Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 26:39

39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Mark saith, He went forward a little, and fell on the Ground, and Prayed, that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba Father! All things are possible unto thee, take away this Cup from me: Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt, Ch. 14.35, 36. Luke saith, He was withdrawn from them about a stones Cast, and kneeled down, and Prayed, Saying, Father if thou be willing, remove this Cup from me: Nevertheless, not my Will, but thine be done. Here are three distinct Forms of Words, but all agreeing in one, and the same Sense. Matthew saith, He went a little further and fell on his Face, and Prayed. He at his first Motion carried but three with him: Peter, Iames, and Iohn, now he leaves them, but not far, Luke saith, about a stones Cast. Fervent Prayer loves Privacy, and Christ by this teacheth us, that secret Prayer is our Duty, He fell on his Face, Luke saith, He kneeled, he possibly at first Kneeled, then fell on his Face: We read in Scripture of Sitting, Standing, Kneeling, and Prostration used in Prayer, the first and last rarely▪ Standing and Kneeling, were the most ordinary Postures. David prayed sitting in his House, 2 Sam. 7.18. Abraham fell on his Face, Gen. 17.17. So did Moses and Aaron, Numb. 16.22.45. Prostration was ordinarily use[illegible: 1 letter] in great Passions, hardly otherwise in Prayer. Saying, O my Father if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me: Nevertheless, not as I Will, but as thou wilt. Mark first tells us the Sum of his Prayer, then saith, he said Abba Father! All things are possible unto thee: Take away this Cup from me: Nevertheless, not what I Will, but what thou wilt. Luke saith, he said, If thou be willing, remove this Cup from me: Nevertheless, not my Will, but thine be done. Luke's, If thou be willing, expounds Matthew's if it be possible. A thing in it self may be possible, which considered in its Circumstances is not so, thus (as it is,) Mark, All things are to God possible: But yet it is not possible for God to alter any thing which he hath decreed, or said shall come to pass▪ because God is not as Man: One that can Lye, or Repent. But it will be Objected. Did not Christ know, that it was not possible? Did not he himself, v. 54. say. Thus it must be? I answer, It is one thing what he knew, as he was God, and of Councel with the Father; and another thing what he Prayed for, a[illegible: 1 letter] Man: Besides, our Saviours saying, If it be possible, doth not suppose that he knew it was possible: It signifieth no more than this. Father, my Humane Nature hath an Aversion from this heavy stroke, so as if it were possible, it craves of thee a Discharge from this Curse: Nevertheless, not my Will, but thine be done. The first Clause, is but the Expression of the natural (but not sinful) infirmity of his Flesh: The latter a perfect Resignation, of his Will to God. In the first, he tells his Father, what his natural Flesh would crave, if it might consist with the Will of God. In the second, he begs that whatsoever his Flesh craved, yet the Will of God might be done. And herein he sets us a perfect Pattern for our Prayers, for deliverance from Temporal Evils, viz. With a Submission to the Will of God. By this, our Saviour doth not declare himself ignorant, or incertain of the Divine Will. Only as, tho the Person that dyed was God-man, yet the Humane Nature only dyed: So, tho the Person that prayed was God-man, yet he only prayed, as he was Man.

Marginal references: Heb. 5.7.