And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss here is the intense, almost overwhelming nature of Jesus's distress, captured by two unique Greek words found only in Mark's Gospel. "Greatly amazed" speaks to a shock so profound it's like being struck by something unbelievable, and "troubled" suggests an anguish so deep it's like being "away from home," torn apart by inner turmoil. This wasn't just sadness; it was a soul-shattering experience that even his closest companions couldn't fully grasp.
And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just shared the Passover meal with his disciples, foretelling his betrayal and Peter's denial, and is now leading them to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He takes his inner circle—Peter, James, and John—with him, leaving the others behind as he begins to face the immense spiritual agony of the coming hours. This moment in Gethsemane is the immediate precursor to his arrest and crucifixion, the crushing weight of humanity's sin now falling upon him.
Jesus chose his closest friends for this moment, yet the text says He was 'greatly distressed and troubled.' What does this intensity reveal?
The original language used here doesn't just describe sadness; it paints a picture of profound shock and overwhelming anguish.
Jesus wasn't just feeling a bit down; He was experiencing the crushing weight of what was to come, an agony that impacted His entire being.
Why did Jesus bring only Peter, James, and John into His most vulnerable moment, separating them from the other disciples?
Jesus intentionally brought His inner circle—Peter, James, and John—with Him into the garden of Gethsemane. This wasn't arbitrary; it served crucial purposes:
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Understand the original words
psychē · Greek Noun
The immaterial part of a human being; the seat of emotions, will, and the core of personality that interacts with God.
grēgoreō · Greek Verb
To stay awake or be vigilant. It carries a spiritual sense of being alert to danger, prayer, or the imminent return of the Lord.
c. 27-30 AD
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus' ministry involved teaching, healing, and gathering disciples, leading up to His final week in Jerusalem. This period culminated in His arrest and crucifixion.
c. 30 AD
The Last Supper
Jesus shared His final Passover meal with His disciples, instituting the Lord's Supper and predicting His betrayal and Peter's denial.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
Jesus withdraws to the Garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James, and John, experiencing intense spiritual anguish and praying for strength before His arrest.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Arrest
Judas Iscariot leads a group of soldiers and temple guards to the Garden of Gethsemane, identifying Jesus with a kiss and leading to His arrest.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Trial and Crucifixion
Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilate, and Herod, ultimately being condemned and crucified on Golgotha.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension
After three days, Jesus rises from the dead, appearing to His disciples over forty days before ascending into heaven.
This passage describes Jesus taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and how his 'soul was very sorrowful, even to death,' directly paralleling the emotional distress described in Mark.
Luke 22:44Luke's Gospel emphasizes the intensity of Jesus' suffering by noting that his 'sweat was like great drops of blood falling to the ground,' underscoring the extreme anguish Jesus experienced in Gethsemane.
Hebrews 5:7This verse speaks of Jesus offering 'prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears,' to the one who was able to save him from death, highlighting the depth of his distress and his earnest prayer in the face of suffering.
Isaiah 53:10This prophetic passage foretells that the suffering servant 'shall see his offspring; he shall continue long in his satisfaction; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities,' connecting Jesus' agony to the purpose of bearing sin and achieving salvation.
pulpitMark 14:33: "And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;"
Verse 33. - It appears that our Lord separated himself from all the disciples except Peter and James and John, and then the bitter agony began. He began to be greatly amazed, and sore troubled (e)kqambei = sqai kai\ a)dhmonei = n). These two Greek verbs are as adequately expressed above as seems possible. The first implies "utter, extreme amazement;" if the second has for its ro…
vincentMark 14:33: "And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;"
To be sore amazed (ἐκθαμβεῖσθαι)A word peculiar to Mark. Compare Mark 9:15; Mark 16:5, Mark 16:6.
What's easy to miss here is the intense, almost overwhelming nature of Jesus's distress, captured by two unique Greek words found only in Mark's Gospel. "Greatly amazed" speaks to a shock so profound it's like being struck by something unbelievable, and "troubled" suggests an anguish so deep it's like being "away from home," torn apart by inner turmoil. This wasn't just sadness; it was a soul-shattering experience that even his closest companions couldn't fully grasp.
Jesus has just shared the Passover meal with his disciples, foretelling his betrayal and Peter's denial, and is now leading them to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He takes his inner circle—Peter, James, and John—with him, leaving the others behind as he begins to face the immense spiritual agony of the coming hours. This moment in Gethsemane is the immediate precursor to his arrest and crucifixion, the crushing weight of humanity's sin now falling upon him.
Jesus has just shared the Passover meal with his disciples, foretelling his betrayal and Peter's denial, and is now leading them to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He takes his inner circle—Peter, James, and John—with him, leaving the others behind as he begins to face the immense spiritual agony of the coming hours. This moment in Gethsemane is the immediate precursor to his arrest and crucifixion, the crushing weight of humanity's sin now falling upon him.
"And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”" — What's easy to miss here is the intense, almost overwhelming nature of Jesus's distress, captured by two unique Greek words found only in Mark's Gospel. "Greatly amazed" speaks to a shock so profound…
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Last reviewed October 2026