Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 26:40

"And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" — Matthew 26:40 (ASV)

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Peter had constituted himself the spokesman of the apostolic company, so the Master addressed the question to him, though it also applied to his companions: "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" They had all declared their devotion to him, yet they had fallen asleep while he had asked them to watch.

We cannot tell how long He had been wrestling alone in prayer, but it was long enough for the disciples to fall asleep. Peter had constituted himself the spokesman of the company, therefore to him our Lord addressed His gentle rebuke, which was meant also for his companions, What, could ye, not watch with me one hour? According to Mark 14:37, the question was put personally to Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? It was bad enough for James and John to be slumbering instead of watching, but after all Peter’s boasting, it seemed worse in his case. He who had made the loudest protestations of devotion deserved to be the most blamed for his unfaithfulness.