D a i l y D e v o t i o n a l S T U D I E S IN THE NEW T E S T AME N T FOR INDIVIDUAL MEDITATION AND FAMILYWORSHIP By R. A. TORREY .........
Saturday, May 1. Matt. 26:39-44.
Jesus prayed. So now while Jesus tri umphed because of that night of prayer, they failed. We, too, need the solemn warning, “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.” : It is thus alone that we can find daily victory. One must needs watch at all seasons for the Devil is ever alert, and furthermore, the Lord may come at any moment (1 Pet. 5:8; Matt. 24:42), but watching should be always accompa nied by praying (1 Pet. 4:7). Monday, May 3. Matt. 26:57:63. The one fixed purpose of Jesus’ judges was to find Him guilty. In order to carry out this purpose they did not hesitate to seek men who would perjure themselves. But even in this desperate attempt they had no success. There were plenty who. were ready to curry favor with the authorities by swearing falsely, but their testimony did not agree (Mark 14:56). Many of the conclusive proofs of the spotlessness of Jesus’ character and life is, that those de termined enemies could find nothing against Him. These men who sought so eagerly to compass the death of Jesus were men of careful external morality and intensely re ligious outwardly. These are the kind of men who most bitterly hate real heart piety. We have, in the attempt of the re ligious leaders of the day to convict and kill the Son of God and in their suborning perjury to compass their end, a startling illustration of the deceitfulness and desper ate wickedness of the unregenerate heart at its best estate and its enmity against God (Jer. 17:9; Rom. 8:7). These, false testi monies against Himself wounded the Saviour to the heart (Ps. 35:11, 12, 15). The utter unfairness of these judges is par alleled by the utter unfairness of many to-
What a sight! The Holy One of God on His facé in prayer before God. But while Jesus prayed, the disciples slept. They had not fallen asleep all at once. They had heard something of His agony and prayer, but they had been more occupied with their own sorrow than with His and were soon overborne with it (Luke 32:45). We can understand that by studying ourselves; we, too, are more occupied with our own griefs than with the grief of our Lord Jesus over a perishing world, and we, too, sleep when we ought to watch and pray. The sleep of the disciples was natural but it was not excusable. It was a fulfillment of prophecy, “I looked for comforters,) but II found none” (Ps. 69 :20). Our Lord asked them a gently reproachful question (v. 40) that revealed His own heart, breaking and long ing for sympathy, on the one hand, and their lack of self-sacrificing love on the other. Is He not asking ns today, “Could ye not watch with Me one hour?” Sunday, May 2. Matt. 26:45-56. When Jesus returns the last time to the disciples, He no longer needs their sym pathy, the battle is over, and furthermore, it is too late, and He says, “Sleep on now.” Will we sleep so long that ,the hour will pass by when we can fie of no use to our Lord? The sleep so dearly purchased was short, for in a. moment the torches of Judas and his horrid band are seen among the trees. The disciples must now arise but to what a scene of terror and dismay. The victorious Man of prayer is calm but they flee. He had bidden them “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation,” but they had not heeded and had slept while
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