VER. 43 46. ST. LUKE. 725
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THEOPHYL. Now thatthe precedingprayerwas of His
human nature,not His divine,asthe Arianssay,isargued
from what issaidofHis sweat,whichfollows,And His sweat
was as itweregreatdropsofbloodfallingdown totheground.
BEDE. Let no one ascribethissweatto naturalweakness,
nay,itis contraryto natureto sweatblood,but ratherlet
him derivetherefroma declarationto us,thatHe was now
obtainingthe accomplishmentof His prayer,namely,that
He might purgeby His bloodthe faithof His disciples,still
convictedofhuman frailty.
AUG. Our Lord prayingwith a bloodysweatrepresentedProsp.
the martyrdoms which shouldflow from His whole body,
which isthe Church. THEOPHYL. Or thisis proverbially
saidof one who has sweatedintensely,that He sweated
blood; the Evangelistthen wishingto shew that He was
moistenedwith largedropsof sweat,takesdropsof blood
foran example. But aftenvardsfindingHis disciplesasleep
foe sorrow,He upbraidsthem,at the same time reminding
them topray; foritfollows,And when He rosefrom prayer
and was come toIllsdisciples,He foundthemsleeping.CHRYS.
For itwas midnight,and the disciples'eyeswereheavyfrom
grief,and theirsleepwas not thatof drowsinessbut sorrow.
AUG. Now Luke has notstatedafterwhich prayerHe came Aug.
to His disciples,stillin nothing does he disagreewithgev
Matthew and Mark. Hi.o.4.
BEDE. Our Lord provesby what comes after,that He
prayed forHis discipleswhom He exhortsby watchingand
prayertobe partakersof His prayer; foritfollows,And He
gaithunto them,Why sleepye? Rise andpray,lestye enter
into temptation.THEOPHYL. That is,thatthey shouldnot
be overcome by temptation,fornot to be led intotempta
tion is not to be overwhelmedby it. Or He simplybids
us pray thatour lifemay be quiet,and we be notcastinto
troubleofany kind.For itisofthedeviland presumptuous,
for a man to throw himselfinto temptation.Therefore
James saidnot,"Cast yourselvesinto temptation,"but,
When ye arefallen,countitalljoy,making a voluntaryactjam.\t2.
out ofan involuntary.
47. And whileHe yet spake,beholda multitude,