Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 14:34

"And he saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death: abide ye here, and watch." — Mark 14:34 (ASV)

Gethsemane was a garden located somewhere on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives, in which there were olive trees and olive presses. It was one of Jesus’ favorite spots (cf. Lk 22:39), no doubt often used by him and his disciples as a place to be alone. Here he faced one of his most crucial tests.

Leaving the rest of the disciples behind, Jesus took with him the three of the inner circle—Peter, James, and John. He must have felt his need for their presence in this time of crisis. The two verbs used in v.33 describe an intense and deep agony in Jesus. He wanted his disciples to know something of the depths of suffering he was about to experience for the redemption of the world. Then he withdrew to be alone with his Father. Jesus’ command to them to keep watch meant either that they were to stay awake and so to share in his agony or that they were to be on the lookout for those Jesus knew were on their way to arrest him. John (18:2) says that Judas knew the place where Jesus was accustomed to pray.