Matthew 26:38 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

My soul is exceeding sorrowful— The words used here, and in the latter part of Matthew 26:37 by our translators, are very flat, and fall extremely short of the emphasis of those terms in which the Evangelist describes this aweful scene; for λυπεισθαι, rendered, to be sorrowful, signifies to be penetrated with the most lively and piercing sorrow; and αδημονειν, rendered, to be very heavy, signifies to be quite depressed, and almost overwhelmed with the load. St. Mark expresses it, if possible, in a more forcible manner; for εκθαμβεισθαν, in Mark 14:33 imports the most shocking mixture of terror and amazement; and; περιλυπος, exceeding sorrowful, in this verse intimates, that he was surrounded with sorrow on every side, so that it broke in upon him with such violence, that, humanly speaking, there was no way to escape. Dr. Doddridge translates and paraphrases the passage thus: "He began to be in a very great and visible dejection, amazement, and anguish of mind, on account of some painful and dreadful sensations, which were then impressed upon his soul by the immediate hand of God. Then turning to his three disciples, he says to them, My soul is surrounded on all sides with an extremity of anguish and sorrow, which tortures me even almost unto death; and I know that the infirmity of humannaturemustquickly sink under it, without some extraordinary relief from God: while therefore I apply to him, do you continue here and watch:"—and had they done this carefully, they would soon have found a rich equivalent for their watchfulness in the eminent improvement of their graces, by this wonderful and instructive sight. Dr. More truly observes, that Christ's continued resolution, in the midst of these agonies and supernatural horrors, was the most heroic that can be imagined, and far superior to valour in single combat, or in battle; where in one case the spirit is raised by natural indignation; and in the other by the pomp of war, the sound of martial music, the example of fellow-soldiers, &c. See More's Theological Works, p. 38 and Psalms 116:3.