Did Jesus Really Sweat Blood?
We have a clue from Luke 22:44.
This question comes from what Luke wrote in his gospel account about Jesus when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion.
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:41-44)
Is it possible that Jesus was actually sweating blood?
Turns out: it is possible.
The Rare Condition of Hematohidrosis.
Hematohidrosis…is a condition in which capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands rupture, causing them to exude blood, occurring under conditions of extreme physical or emotional stress. (National Library of Medicine)
Jesus was under extreme physical and emotional stress in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew records that Jesus was “sorrowful and deeply distressed” (Matthew 26:37). Mark records something similar, that He was “troubled and deeply distressed” (Mark 14:33).
Jesus also told Peter, James, and John, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38; Mark 14:34). He was experiencing such great sorrow and stress that He felt like He was on the point of death.
Such heavy stress has been observed as the cause of sweating blood.
Acute fear and intense mental contemplation are the most frequent causes, as reported in six cases in men condemned to execution, a case occurring during the London blitz, a case involving fear of being raped, a case of fear of a storm while sailing, etc. (National Library of Medicine)
People who have experienced the rare condition of sweating blood (Hematohidrosis) were facing immense stress at the time. Usually, they were staring death directly in the face.
The angel appearing to Jesus from heaven to strengthen Him is also consistent with sweating blood because if Jesus did experience this, He would have grown weak.
[The] Effect on the body is weakness and mild to moderate dehydration from the severe anxiety and both blood and sweat loss. (National Library of Medicine)
So it’s entirely possible that Jesus did experience this rare condition of sweating blood. But there’s another possibility as well - and it comes from carefully reading what Luke wrote.
The Important Little Word “Like” in Luke 22:44.
And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44)
Notice that the verse does not say, “His sweat became great drops of blood…” It says, “His sweat became like great drops of blood…”
Like is a word that compares one thing to something else.
If I said, “You look a lot like so-and-so,” do I mean you are so-and-so? No, it means your appearance is similar to - is comparable to - the appearance of so-and-so.
So it’s possible that Luke meant the Lord was sweating so profusely it was as if He were sweating great drops of blood.
When we face a threat, our body undergoes the “fight or flight response.”
Sweating is one key sign of this response. Fighting a threat, or fleeing from it, requires you to expend energy, which can raise your body temperature. But overheating would make it difficult to escape or keep fighting, so your body signals your sweat glands to produce sweat and keep you cool so that you can carry on. (Healthline)
Because of the stress the Lord was under, there’s no question He would have been sweating profusely when He prayed to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The Lord was facing His own nervous system's “fight or flight” response. But submitting to the Father’s will meant He could not run from this moment, nor could He fight the moment.
"Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." (Luke 22:42)
This was an agonizing moment for Jesus.
…who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (Hebrews 5:7-8)
It’s because He chose to submit Himself to the Father’s will and obey that He “became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9).
So, did Jesus sweat blood or not?
I don’t think we can know for sure one way or the other, but it’s interesting to consider.
I think that Jesus didn’t actually sweat blood but that His sweat was compared to great drops of blood - this is based on Luke’s use of the word “like.”
But either way - what Luke recorded points us to the excruciating suffering of Jesus while in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is worthy to be praised because of what He did for us!
Awesome post.