The Agony in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36–46)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 83 (on Matthew 26:36–46) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.LXXIX.html

On "Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder":

Because they clung to Him inseparably, therefore He saith, "Tarry ye here, while I go away and pray." For it was usual with Him to pray apart from them. And this He did teaching us in our prayers, to prepare silence for ourselves and great retirement.

On why the sweat and the angel are set down, that no one might call the agony feigned:

And He prays with earnestness, in order that the thing might not seem to be acting. And sweats flow over him for the same cause again, even that the heretics might not say this, that He acts the agony. Therefore there is a sweat like drops of blood, and an angel appeared strengthening Him, and a thousand sure signs of fear, lest any one should affirm the words to be feigned.

On "not as I will, but as thou wilt":

By saying then, "If it be possible, let it pass from me," He showed His humanity; but by saying, "Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt," He showed His virtue and self-command, teaching us even when nature pulls us back, to follow God.

On the many proofs of the incarnation gathered here:

See by how many things He shows the reality of the incarnation: by what He speaks, by what He suffers.

St. John of Damascus (c. 676–749)

The Orthodox Faith, Book III (on Matthew 26:38–39) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvi.html

On the natural fear by which the soul shrinks from death, which He endured voluntarily:

Hence in the season of His Passion which He endured voluntarily, He had the natural fear and sorrow for death. For there is a natural fear wherewith the soul shrinks from separation from the body, by reason of that close sympathy implanted from the first by the Maker of all things.

On the passions being in Christ both by nature and beyond nature, never of compulsion:

Wherefore the passions of our nature were in Christ both by nature and beyond nature. By nature, because He left His flesh to suffer the things incidental to it; beyond nature, because these natural emotions did not in Him precede the will. For in Christ nothing befel of compulsion, but all was voluntary; with His will He hungered, with His will He feared, or was sorrowful.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 26:37–38) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvi.html

On whose fear it was, that His agony was not for Himself but for the disciples He had taken:

Since then we read that the Lord was sorrowful, let us discover the causes of His agony. He had forewarned them all that they would be offended, and Peter that he would thrice deny his Lord; and taking him and James and John, He began to be sorrowful. Therefore He was not sorrowful till He took them, but all His fear began after He had taken them; so that His agony was not for Himself, but for them whom He had taken.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 26:37–41) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvi.html

On the sorrow that proves the reality of the manhood, felt by pro-passion:

Our Lord therefore sorrowed to prove the reality of the Man which He had taken upon Him; but that passion might bear no sway in His mind, "He began to be sorrowful" by pro-passion ... for it is one thing to be sorrowful, and another to be very sorrowful.

On "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak":

This is against those rash persons who think that whatever they believe they can perform. The more confident we are of our zeal, the more mistrustful should we be of the frailty of the flesh.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Expositions on the Psalms, Psalm 32 (on Matthew 26:39) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvi.html

On the private human will which the Head figures for us, and its yielding to God:

Christ thus as man shews a certain private human will, in which He who is our head figures both His own will and ours when He says, "Let it pass from me." For this was His human will choosing something as apart for Himself. But because as man He would be righteous and guide Himself by God's will, He adds, "Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt;" as much as to say to us, Man, behold thyself in Me, that thou canst will somewhat apart of thyself, and though God's will is other, this is permitted to human frailty.

St. Leo the Great (c. 400–461)

Sermon 58 (on Matthew 26:42) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvi.html

On "Thy will be done" as the health of the whole body:

This speech of the Head is the health of the whole body, this saying is instruction to the faithful, animates the confessor, crowns the martyr. For who could vanquish the hatred of the world, or the whirlwind of temptations, or the terrors of the persecutors, if Christ did not in all and for all say to the Father, "Thy will be done." Let all the sons of the Church then utter this prayer, that when the pressure of some mighty temptation lies upon them, they may embrace endurance of the suffering, disregarding its terrors.