The Meaning of Matthew 26:38 Explained

Matthew 26:38

KJV: Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

YLT: then saith he to them, 'Exceedingly sorrowful is my soul -- unto death; abide ye here, and watch with me.'

Darby: Then he says to them, My soul is very sorrowful even unto death; remain here and watch with me.

ASV: Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  saith he  unto them,  My  soul  is  exceeding sorrowful,  even unto  death:  tarry ye  here,  and  watch  with  me. 

What does Matthew 26:38 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The soul here (Gr. psyche) represents the whole person. Jesus meant that He felt sorrow so deeply that it seemed it would almost kill Him. [1] He did not mean that He was so sad He wished He were dead. Jesus" words recall the refrain of Psalm 42:5; Psalm 42:11; Psalm 43:5, which He probably had in mind. He shared these feeling with the chosen three disciples to encourage them to watch and pray with Him.

Context Summary

Matthew 26:36-46 - The Hour When The Flesh Was Weak
In human life there is a close connection between our hymns and our olive-presses. We pass from the supper to the garden, from the emblems to the reality. But not all can enter into the fellowship of our Lord's unknown sufferings. Paul longed to do this that he might realize also the power of His resurrection, Philippians 3:10. Our Lord longs for the sympathy which will keep awake for love of Him, though it may not understand all that is in His heart!
Notice that though the cup seemed to be mixed and presented by human hands, our Lord refused to see in it these alone, but went behind them to the permissive will of God the Father. It is this thought that extracts bitterness from the bitterest cup. In the same sentence Jesus bade the disciples sleep on and arise. It was as though He knew and felt that though the past had gone beyond recall, yet further opportunities and testings were awaiting them and Him. These they would encounter and share in company. He is always saying to us, however unworthy-Let us be going. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 26

1  Jesus foretells his own death
3  The rulers conspire against him
6  The woman anoints his feet
14  Judas bargains to betray him
17  Jesus eats the Passover;
26  institutes his holy supper;
30  foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36  prays in the garden;
47  and being betrayed by a kiss,
57  is carried to Caiaphas,
69  and denied by Peter

Greek Commentary for Matthew 26:38

Watch with me [γρηγορειτε μετ εμου]
This late present from the perfect εγρηγορα — egrēgora means to keep awake and not go to sleep. The hour was late and the strain had been severe, but Jesus pleaded for a bit of human sympathy as he wrestled with his Father. It did not seem too much to ask. He had put his sorrow in strong language, “even unto death” (εως τανατου — heōs thanatou) that ought to have alarmed them. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 26:38

Matthew 26:40 What [ουτως]
The Greek adverb is not interrogation or exclamatory τι — ti but only “so” or “thus.” There is a tone of sad disappointment at the discovery that they were asleep after the earnest plea that they keep awake (Matthew 26:38). “Did you not thus have strength enough to keep awake one hour?” Every word struck home. [source]
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray [γρηγορειτε και προσευχεστε]
Jesus repeats the command of Matthew 26:38 with the addition of prayer and with the warning against the peril of temptation. He himself was feeling the worst of all temptations of his earthly life just then. He did not wish then to enter such temptation Thus we are to understand the prayer in Matthew 6:13 about leading (being led) into temptation. Their failure was due to weakness of the flesh as is often the case. [source]
John 13:18 He that eateth [πληροω]
Present active participle of old verb to gnaw, to chew, to eat, in N.T. only in John (John 6:54, John 6:56, John 6:57, John 6:58; John 13:18) and Matthew 26:38. lxx has here ο τρωγων — ho esthiōn Lifted up his heel against me First aorist active indicative of επηρεν επ εμε την πτερναν αυτου — epairō επαιρω — Pterna old word for heel, only here in N.T. The metaphor is that of kicking with the heel or tripping with the heel like a wrestler. It was a gross breach of hospitality to eat bread with any one and then turn against him so. The Arabs hold to it yet. [source]
John 13:18 That the scripture might be fulfilled [Τατ τε σχριπτυρε μιγτ βε φυλφιλλεδ]
See the same clause in John 17:12. Purpose clause with αλλ ινα η γραπη πληρωτηι — hina and first aorist passive subjunctive of ινα — plēroō This treachery of Judas was according to the eternal counsels of God (John 12:4), but none the less Judas is responsible for his guilt. For a like elliptical clause see John 9:3; John 15:25. The quotation is from the Hebrew of Psalm 41:9. He that eateth Present active participle of old verb to gnaw, to chew, to eat, in N.T. only in John (John 6:54, John 6:56, John 6:57, John 6:58; John 13:18) and Matthew 26:38. lxx has here ο τρωγων — ho esthiōn Lifted up his heel against me First aorist active indicative of επηρεν επ εμε την πτερναν αυτου — epairō επαιρω — Pterna old word for heel, only here in N.T. The metaphor is that of kicking with the heel or tripping with the heel like a wrestler. It was a gross breach of hospitality to eat bread with any one and then turn against him so. The Arabs hold to it yet. [source]
Romans 8:4 The Spirit [πνεῦμα]
From πνέω tobreathe or blow. The primary conception is wind or breath. Breath being the sign and condition of life in man, it comes to signify life. In this sense, physiologically considered, it is frequent in the classics. In the psychological sense, never. In the Old Testament it is ordinarily the translation of ruach It is also used to translate chai life, Isaiah 38:12; nbreath, 1 Kings 17:17. In the New Testament it occurs in the sense of wind or breath, John 3:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Hebrews 1:7. Closely related to the physiological sense are such passages as Luke 8:55; James 2:26; Revelation 13:15. Pauline Usage: 1. Breath, 2 Thessalonians 2:8. 2. The spirit or mind of man; the inward, self-conscious principle which feels and thinks and wills (1 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Corinthians 5:3; 1 Corinthians 7:34; Colossians 2:5). In this sense it is distinguished from σῶμα bodyor accompanied with a personal pronoun in the genitive, as my, our, his spirit (Romans 1:9; Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 5:4; 1 Corinthians 16:18, etc.). It is used as parallel with ψυχή souland καρδία heartSee 1 Corinthians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:17; and compare John 13:21and John 12:27; Matthew 26:38and Luke 1:46, Luke 1:47. But while ψυχή soulis represented as the subject of life, πνεύμα spiritrepresents the principle of life, having independent activity in all circumstances of the perceptive and emotional life, and never as the subject. Generally, πνεύμα spiritmay be described as the principle, ψυχή soulas the subject, and καρδία heartas the organ of life. 3. The spiritual nature of Christ. Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Timothy 3:16. 4. The divine power or influence belonging to God, and communicated in Christ to men, in virtue of which they become πνευματικοί spiritual - recipientsand organs of the Spirit. This is Paul's most common use of the word. Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Galatians 4:6; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:8. In this sense it appears as: a. Spirit of God. Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11, Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 1 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 7:40; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Ephesians 3:16. b. Spirit of Christ. Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 4:6; Philemon 1:19. c. Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Ephesians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:8, etc. d. Spirit. With or without the article, but with its reference to the Spirit of God or Holy Spirit indicated by the context. Romans 8:16, Romans 8:23, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:8, 1 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, etc. 5. A power or influence, the character, manifestations, or results of which are more peculiarly defined by qualifying genitives. Thus spirit of meekness, faith, power, wisdom. Romans 8:2, Romans 8:15; 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 1:17; 2 Timothy 1:7, etc. These combinations with the genitives are not mere periphrases for a faculty or disposition of man. By the spirit of meekness or wisdom, for instance, is not meant merely a meek or wise spirit; but that meekness, wisdom, power, etc., are gifts of the Spirit of God. This usage is according to Old Testament analogy. Compare Exodus 28:3; Exodus 31:3; Exodus 35:31; Isaiah 11:2. 6. In the plural, used of spiritual gifts or of those who profess to be under spiritual influence, 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 14:12. 7. Powers or influences alien or averse from the divine Spirit, but with some qualifying word. Thus, the spirit of the world; another spirit; spirit of slumber. Romans 11:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 1:7. Where these expressions are in negative form they are framed after the analogy of the positive counterpart with which they are placed in contrast. Thus Romans 8:15: “Ye have not received the spirit of bondage, but of adoption. In other cases, as Ephesians 2:2, where the expression is positive, the conception is shaped according to Old-Testament usage, where spirits of evil are conceived as issuing from, and dependent upon, God, so far as He permits their operation and makes them subservient to His own ends. See Judges 9:23; 1 Samuel 16:14-16, 1 Samuel 16:23; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Kings 22:21sqq.; Isaiah 19:4. Spirit is found contrasted with letter, Romans 2:29; Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6. With flesh, Romans 8:1-13; Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:24. It is frequently associated with the idea of power (Romans 1:4; Romans 15:13, Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 2:4; Galatians 3:5; Ephesians 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:7); and the verb ἐνεργεῖν , denoting to work efficaciously, is used to mark its special operation (1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 3:20; Philemon 2:13; Colossians 1:29). It is also closely associated with life, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6, Romans 8:11, Romans 8:13; 1 Corinthians 15:4, 1 Corinthians 15:5; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Galatians 5:25; Galatians 6:8. It is the common possession of the Church and its members; not an occasional gift, but an essential element and mark of the christian life; not appearing merely or mainly in exceptional, marvelous, ecstatic demonstrations, but as the motive and mainspring of all christian action and feeling. It reveals itself in confession (1 Corinthians 12:3); in the consciousness of sonship (Romans 8:16); in the knowledge of the love of God (Romans 5:5); in the peace and joy of faith (Romans 14:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6); in hope (Galatians 5:16-25; Romans 15:13). It leads believers (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18): they serve in newness of the Spirit (Romans 7:6) They walk after the Spirit (Romans 8:4, Romans 8:5; Romans 5:5). Through the Spirit they are sanctified (2 Thessalonians 2:13). It manifests itself in the diversity of forms and operations, appearing under two main aspects: a difference of gifts, and a difference of functions. See Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:3, Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 4:30; Philemon 2:1; [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 26:38 mean?

Then He says to them Very sorrowful is the soul of Me even to death remain here and watch with Me
τότε λέγει αὐτοῖς Περίλυπός ἐστιν ψυχή μου ἕως θανάτου μείνατε ὧδε καὶ γρηγορεῖτε μετ’ ἐμοῦ

λέγει  He  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Περίλυπός  Very  sorrowful 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: περίλυπος  
Sense: very sad, exceedingly sorrowful.
ψυχή  soul 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ψυχή  
Sense: breath.
μου  of  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἕως  even  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἕως  
Sense: till, until.
θανάτου  death 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θάνατος 
Sense: the death of the body.
μείνατε  remain 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: μένω  
Sense: to remain, abide.
ὧδε  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὧδε  
Sense: here, to this place, etc.
γρηγορεῖτε  watch 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: γρηγορέω  
Sense: to watch.
ἐμοῦ  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.