Upon returning to the apostles, he said: “At such a time as this you are sleeping and taking your rest! Look! The hour has drawn near for the Son of man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Matt. 26:42-47.

PRAYER NEEDED TO AVOID TEMPTATION

 4. (a) What clear warning had the apostles received before they got into circumstances of temptation? (b) How did Peter react in the face of this warning?

⁴ Jesus’ disciples entered into temptation​—in the face of warnings from their Master! The three apostles were at their post and were supposed to stay awake, but they reclined and fell asleep, while Jesus engrossed himself three times in prayer.

 5. As the apostles faced temptation, what did they do, but what should they have done?

⁵ Jesus had set a fine example for his disciples in the matter of wakefulness and in being vigilant with a view to prayers. But the apostles failed to understand how Jesus’ words were going to take place. So what did they do? They slept over the matter instead of praying over it! They should have prayed over it, seeking help from on high. But here they were sleeping over it. They were not on the watch; they were not praying continually, and so were bound to enter into temptation.