Watch kai Pray

Here we consider another jewel of a phrase. As discussed in a previous post, “phrases” (and clauses) are segments of the architecture of a sentence, which is itself representative of a “whole thought.” As a whole thought, sentences traditionally have a subject (S), verb (V), and object (O, as a direct object) which is commonly framed in both English and Koine as SVO, in that order. Our traditional versified Bibles were man-created in the 16th Century and have no inherent Biblical significance nor do they always align with sentences as we would interpret them; verses can run on to multiple sentences and they can be incomplete as to a sentence.

The phrase in focus here, “watch and [kai] pray” is memorable. And it is noteworthy as to this site because two words of the three ‘hinge’ around the theme word of this website, the Koine word kai.

kai as ‘Flow’

Throughout this website we have been considering richer meanings, sometimes just hints / directions, for the Koine word “kai” that goes beyond its default translation of “and.”

One central thesis is that kai does not mean always, perhaps not even mostly, “and” in the sense of “plus,” such as “ham and eggs” (we want both, and the order has no significance), orthe identification of two categories, such as “good and bad”(they do not ‘go’ together but paired they represent a certain broad range of conditions).

If there is a best default translation for kai it is, in my view, “unto.” Such is not “unto” in the sense of cause and effect–there is an unambiguous Koine expression for cause and effect–nor is suggesting “on the one hand this and the other hand that” because again their is a clear Koine form, which commonly occurs, for making such point. We will consider both of these other hinge types below.

A nuanced way of understanding kai as “unto” is by the metaphor of “flow.” Recapping the above, kai is not A causes B (cause and effect), nor is it A on the one hand and B on the other, nor simply two things A + B as completely equivalent to B + A (which presumes that kai expresses the equivalent of the mathematical commutative law as 2 + 3 = 5, exactly as 3 + 2 = 5).

Rather kai can be expressive as “the flow” of thought, or action, A “unto” B. We could show this as: A → B, or by other arrow forms to represent stronger or weaker such flow-connections: A → B, A → B, A ⇢ B (stronger to weaker).

Let us now apply the flow-concept for kai to our the phrase-jewel of our present study: “watch kai pray.”

Context of “Watch and Pray”

The phrase “watch and (kai) pray” most notably occurs during the final moments of Jesus’s pre-resurrection life as it is said prior to his night arrest, which arrest was followed by the infamous nighttime trial, and the judgment of crucifixion the following morning. Below is our context in Mark 14:

³² And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.³⁴ And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” ³⁵ And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. ³⁶ And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” ³⁷ And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 

Mark 14:32-38, ESV (Highlights mine, the bold font being our phrase of study, and the words translated “that” and “but” representing two other categories of ‘hinge-connectors’ to be discussed)

There is an exact parallel account at Matt 26:41 that mirrors the above verse Mark 14:38. The only other text in the Bible that has “watch” near “pray” occurs at Col 4:2: “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

What distinguishes the memorable form of “watch and (kai) pray” from the text of Col 4:2, and other passages enjoining us to pray, is that our phrase occurs during a dramatic point in the narrative of Christ’s incarnation. What has just prior transpired is the so-called “Triumphal Entry” wherein the crowds see Jesus riding the prophesied donkey coming as King into His City / Throne of Jerusalem, with the crowds shouting “Hosanna!” meaning God has made it wonderfully so. Of course the crowds shouting, as is customarily the case, understood nothing of the words they used, but spoke as the Providence of God the Father dictated, affirming the OT fulfillment. Then that night was “The Last Supper” at which time Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant in His blood, at which time Judas–representing The Religion Industry (TRI) and its most-intimate betrayal–committed to departing that supper to conduct the dealmaking event with the leadership of TRI by agreeing on the sign of betrayal, being Judas finding Jesus where only he knew to do, and identifying him by the kiss of betrayal to direct the arresting armed force of the TRI to their target.

From the context of Mark 14 and Matt 26 we know that Jesus’s private prayer with His Father occurred during the final moments of the advance of the TRI army up the Mount of Olives directly east of the Temple Mount across the Kidron Valley. Because it was night, and a significant armed force was in procession necessarily with torches to light the way, the advance would have been discernible to those at the Garden of Gethsemane, had they been watching.

It would have been reasonable for the Lord’s 11 disciples that night at Gethsemane, after the Triumphal Entry and The Communion Supper, to have believed that at the Passover celebration the very next day Jesus would inaugurated as both the “religious” and “political” authority, transforming the situation in Jerusalem, Judea, and all of the territory of Israel, and even the Roman world itself. Of course they had heard the Lord on multiple occasions tell them that He would be rejected, killed, and resurrected, but they did not understand this as the subsequent text of the Gospel narratives makes clear.

What was taking place during the very time of the Lord’s words “watch kai pray” was the instantiation of the ultimate rebellion of both TRI and The Political Industry (TPI) against God, the former out of its fallen belief that “religion” and “piety” could save itself, both individually and corporately, and the latter believing that meaning and salvation was in centralized power and codified law (Pax Romana).

Watch ‘Flowing Toward’ Prayer

Both the Koine verbs translated “watch” and “pray” are in the imperative / command form (“mood”). So they are direct, immediate instructions to which the Lord is desiring obedience. It is clear, again from the passage itself, that the three core members of the 11 disciples (Peter, James, and John), and likely the other eight as well, were doing neither “watching” nor “praying,” but were in fact sleeping.

Here’s what we also know. The armed representatives of TRI, and Judas, were not sleeping. They were in fact sneaking up seeking to overwhelm by force and surprise the followers of Jesus, arresting Jesus (and others too). Also not sleeping was the Lord.

What was the context of the inability to stay awake for the Lord’s disciples? It was that they were not, and had not been, watchful, so they did not perceive their impending mortal danger by the advance of their most powerful and relentless enemy, TRI, soon to be followed by the in-concert partnership of TRI and TPI leading to the crucifixion of their Lord, a horrible and frightful scene.

The phrase “watch kai pray” in its context guides us to understand that it is the doing of “watching” with its attendant discovery and realization that flows toward, leads to, the doing of “praying.” The Lord’s command is not here that they, and hence us, should as a pattern of life being doing two things: thing one–watching–and the other thing–praying–end of story.

Praying wisely, passionately, and well flows from grasping–the watching–the context of our circumstance (and in the literal etymological sense of “circumstance,” standing, ‘stance,’ circumscribed, here by the force of oppression of TRI).

Flow Has a ‘Bow Wave’

As we have been considering kai as a flow, that is A → B (A is watching, B is praying, in the context of our phrase of study), there can be, and I believe here is, a two-way nature to the flow. Specifically, kai admits to the flow nature that as A → B so also A ⇠ B.

We can draw on a water flow analogy of experience. (Such analogy is even more-clear with the motion of air / wind as a breeze or an aircraft in flight, but is not readily discernible by sight). From the perspective of a boat being propelled through water, by the power of sails, rowing, or a motor, the boat is stationary and the water is flowing past the boat.

(We do not automatically conceive it this way because we innately understand that it is the boat moving through the water not the other way around; but if one stands at the bow of the boat, fixed to it, it really is the proper perception that the water is moving past the boat. This was a key perspective used by Einstein in formulating the great insights and equations of Special and General Relativity).

Taking such perspective on the boat, and looking ahead of the bow, we can observe that the flowing water actually begins moving because of the boat before it reaches even the bow of the boat. And if we look to the quarter beam on either side of the bow we can see the surface waves of the water that is the hydrodynamic influence of the boat even ahead of the particular water molecules that strike the hull of the boat. This is the “bow wave,” the upstream influence of a downstream object.

We can see the same thing, perhaps more clearly, by observing a fixed pillar in moving water. Ahead of the pillar, one can observe the effect of the pillar upon the water even before it reaches the pillar. Exactly the same effect occurs with winds flowing against a wall, building, or mountain, or again to an observer in the cockpit of an airplane. Such flows have upstream influence based upon wonderful mathematical formulations of physics (known as elliptical boundary conditions on equations of motion). Other physical examples include “feedback loops,” where “effects” can, in turn, connect to the “causes” which inaugurated the initial “effect.”

How might such digression help us with understanding kai in general and specifically in our present phrase of study? It is this: being watchful does flow into one’s being prayerful, and wisely / intimately so; but being prayerful also leads / flows toward being watchful, at the very least sensitized to one circumstance (standing surrounded), but even more so to understanding better from the heart of God the nature of that which is to be the object of watching.

Two Other Phrases and ‘Hinge’ Connector Types

Not our primary focus in this post, or this site in general, let us briefly note two other phrases that immediately follow “watch kai pray” that illustrate other kinds of ‘hinge’ connections (as I have been using the term here).

Purpose Clause / Clause

We have been examining the first third of Mark 14:38 , namely: ^” Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

My highlight of “that” by italics is only to indicate a particular ‘hinge’ connector, in transliterated Koine “hina.” It is the common introduction of a purpose statement. So here it tells us why we are commanded (“watch,” “pray” are imperative verbs) in the “kai” hinge phrase.

The question here, based on this context, is what is the “temptation” to be avoided. The Koine word the ESV translates as “temptation” is also translated in various contexts by “trial(s)” and by “test(-ing).” So “temptation” is freighted with the idea of wavering under some trial / test. The context of our passage (Mark 14) has nothing to do with the kind of circumstances we might ordinarily think of as “temptations,” such as the impulses / inclinations of the carnal, lower nature of the flesh. Here the temptation (test) is about faithfulness to the foundational claim of Jesus Christ, namely that the ‘observance’ of “The Law” by TRI was a false self-righteousness kind of worship, which can never please God or lead to Eternal Life.

As the troops of TRI were marching up the Mount of Olives with the threat, and realization, of death, exclusion, persecution–as we see in the Book of Acts which follows the Gospels upon the emergence of the NT church. The temptation would be strong to cave in to TRI both for reasons of avoiding persecution but also because many in one’s family, friends, associates would be clinging to the doctrines of TRI, claiming that Jesus had been not only a blasphemer but a false claimant on such “New Covenant,” exactly as the context of the Epistle to the Hebrews unveils.

Explanatory Phrase / Clause

The third phrase in our Mark 14:38 text illustrates another kind of ‘hinge’ connector known by the Koine “men / day (or de)” structure. In the ESV text, I’ve highlight “but” by italics as that is how it expressed such structure. The “men / de” framework means, in English, “on the one hand THIS and on the other hand THAT,” namely a way of contrasting two opposites.

Here in Mark 14:38 the opposites are: “the (our) spirit” and its natural inclination (to be “willing” to follow the Gospel teaching, contrasted with “the (our) flesh” and its natural inclination (to follow the prevailing winds of opinion, avoiding conflict or becoming the object of derision, or worse).