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Commentaries
English
Matthew
  
11. Pray Lest You Enter into Temptation
(Matthew 26:40-41)
40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Ephesians6:18, Hebrews2:18)


While Christ was agonizing with death and opposing the devil, the disciples were asleep. Even His three closest disciples could not stay awake and watch with Him. They neither supported Christ nor offered their service to the disturbed One for the sake of brotherhood. All the disciples stumbled at this critical moment.
The Lord Jesus gave them a gentle reproof. From His own experience, He affirmed that the flesh of every person is weak, afraid, and not prepared to bear the cross. No one can serve God without the help of the Holy Spirit. Yet victory will be given to everyone who prays constantly, receives the Spirit’s power, becomes strong in faith, and loves his enemies. Take into consideration that our human nature quickly responds to temptation, and read the Holy Bible daily, and listen to good sermons that you may not fall into temptation. Let us not remain in despair, but continue to believe and trust with hope. Ask the living Lord for the gift of praying for yourself and your friends, for your Father awaits your petitions out of love and faith.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are the Son of Man and the Son of God. You learned obedience through your terrible experience and overcame Your own will because You loved Your heavenly Father more than Yourself and submitted to His will. Teach us spiritual obedience that we may not practice our wishes nor carry out our desires, but make every effort to know Your will, and seek Your power to carry it out in our life of faith. Keep us when we are weak.
Question
What is meant by “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”?