The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Matthew 26:36-46
This is a great lesson Jesus is teaching here.  Our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak (vs. 41).  This seems such a simple, obvious lesson and yet it seems to elude the disciples, much as it does us today.  It was only a few verses ago that Jesus warns the disciples that they will all fall away on account of him that evening (vs. 31).  They rebut him and confess differently (vs. 35).  Go back just a few verses more and we see that he warns them one will betray him this very evening (vs. 21).  Instead of contradicting him here, the disciples feel sorrow and sincerely hope it is not them, asking him one by one (vs. 22).  I believe when they realize it is not them they grow a little confident, thinking to themselves they are not capable of such a thing.  I believe this is evidenced by their rebuttal of Jesus here in vs. 35.  This is the second time he has warned that he will be turned against, but they passed the first warning, and they feel confident they will pass this one as well.  Here, in vs. 41 is the final lesson in this progression of flesh we have looked at: your flesh is weak and it cannot carry out the desires of spirit (Romans 8:5-8).  You may have a sincere heart, as these disciples did, but you cannot rely on flesh to carry out these sincere desires.  They truly desired to not fall away and fully intended not to, but they relied on flesh to carry this out.  We cannot do this (Philippians 3:3).  He was teaching them; he knew they pridefully pledged to stick with him, but he also knew they could not do it because of their reliance on their own strength and ability (flesh).  This is a lesson they learn well, especially Peter.  He is the one specifically addressed in these episodes (vs. 34, 40)  The flesh is strong in him, so Jesus takes special care to rid him of it and show him the futility of trusting and relying on it, as he sees later on (vs. 69-75).  Let us learn this lesson well as we hear our Savior's words and see the disciple's errors (I Corinthians 10:12).  They trusted in something other than Jesus: flesh.  Do not be deceived.