Found Them Sleeping

Matthew 26:38-4 ESV

38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me. ” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. ” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41   Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done. 

I have always assumed the flesh Jesus speaks of is that of His disciples. They fall asleep as they wait for Him, but Jesus also has a body of flesh and He finds it to be weak.  He faced the same temptations that are before all mankind. His spirit is willing, but He is also man, and that is why His soul is sorrowful, "even to death". The utter despair of those words comes from the lips of the One Who is the light and life of the world.

But He would overcome the flesh and thus overcome the world. He goes to the Father in prayer, as in all things. He brings this before the Father three times before rising in obedience. In contrast, Peter would soon deny Him three times after the Lord was taken. I don't see anything said about Peter praying before he boldly asserted what he would do. Maybe that is a type of sleep, a weakness of the flesh, even for a spirit that is willing.