Gethsemane
Matthew 26:36-46
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Jesus is troubled by the separation from the Father he is about to endure on the cross, and he prays three times that he might avoid the crucifixion. Nevertheless, he submits to the Father’s will.
Peter, James, and John are the three disciples who were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and the ones who confidently predicted they would stand by him.
“Although Jesus charges them to ‘watch with me,’ they repeatedly fall asleep. The fervency of spirit that James and John manifested when they confidently announced that they were able to drink his cup (Mt 20:22-23), or the determination of Peter when he insisted ‘I will not deny you’ (Mt 26:35), is no match for the weakness of the flesh, unless these disciples, aware of that weakness, direct their resolve not to their own inner resources but to a constant dependence on God in prayer.”
—David Bauer, The Gospel of the Son of God
The same is true for us today: we are much weaker than we think, and so we must be in constant prayer for the Holy Spirit to strengthen us.