“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭39‬-‭44‬ NIV

It amazes me how human imagination loves drama and even twists words to paint a picture in the story that the words never intended. Luke’s portrait of the human Jesus under extreme pressure is one of those misreadings which is a detail not found in the other gospel records of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane…

“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

One little Greek word, perhaps deliberately omitted in some translations to heighten the drama, makes all the difference to our understanding of Jesus’ suffering!

The word “like”, Greek “hosi”, made up of two Greek words, “ho” and “sei”, clearly implies “like, as if, in the manner of,”. Luke made a comparison between the perspiration that flowed from Jesus’ face and the free flow of blood from a fresh wound. 

Luke’s description is not what some translators imply… that Jesus sweated blood.  The text clearly says that His sweat was   “like”…“as if it were” great drops of blood.  This idea that He sweated blood does not appear to be in the text. A theory and a doctrine has grown out of a possible misrepresentation of the text.  

The fact that Jesus did not sweat blood in no way detracts from the intensity of His suffering. In fact, it heightens and confirms His thirst when He hung on the cross, because He had become severely dehydrated in this crucifixion process.  

Jesus’ blood loss was purposeful, pouring from the open wounds of the beating, the nails, and the piercing. His body was deliberately mutilated to release the blood He poured out for our redemption…therefore, sweating blood does mot seem to be in  keeping with the manner in which He shed His blood for sin as a sin offering…

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…our forgiveness…

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

and our cleansing…

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The blood of Jesus was not pressed out of Him in moments of emotional agony. He freely shed His blood through the breaking of His body so that we may receive and experience all the benefits of His voluntary and substitutionary sacrifice.  

Let us be careful, in our reading of God’s Word, that we don’t blindly follow the notions of men.  Let us read with care, depending on our supreme Teacher, the Holy Spirit, to give us understanding and to lead us into all truth. 

To be continued…