Mark 14:35

35 And going forward a little he fell to the ground and began to pray that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from him.

Mark 14:35 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 14:35

And he went forward a little
About a stone's cast, ( Luke 22:41 ) ,

and fell on the ground, and prayed;
he fell on his face to the ground, which was a praying posture. One of the Jewish canons concerning it, is this ^F1:

``worshipping, how is it done? after a man has lifted up his head; he bows it five times, he sits upon the ground, and "falls upon his face", (hura) , "to the ground", and supplicates with whatsoever supplication he pleases: worshipping, or bowing, is the stretching out of hands and feet, until a man is found cast upon his face to the ground.''

(See Gill on Matthew 26:39). The supplication Christ made in this posture was,

that, it were possible, the hour might pass from him;
the time fixed and agreed upon for his sufferings and death; that is, that it might pass without his enduring them, if there was any possibility of excusing him, and of his people's being saved without them; (See Gill on Matthew 26:39).

---

FOOTNOTES:

F1 Maimon. Hilch. Tephilla, c. 5. sect. 13.

Mark 14:35 In-Context

33 And he took along Peter and James and John with him, and he began to be distressed and troubled.

34 And he said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake."

35 And going forward a little he fell to the ground and began to pray that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from him.

36 And he said, "Abba, Father, all [things] [are] possible for you! Take away this cup from me! Yet not what I will, but what you [will]."

37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to stay awake one hour?

Footnotes

• [a]. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to pray")