Jesus sweating blood in Gethsemane reveals the extreme anguish He experienced as He prepared to bear the full weight of sin and the wrath of God. This was not fear of physical pain but the anticipation of becoming the sin offering for mankind and enduring separation from the Father.
Luke 22:44 records:
“And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
This was a real medical condition known as hematidrosis, where the capillaries near the sweat glands rupture due to intense stress, causing blood to mix with sweat. It shows the depth of Christ’s mental, emotional, and spiritual torment.
Jesus knew He was about to drink the cup of divine wrath. In the same passage, He prayed:
“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
(Luke 22:42)
This “cup” was not just suffering, the Old Testament frequently associates the cup with wrath:
“For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and He pours it out…”
(Psalm 75:8)
Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was about to take upon Himself the punishment of death, which He did not deserve, being perfect. As Paul wrote:
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
(2 Corinthians 5:21)
This agony also fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the suffering Messiah:
“He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities… and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
(Isaiah 53:3–6)
The garden of Gethsemane was not the cross, but the suffering had begun. Jesus was utterly alone, abandoned even by His closest friends, and faced the burden of what was about to take place.
Hebrews reflects on this moment, showing that His suffering was real and part of His obedience:
“Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears… was heard because of His godly fear.”
(Hebrews 5:7)
Jesus did not draw back. His sweat like blood showed not weakness but perfect submission under overwhelming pressure. He willingly embraced the Father’s will, knowing that only through His obedience could redemption be accomplished.