And he went out, and went as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, Pray, that ye may not fall into temptation. And He Himself departed from them to cast a stone, and kneeling down, prayed, saying: Father, forgive them! Oh, that Thou wouldst be pleased to carry this cup past Me! however, not My will, but Yours be done. And an angel appeared to Him from heaven and strengthened Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Rising from prayer, He came to the disciples, and found them asleep with sorrow, and said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Stand up and pray that you may not fall into temptation. 

After supper, the Lord does not indulge in inactivity, pleasure and sleep, but teaches and prays, giving us an example and an example for this. Woe, therefore, to those who, after supper, turn to shameful acts of fornication. Having taught this to His disciples, the Lord ascends to the Mount of Olives to pray. He liked to do this in private, so he was also separated from his students. However, He takes with Him His disciples, but not all of them, but only those three who saw His glory on the mountain (Luke 9:28). Since He is in agony and prays, so that this does not seem to be a sign of fear, He takes those who themselves have seen His divine glory and have themselves heard the testimony from heaven, so that, seeing Him in agony, they consider it a matter of human nature. For in order to assure that He was truly a Man, He allowed this nature to act in His own way. As a Man, He desires to live and prays for the passing of the Chalice, for man loves life; and through this He overthrows the heresies, according to which He became incarnate illusory. For if even after such actions (of human nature) they found occasion to talk idly in this way, what would they not have said if these actions had not taken place? Thus, the desire that the chalice should be carried past belongs to human nature, and soon afterwards the words "Not My will, but Thine be done" show that we too must have the same disposition and also be wise, submit to the will of God and not deviate, even if our nature draws us in the opposite direction. "Not My" human "will, but Yours be done", and this Yours is not separated from My Divine will. The one Christ, having two natures, undoubtedly had the will or desires of each nature, divine and human. Thus, human nature first desired to live, for this is inherent in it, and then, following the Divine will that all people should be saved, the will common to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, decided to die, and thus there was only one desire – saving death. That the prayer was from human nature, which had a common predilection for life, and not from the Divinity, as the accursed Arians say, is evident from the fact that Jesus was in sweat and in such agony that, as the proverb says, drops of blood fell from Him. For those who work hard are usually said to sweat blood, just as those who mourn bitterly are said to weep blood. This, wishing to show, namely, that it was not some thin liquid that flowed from Him, as if for appearances, but large drops of sweat fell, the Evangelist used drops of blood to depict reality. From this it is evident that the nature that exuded sweat and was in agony was human, and not divine. For human nature was allowed to experience such states, and it experienced it in order to show, on the one hand, that He was not a ghostly man, and on the other hand, a hidden goal, in order to heal the timidity common to human nature, exhausting it in Himself and subordinating it to the will of God. - Some may say that sweat coming out of the body and falling to the ground means that, with the encouragement and strengthening of our nature in Christ, the sources of timidity in us evaporate, turn into drops and fall from us. For if He had not had this in mind, that is, the desire to cure our human timidity, He would not have sweated so much, even though He had been very fearful and faint-hearted. "And an angel appeared unto him from heaven, and strengthened him." And this is for our consolation, namely, that we may know the strengthening power of prayer and, having learned, turn to it in case of misfortune. At the same time, the prophecy of Moses, said in the great song, is fulfilled: "And let all the sons of God be strong" (Deuteronomy 32:43). And some interpreted these words in such a way that an angel appeared to Him, glorified Him, and said, "Thy strength, O Lord! For Thou hast overcome death and hell, and hast set the human race free. This is so, - He, finding the disciples asleep, reprimands them and at the same time exhorts them to pray in temptations, so as not to be overcome by them. For not to fall into temptation is not to be swallowed up by temptation, not to fall under its power. Or simply commands us to pray that our possessions may be safe and that we may not be subjected to any trouble. For to plunge oneself into temptation is to be bold and proud. How then does James (1:2) say: "Receive with great joy when you fall into various temptations"? What is this, do we not contradict ourselves? No, for James did not say, "Cast yourselves down," but when you are subjected to it, do not lose heart, but have all joy, and make the involuntary things free. For it would be better if temptations did not come, but when they did, why grieve madly? "Would you show me a place in the Scriptures where I would literally be commanded to pray in order to fall into temptations?" But you can't point it out. - I know that there are two kinds of temptation, and that some people have the duty to pray for not falling into temptation, they mean the temptation that conquers the soul, for example, the temptation of fornication, the temptation of anger. And we must have any joy when we are subjected to bodily illnesses and temptations. For to the extent that the outer man decays, to that extent the inner man is renewed (2 Corinthians 4:16). Though I know this, I prefer that which is truer, and which is nearer to the real goal.

     While He was still saying these things, the multitude appeared, and one of the twelve, called Judas, went ahead of him, and he came up to Jesus to kiss Him. For he gave them such a sign: Whom I kiss, He is. And Jesus said to him, "Judas! Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss? And those who were with Him, seeing what was going on, said to Him, "Lord! shall we not strike with the sword? And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. Then Jesus said, "Leave it, it is enough." And touching his ear, he healed him. And to the chief priests, and to the rulers of the temple, and to the elders who were gathered against him, Jesus said, "As if you had come out against a thief with swords and stakes to take me?" Every day I was with you in the temple, and you did not lift up your hands against Me, but now is your time and the power of darkness. 

Judas made a sign to those who were coming against Jesus, but so that they would not be mistaken because of the night, he did not point them out from afar. - In order that Jesus may not hide, for this reason they come with lanterns and lamps. - What about the Lord? He admits to Himself with this enemy kiss. And thunderbolts did not wake up in the ungrateful and treacherous! Thus, the Savior teaches us to be gentle in such circumstances. He reproachfully says only: "Judas! Are you not ashamed of the very sight of betrayal? Why do you mix betrayal with a friendly kiss, an enemy affair? And who are you betraying? "The Son of Man," that is, humble, meek, forgiving, incarnate for your sake, and the true God at that. He says this because until recently he burned with love for him. Therefore, I did not offend him, did not call him inhuman and extremely ungrateful, but called him by his own name: "Judas." And he would not have reproached him, if this did not serve to improve him, if he wished. For He did this, and apparently rebuked Him, so that Judas would not think that He would hide Himself, but that, at least now, recognizing Him as Lord, as the Omniscient, he would fall down before Him and repent. The Lord knew that Judas was incorrigible, yet He did His own, just as His Father did in the Old Testament; He knew that the Jews would not listen, but he sent prophets. And at the same time He teaches us this, namely, that we should not be offended in correcting those who fall. - The disciples are inflamed with jealousy and draw their swords. Where did they get them from? It was natural for them to have them, since they had slaughtered the lamb and left the table. But the ardent Peter is reproached because he used jealousy contrary to the Lord's intention. While the others ask whether we should not strike, he does not expect approval (how ardent he was everywhere for the Master!), but strikes the servant of the high priest and cuts off his right ear. This was not done by chance, but as a sign that the chief priests of that time had all become slaves and had lost their correct hearing. For if they had listened to Moses, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (John 5:46). Jesus puts his ear up; for it is fitting for the great power of the Word to heal the disobedient, and to give them an ear to hear. Jesus performs a miracle in order to show His gentleness by this visible miracle above His ear and, at least, by a miracle, to make them think to refrain from rage. - Speaks to the chief priests and the "rulers" of the temple, that is, to the administrators appointed to meet the demands of the priests; or he calls the leaders those to whom the construction and decoration of the temple were entrusted. He said to them, "I taught every day in the temple, and you would not take me, but now you have come as against a thief." However, you are truly undertaking the affairs of the night, and your power is the power of darkness. Therefore, you have definitely chosen a time that is appropriate for both you and the business you are undertaking.

     Взяв Его, повели и привели в дом первосвященника. Петр же следовал издали. Когда они развели огонь среди двора и сели вместе, сел и Петр между ними. Одна служанка, увидев его сидящего у огня и всмотревшись в него, сказала: и этот был с Ним. Но он отрекся от Него, сказав женщине: я не знаю Его. Вскоре потом другой, увидев его, сказал: и ты из них. Но Петр сказал этому человеку: нет! Прошло с час времени, еще некто настоятельно говорил: точно и этот был с Ним, ибо он Галилеянин. Но Петр сказал тому человеку: не знаю, что ты говоришь. И тотчас, когда еще говорил он, запел петух. Тогда Господь, обратившись, взглянул на Петра, и Петр вспомнил слово Господа, как Он сказал ему: прежде нежели пропоет петух, отречешься от Меня трижды. И, выйдя вон, горько заплакал. 

Петр, по предсказанию Христову, оказался слаб и отрекся от Владыки Христа не однажды, а трижды, и отрекся с клятвой, ибо Матфей говорит: "Тогда он начал клясться и божиться, что не знает Сего Человека" (Мф. 26, 74). Может быть, им овладела такая робость, и он на некоторое время оставлен был за его дерзновение, как бы в научение, чтоб он и к прочим был снисходителен. Ибо он был очень дерзновенен, и если бы не уцеломудрился этим обстоятельством, то во многом поступал бы самовластно и без снисхождения. Но тогда он впал в такой ужас, что не почувствовал бы и падения, если бы Господь, обратясь, не взглянул на него. О благость! Сам находится под осуждением, а заботится о спасении ученика. И справедливо. Ибо самое осуждение Он переносил для спасения человеческого. - Сначала ученик отрекся, потом петух запел. Тот снова отрекся, даже до трех раз, и петух опять запел в другой раз. Так точно и подробно описывает Марк (гл. 14) и передает это как узнавший от Петра, ибо он был его учеником. А Лука, поскольку о сем сказано у Марка, сказал кратко, не входя в подробности. И слова Луки не противоречат тому, что сказал Марк. Ибо петух имеет обычай и за каждый прием петь раза два или три. Итак, Петр был приведен человеческой немощью в такое забвение, что не пришел в чувство и от пения петуха, но и после того, как петух пропел, снова отрекся, и еще раз, доколе благостный взгляд Иисуса не привел его в память. - "И, выйдя вон, горько заплакал". Марк говорит, что Петр вышел и после первого отречения (Мк. 14, 68). Потом естественно было ему снова войти, чтобы не подать большего подозрения, что он был Иисусов. Когда же снова пришел в чувство, тогда уже выходит и горько плачет. А чтобы не быть замеченным от находившихся во дворе, выходит тайно от них. - Некоторые, не знаю почему, слагают безумную защиту в пользу Петра, дерзко говоря, что Петр не отрекся, но сказал: я не знаю Сего "человека", то есть знаю не как простого человека, но как Бога, сделавшегося Человеком. Этот безумный довод оставим другим. Ибо они Господа представляют лживым, противоречат связи евангельской речи и никак не смогут согласить порядок повествования. Да и о чем Петру плакать, если он не отрекся?

     Люди, державшие Иисуса, ругались над Ним и били Его; и, закрыв Его, ударяли Его по лицу и спрашивали Его: прореки, кто ударил Тебя? И много иных хулений произносили против Него. И как настал день, собрались старейшины народа, первосвященники и книжники, и ввели Его в свой синедрион и сказали: Ты ли Христос? скажи нам. Он сказал им; если скажу вам, вы не поверите; если же и спрошу вас, не будете отвечать Мне и не отпустите Меня, отныне Сын Человеческий воссядет одесную силы Божией. И сказали все: итак, Ты Сын Божий? Он отвечал им: вы говорите, что Я. Они же сказали: какое еще нужно нам свидетельство? ибо мы сами слышали из уст Его.