of the devil and presumptuous, for a man to throw himself into temptation. Therefore James said not, "Cast yourselves into temptation," but, When ye are fallen, count it all joy, (Jam. 1:2.) making a voluntary act out of an involuntary.
And when He rose from prayer and came to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. And He said to them: Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation. That is, lest the cup of my passion fall on you. …
Seventh, as to the circumspection of prayer, he adds: And when he had risen from prayer and had come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. For he so prayed to God that he nevertheless did not forget his sheep; indeed, he interrupted …
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when he rose from prayer,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The verses before us contain Luke's account of our Lord's agony in the garden. It is a passage of Scripture which we should always approach with particular reverence. The history which it records is one of the "deep things of God." While we read it, the words of Exodus should come across our minds, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals — for you are standing on holy ground." (Exodus 3:5.) We see, firstly, in this passage — an example of what believers ought to do in time of trouble.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The verses before us contain Luke's account of our Lord's agony in the garden. It is a passage of Scripture which we should always approach with particular reverence. The history which it records is one of the "deep things of God." While we read it, the words of Exodus should come across our minds, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals — for you are standing on holy ground." (Exodus 3:5.) We see, firstly, in this passage — an example of what believers ought to do in time of trouble. The great Head of the Church Himself supplies the pattern . We are told that when He came to the Mount of Olives, the night before He was crucified, "He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed." It is a striking fact, that both the Old and New Testaments give one and the same remedy for bearing trouble. What does the book of Psalms say? "Call upon Me in the time of trouble — and I will deliver you." (Psalm 50:15.) What does the apostle James say? "Are any of your afflicted? Let him pray." (James 5:13.) Prayer is the remedy which Jacob used — when he feared his brother Esau. Prayer is the remedy which Job used — when property and children were suddenly taken from him. Prayer is the remedy which Hezekiah used — when Sennacherib's threatening letter arrived. And prayer is the remedy which the Son of God Himself was not ashamed to use in the days of His flesh. In the hour of His mysterious agony, He "prayed." If we want comfort in affliction — then let us take care that we use our Master's remedy. Whatever other means of relief we use — let us pray. The first Friend we should turn to — ought to be God. The first message we should send — ought to be to the throne of grace. No depression of spirits must prevent us. No crushing weight of sorrow, must make us speechless.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀναστὰς | anastas | having risen up | G450 → | 107 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προσευχῆς, | proseuches | prayer, | G4335 → | 35 times |
| ἐλθὼν | elthon | having come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαθητὰς | mathetas | disciples | G3101 → | 260 times |
| εὗρεν | heuren | He found | G2147 → | 175 times |
| κοιμωμένους | koimomenous | sleeping | G2837 → | |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λύπης | lupes | grief | G3077 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀναστὰςhaving risen up
anastasG450 →107 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
προσευχῆς,prayer,
proseuchesG4335 →35 times
ἐλθὼνhaving come
elthonG2064 →628 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
μαθητὰςdisciples
mathetasG3101 →260 times
εὗρενHe found
heurenG2147 →175 times
κοιμωμένουςsleeping
koimomenousG2837 →
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
λύπηςgrief
lupesG3077 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 26:40Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.
it leads to
- Luke 9:32
Meanwhile Peter and his companions were overcome by sleep, but when they awoke, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with Him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 14:37
Then Jesus returned and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you asleep?” He asked. “Were you not able to keep watch for one hour?
- Matthew 26:43
And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping—for their eyes were heavy.
- Matthew 26:38
Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”
- Luke 9:32
Through
Mark 14:37Then Jesus returned and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you asleep?” He asked. “Were you not able to keep watch for one hour?
it leads to
- Matthew 26:40
Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.
- Hebrews 12:3
Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
- Mark 14:29–31
Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I never will.”
- Matthew 25:5
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
- Matthew 26:40
Where this verse is studied
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Studies12
On this verse
About Luke
This page draws on Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 22; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.