Galatians 1:1 clearly identifies
the apostle Paul
as the writer
of the epistle to the Galatians.
Galatians is likely the
first New Testament book
to be written,
composed
sometime soon after AD 49.
The churches in Galatia were comprised of both Jewish and Gentile converts. Paul’s purpose in writing to these churches was to confirm them in the faith, especially concerning justification by faith alone, apart from the works of the Law of Moses.
Galatians was written because the churches of that region were facing a theological crisis. The essential truth of justification by faith rather than by human works was being denied by the Judaizers—legalistic Jews who insisted that Christians must keep the Mosaic Law. In particular, the Judaizers insisted on circumcisionas a requirement for Gentiles who wished to be saved. In other words, convert to Judaism first, and then you are eligible to become a Christian. When Paul learned that this heresy was being taught to the Galatian churches, he composed an epistle to emphasize our liberty in Christ and to counter the perversion of the gospel that the Judaizers promoted.
Galatians 2:16: “Know that a man is not justified by observing the law,
but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our
faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ
and not by observing the law, because by observing the
law no one will be justified.”
Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me.
The life I live in the body,
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 3:11:
“Clearly no one is justified before God by the law,
because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’"
Galatians 4:5-6: “to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’"
Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 6:7:
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows.”
The fact that we are justified by grace through faith means we have spiritual freedom. We are not under bondage to the dictates of the Old Testament Law. Paul soundly condemns anyone who would denigrate the grace of God and attempt to change the gospel (Galatians 1:8–10). He gives his apostolic credentials (Galatians 1:11–2:14) and emphasizes that righteousness comes through Christ not the works of the Law (Galatians 2:21). The Galatians must stand fast in their freedom and not be “entangled again with a yoke of bondage (that is, the Mosaic law)” (Galatians 5:1). Christian freedom is not an excuse to gratify one’s sin nature; rather, our freedom is an opportunity to love one another (Galatians 5:13; 6:7–10). The Christian life is to be lived in the power of the Spirit, not the flesh (Galatians 5:16–18). The flesh has been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20); as a consequence, the Spirit will bear His fruit in the life of the believer (Galatians 5:22–23).
In the end, the issue is not whether a person is circumcised but whether he is a “new creation” (Galatians 6:15). Salvation is the work of the Spirit, and we must be born again (see John 3:3). External religious rites such as circumcision are of no value in the realm of the Spirit.
Throughout Paul’s epistle to the Galatians,
saving grace--
the gift of God—is juxtaposed
against the
Law of Moses, which cannot save.
The Judaizers urged a return to the Mosaic Law as the source of justification, and they were prominent in the early church. Even Peter was temporarily drawn into their web of deceit (Galatians 2:11–13). The themes connecting Galatians to the Old Testament center on Law vs. grace: the inability of the Law to justify (2:16); the believer’s deadness to the Law (2:19);
Abraham’s justification by faith (3:6);
the Law’s bringing not God’s salvation
but His wrath (3:10);
and love as the
fulfillment of the Law (5:14).
Believers are the spiritual children of Sarah, not Hagar—that is, we are children of the freewoman, not children of the slave; we have more in common with Isaac, the son of promise, than with Ishmael, the son of human effort (4:21–31).
The books of Galatians and James deal with two complementary aspects of Christianity. Galatians highlights the gospel of grace that produces righteous living (Galatians 3:13–14). James highlights the righteous living that proves faith. There is no conflict; James, too, emphasizes the new birth through the gospel (James 1:18), and Galatians spends its final two chapters applying the doctrine of sola gratia to practical Christian living.
One of the main themes of the book of Galatians is found in 3:11:
"The righteous shall live
by faith.”
We must stand firm in this
truth.
Any compromise with legalism or the mixture of human effort and the grace of God for salvation leads to heresy. If we could be saved through the keeping of the Law,
then Jesus did not need to die
Galatians 2:21
Trying to save ourselves
nullifies grace.
Not only are we saved by faith
(John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8–9),
but the life of the believer in Christ--
day by day,
moment by moment—is lived by and
through that faith
(Galatians 2:20).
Not that faith
is something we conjure up
on our own--
it is the
gift of God, not of works
(see Ephesians 2:8–9)--
but it is our responsibility
and joy to exhibit our faith so that others
will see the work of Christ in us
and to grow in our faith
by the application of spiritual disciplines
(Bible study, prayer, obedience, etc.).
Jesus said we would be known by the
fruit of our lives (Matthew 7:16),
which should give evidence of the faith within us.
All Christians should be
diligent in striving to
build upon the saving faith within us
so that our lives will reflect
Christ and others will
“glorify
your Father who is in heaven”
(Matthew 5:16, NKJV).
In Isaiah 42:8 God states,
“I am the LORD, that is
My name;
I will not give My glory to another,
Nor My praise to graven images”
God’s glory is
His honor, splendor, and dignity,
and He will
not share it with anyone.
In telling Israel of how He was sparing them from
destruction and giving them new prophecies, God says,
"For my own sake, for my own sake,
I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another” (Isaiah 48:11).
God will not give His glory to another because all
glory, honor, and praise belong to Him alone.
He will not allow
His works to be attributed to
a false god,
which is “nothing at all in the world”
(1 Corinthians 8:4).
Also, God will not allow humans to take credit for what He does, as if it were our own skill, wisdom, and power that deserve the praise.
God will not give His glory to another because it is immoral for someone to take credit for something he or she did not do.
Whether it’s cheating on a test, plagiarizing a book, “stealing valor” by posing as a military veteran, or attempting to take credit for what God has done, it’s wrong. Most people understand that siphoning off the reputation of others or accepting accolades due to someone else is dishonest and dishonorable. For a human being to attempt to take credit for God’s actions is the height of hubris.
King Herod
made the mistake of
trying to
appropriate God’s glory:
"Herod, wearing his royal robes,
sat on his throne and
delivered a public address to the people.
They shouted, ‘
This is the voice of a god,
not of a man.’
Immediately,
because Herod did not give praise to God,
an angel of the Lord struck him down,
and he
was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:21–23).
In grasping for
glory
that belongs only to God,
Herod was much like Lucifer, who said,
just before his fall, “
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High”
(Isaiah 14:14).
God will not give His glory
to another.
He is
“the blessed and only Ruler,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone is immortal
and who lives in unapproachable light. . . .
To him be honor and might forever.
Amen” (1 Timothy 6:15–16).
The Lord our God is worthy
“to receive
glory and honor and power”
(Revelation 4:11)
. His glory is such that even
heaven’s
mightiest angels cannot
look
fully upon Him
(Isaiah 6:1–4).
There is no boasting in His presence
(1 Corinthians 1:28–29).
God will not give His glory to another,
which makes Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer
all the more astounding,
because in it Jesus prayed,
“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5). Three things of note here: 1) Jesus prays that the Father would give Him glory; 2) Jesus lays claim to a previous glory that was His before the time of creation; and 3) Jesus asserts that His glory was that of the Father’s. In other words, Jesus asks that the Father would give His glory to another, namely Himself; more than that, Jesus proclaims that He has already shared in that divine glory as the pre-existent Son of God.
What are we to make of Jesus’ prayer, in light of Scripture’s unambiguous decree that God will not give His glory to another? Either Jesus is blaspheming, or He is indeed who He claimed: the eternal Son of God who is worthy to “sit on his glorious throne” (Matthew 25:31).
We believe that
Jesus is “in very nature God”
(Philippians 2:6)
and that “in Christ all the
fullness of the
Deity lives in bodily form”
(Colossians 2:9).
He is worthy to be praised.
Confidence
is a popular subject today.
We are told to think confidently,
to be self-assured,
In a myriad of ways, the theme of
modern society
is to
be self-confident.
Popular religious leaders
make confidence
the
centerpiece of their teaching.
Does the Bible agree with
this "positive thinking" mantra?
If the Bible teaches us to
be confident,
what should
we be
confident about?
If not, why not?
The word confidence (or its close derivatives) is used
54 times in the King James Version and 60 times in the
New International Version.
The majority of uses concern
trust in people,
circumstances, or God.
The Bible says there are some things we
should not have confidence in.
For example,
"Have no confidence in the flesh"
Philippians 3:3
Paul wrote these words to counter the claims
of those who thought they were
acceptable to God
based on their heredity, training, or
religious devotion.
God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34),
and our
résumés and geneaologies don’t matter much to Him.
Proverbs 14:16
to arrogantly assume that sin has
no consequences is a foolish confidence.
If we’re going to be confident in something,
Psalm 118:8, 9 tells us what it should be:
"It is better to trust in the Lord
than to
put confidence in man.
It is better to trust in the Lord
than
to put confidence in princes."
Those who trust in
government, finances, other people,
or themselves
will be disappointed in the end
On the other hand, those who
put their confidence
in
God will never be ashamed
(Romans 10:11).
Psalm 16 is an excellent example of a
positive confidence in God.
David takes no credit
for his own goodness (verse 2),
nor does he extol his
own abilities. Instead,
every good thing is ascribed to God (verse 6),
and every
hope is based
on
God’s character
(verse 1).
Because God is unchanging,
David can confidently rest in hope
(verse 9),
despite any hardships he faces in life (verse 10).
Our confidence comes from
our
Relationship with Christ
He is our High Priest,
and through His intercession,
we can
“approach the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and
find grace to help us in our time of need”
Hebrews 4:16
The apostles
before the Sanhedrin displayed
an assurance
that
amazed their antagonists:
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John
and realized
that they were unschooled, ordinary men,
they were astonished and they took note that
these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
We can follow God
in
full confidence in
His wisdom, power,
and plan.
As we obey the Lord,
we have
assurance of our salvation
(1 John 2:3).
Also, having a good conscience
aids our confidence,
for we will have nothing to hide.
"The righteous
are as
bold as a lion”
(Proverbs 28:1).
Paul gives us something else
we can have faith in:
"Being confident of this very thing, that he
which hath
begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ"
(Philippians 1:6).
Knowing that God Promises
to work
in the lives of His children,
Paul was confident
that God
would help the Galatians
stand fast in the truth
(Galatians 5:10).
When we put our
trust in God and
His revealed Word,
our lives take
on anew stability, focus,
and poise.
A biblical self-confidence is
really a confidence in
God’s Word and character
We put no confidence in our flesh,
but we have
every confidence in
the God
who made us, called us,
saved us and keeps us
Paul told us what was
most important:
the
death, burial and resurrection
of Jesus Christ
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
and the importance of love (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:8).
Our knowledge, he says, is only partial (verse 9). It will be completed after Christ returns, but for now, love is more important than knowledge (verses 13, 2). In saying this, I don’t mean to imply that doctrinal correctness is not important. We strive for correctness, but admit that we are not infallible.
It encourages me to know that Jesus’ own disciples, both before and after Pentecost, frequently didn’t understand what the Master was doing. Although they had a perfect Teacher, they often failed to understand him correctly. Nevertheless, Jesus used them. This demonstrated that the disciples’ success was a result of God’s work, not human achievement.
For example, after Jesus miraculously fed thousands of people, he and the disciples got into a boat, and Jesus warned them, “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod” (Mark 8:14). The disciples concluded that Jesus meant that, since they hadn’t brought any bread and would have to buy some on the other shore, they shouldn’t buy any bread from a Pharisee or Herodian because something was incorrect about the yeast they used.
Why didn’t they simply ask Jesus what he meant? The Bible doesn’t tell us why, but it was probably because they were afraid of looking foolish. (That happens today, too.) But Jesus knew quite well how foolish they were. He chided them for not understanding something that they should have been able to understand. They could remember facts (verses 19-20), but they didn’t draw right conclusions. Jesus could make bread miraculously. The disciples didn’t need to worry about bread or yeast.
Actually, Mark doesn’t inform his readers what Jesus really did mean. He simply ends the story with “Do you still not understand?” (verse 21). Thankfully, Matthew helps us out by telling us what Jesus was talking about. The miracle of the loaves was not just a way to save money — it also had a meaning that the disciples should have understood (Mark 6:52). It was figurative, symbolizing the fact that Jesus is our source of life. His teachings are what we need to live forever. When he warned his disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees, he was talking about their doctrines (Matthew 16:12).
The disciples
were to live on the
teachings of Jesus, not
the
teachings of the Pharisees.
We learn a similar lesson in the Gospel of John. Soon after a miracle of physical bread, Jesus proclaimed himself the bread of life (John 6:32-35). He then said that people must eat his flesh and drink his blood if they want to have eternal life (verse 54).
This was much
too strange
for many people.
His disciples
called it “a hard teaching,”
and
they grumbled
about it (verses 60-61).
They did not understand it,
and
many left him
(verse 66).
But the Twelve remained
because
Jesus had
the teachings of eternal life
(verse 68).
They didn’t understand,
but that wasn’t a reason to leave.
They set a good
example of faith and patience for us today.
The disciples eventually
learned what Jesus was talking about.
The people who left him,
however, remained in ignorance.
Although the human desire
is to understand everything right away,
we need patience when
dealing with the
teachings of Jesus Christ.
Now let’s look at an incident
in the Gospel of Luke.
The 12-year-old Jesus was in
the temple,
amazing everyone with
his understanding
(Luke 2:47).
But his parents were astonished that he had done such a thing. They did not understand (verses 48-50). His mother treasured these things in her heart (verse 51), but she didn’t understand her Son until many years later, probably after his resurrection more than 20 years later.
We need to ask God for patience like that — if there are things we don’t understand, questions that haven’t been resolved to our satisfaction, then we can treasure them in our hearts for a while. In time, Christ will reveal to us whatever we need to know — if our hearts are right, if we are trusting in him.
Early in Jesus’ ministry, the disciples were amazed when Jesus calmed a storm, and they asked one another, “What kind of man is this?” (Matthew 8:27). It was a very good question, and Matthew gives us the answer only two verses later: He is the Son of God. A few chapters later, there was another storm at sea, and after Jesus walked on the water and calmed the storm, the disciples correctly concluded, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:24-33). But they still had much to learn (Mark 6:51-52).
A short while later, Jesus offended the Pharisees by criticizing their obsession with ritual cleanness (Matthew 15:2, 11). When the disciples asked Jesus to explain what he meant, he asked, “Are you still so dull?” (verses 15-16). This doesn’t seem like a very nice response, but Jesus said it, and one of the disciples wrote this down because it can help us. I find it encouraging to learn that Jesus doesn’t require us to be extra-brilliant scholars. When it takes me years to learn things from the Bible, I take comfort in the fact that it also took years for the disciples to learn things even when Jesus was with them in the flesh.
One of the most dramatic stories of misunderstanding begins with Jesus asking his disciples, “Who do people say I am?” (Mark 8:27). And Peter said, “You are the Christ” (verse 29). Peter understood this much correctly — not because he was extra clever, but because God had revealed it to him. Even so, he understood only part of what he needed to.
Peter had the
right word — Messiah or Christ --
but he had a woefully incorrect
idea of what a Messiah would do.
Peter wanted a conquering hero, but Jesus talked about suffering and death (verse 31). Peter, with zeal greater than wisdom, began to rebuke his own Teacher, as if he could teach the Messiah a thing or two. Jesus rebuked him sharply because he was thinking like a human (verse 33).
All of us, being human, naturally think the things of humans. And because of that, we do not always understand the things of God. That should not surprise us or alarm us. When it happens, we need to patiently wait for God to reveal more to us. Of course, we need to do our part, searching the Scriptures and asking God for understanding. We should also take advantage of the tools that God provides, including reading and listening to Christian teachers.
We are all disciples or learners.
As followers of Jesus, we have to continue learning.
The Holy Spirit leads us
into all truth,
but this doesn’t happen instantly.
Quite the contrary:
We will die before we know it all.
That’s why it is reassuring to
know that God looks on the heart.
Salvation
is not some sort of intelligence contest.
God’s power
is made perfect
in weakness.
Peter wasn’t ready to accept a suffering Messiah, but he wasn’t ready to accept a glorious Messiah, either. Mark 9 tells us that when Peter saw Jesus in glory, he was so frightened that he didn’t know what to say (verse 6). Jesus told his disciples to keep the Transfiguration secret until he had risen from the dead — and right away the disciples began discussing what “rising from the dead” meant (verses 9-10). It seems quite plain to us today, but it was a mystery to these men. They could have asked Jesus what he meant, but they did not. Instead, they discussed it among themselves, sharing their ignorance instead of learning from the Master. Sometimes modern disciples do that, too.
In verse 31, Jesus again predicted his own death and resurrection, and the disciples still didn’t understand. Not only that, they were afraid to ask him! Jesus was the perfect embodiment of love and truth, but his disciples were afraid to ask him what he meant (verse 32). Perhaps they were afraid of the truth. That continues to happen to people today.
Jesus not only predicted his own death, he also said that his followers must take up their crosses and forsake all (Mark 8:34). Nevertheless, it was not long before his followers, probably thinking of a physical kingdom again, argued among themselves as to who would be the greatest. Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them about it, but they were too ashamed to answer (Mark 9:33-34). They had been acting like unconverted men.
A little later, the disciples were again amazed at what Jesus said (Mark 10:24). Jesus explained what he meant, and the disciples were even more amazed (verse 26). And soon they were astonished, and some were afraid (verse 32). How long had they been with their Teacher, and yet continued to be surprised by what he taught! They understood only a fraction of what he said, and yet they continued to follow him, because he had the words of eternal life. Their faith was not perfect, but it was enough to keep them going.
Jesus predicted that a disciple would betray him, but the disciples did not understand this seemingly plain statement. They just stared at one another (John 13:21-22). He predicted his death, and they did not understand (verses 36-37). They were filled with grief, but did not ask him what he meant (John 16:5-6). They asked each other, but none of them knew what he was talking about (verses 17-18).
They expressed their faith, but Jesus predicted that they would forsake him (verses 30-32). Peter boldly proclaimed his allegiance, and the other disciples, equally ignorant, said the same (Mark 14:31). But when left to their own strength, they fell asleep, and they did not know what to say (verse 40). They all deserted him (verse 50). Even when eyewitnesses told them that Jesus had been resurrected, still they did not believe (Mark 16:13; John 20:9).
The disciples didn’t understand.
They argued. They did things they shouldn’t have.
They didn’t ask questions they should have.
They were ordinary people.
God uses people like that.
He can use people like us, too, if our
hearts and attitudes are right.
Even after Jesus’ resurrection, he chided his disciples for being foolish and slow of heart to believe (Luke 24:25). “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your minds?” (verse 38). They were full of joy and amazement, but still did not believe (verse 41). They even worshiped him, but some still doubted (Matthew 28:17).
The Gospel of John gives a summary of many such situations: “At first his disciples did not understand all this.
Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that
these things had been written
about him and that they had done these things to him”
(John 12:16).
The pillars of the
church had some shaky beginnings.
Things improved after Pentecost,
of course,
but still they weren’t perfect.
There were administrative problems in the
Jerusalem church.
There were differences of opinion
about gentiles and laws.
There were controversies
about the
missionary
work of Paul.
There were problems
in his churches and tension among the
Christians in Rome.
God’s church has never had complete doctrinal perfection.
Throughout history, Christians have wrestled with different doctrines and practices. Doctrinal errors are nothing new. That’s why it’s important that we always remain willing to re-examine the issues, admit our fallibility and be willing to change and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior. It may be difficult at times to change our ways, but that’s what we have been called to do. We are disciples, and thankfully, we are learning.
Jesus suffered severely
throughout
His trials, torture, and crucifixion
(Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19).
His suffering was physical:
Isaiah 52:14 declares,
“There were many who were appalled at Him--
His appearance was so disfigured beyond that
of any man and his
form marred beyond human likeness.”
His suffering was emotional:
“All the disciples deserted him and fled”
(Matthew 26:56).
His suffering was spiritual:
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us”
(2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus had the weight of the sins of the entire world on Him (1 John 2:2). It was sin that caused Jesus to cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus’ brutal physical suffering was augmented by His having to bear the guilt of our sins and die to pay our penalty (Romans 5:8).
Isaiah predicted Jesus’ suffering: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our
iniquities;
the punishment
that
brought us peace
was upon him,
and by
his wounds we are healed”
(Isaiah 53:3, 5). This passage specifies the reason for
Jesus’ suffering:
“for our transgressions,”
for our healing,
and to bring us peace.
Jesus told His disciples
that His suffering was certain:
"The Son of Man
must suffer many things
and be rejected by the elders,
the chief priests
and the teachers of the law,
and he must be killed
and on the third day be
raised to life”
(Luke 9:22; cf. 17:25).
Note the word must—He must suffer, and
He must be killed.
The suffering of Christ was God’s plan
for the salvation of the world.
Psalm 22:14–18 details some of the
suffering of the Messiah: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” In order for this and other prophecies to be fulfilled, Jesus had to suffer.
Why did Jesus have to suffer so badly?
The principle of the innocent dying for the guilty was established in the garden of Eden: Adam and Eve received garments of animal skin to cover their shame (Genesis 3:21)--
thus, blood was shed in Eden. Later, this principle was set in the
Mosaic Law: “It is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life”
(Leviticus 17:11; cf. Hebrews 9:22).
Jesus had to suffer because
suffering is part of sacrifice,
and Jesus was “the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:29).
Jesus’ physical torture was
part of the payment required for our sins.
We are redeemed
“with the precious blood of Christ,
a lamb without blemish or defect”
(1 Peter 1:19).
Jesus’ suffering on the cross showed the devastating nature of sin, the wrath of God, the cruelty of humanity, and the hatred of Satan.
At Calvary, mankind was allowed to do his worst to the Son of Man as He became the Redeemer of mankind. Satan may have thought he had won a great victory, but it was through the cross that the Son of God triumphed over Satan, sin, and death.
"Now is the time for judgment on this world;
now the prince of this world will be driven out”
(John 12:31; cf. Colossians 2:15).
Jesus suffered and died
in order to secure salvation
for all who would believe. The night of His arrest, as Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, He committed His all to the task: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The cup of suffering was not taken from Christ; He drank it all for us. There was no other way for us to be saved.
Jesus Christ
experienced
hematohidrosis while praying in the
garden of Gethsemane before his crucification
as mentioned in the Defenders Bible by
Physician Luke
as “and being in anguish he prayed more
earnestly and his sweat was
like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
The night before Jesus Christ
was crucified,
He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Luke, a physician,
recorded that Jesus’ sweat
was like drops of blood:
“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).
Some consider Luke’s description
as mere simile—Jesus’ sweat fell to the ground in large,
heavy drops, the way that
blood drips from an open wound.
However, there exists a medical condition that
produces the symptoms described
and explains Luke’s mention of blood.
Hematidrosis is a rare, but very real,
medical condition
that causes one’s sweat to contain blood.
The sweat glands are surrounded by
tiny blood vessels that can constrict and
then dilate to the point of rupture,
causing blood to effuse into the sweat glands.
The cause of hematidrosis is
extreme anguish.
In the other gospel accounts,
we see the level of Jesus’ anguish:
“My soul is overwhelmed
with sorrow
to the point of death”
(Matthew 26:38; cf. Mark 14:34).
The intense anguish and sorrow
Jesus felt
was certainly understandable.
Being God, Christ knew
“all that was going to happen to Him” (John 18:4).
He knew in painstaking detail the events
that were to follow soon after
He was betrayed by one of His very own disciples.
He knew He was about to undergo several trials where all of the witnesses against Him would lie. He knew that many who had hailed Him as the Messiah only days earlier would now be screaming for His crucifixion (Luke 23:23). He knew He would be flogged nearly to the point of death before they pounded the metal spikes into His flesh. He knew the prophetic words of Isaiah spoken seven centuries earlier that He would be beaten so badly that He would be “disfigured beyond that of any man” and “beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14).
Certainly, these things factored into
His great anguish and sorrow,
causing Him to sweat drops of blood.
Yet there was more.
Crucifixion was considered to be the most painful and torturous method of execution ever devised and was used on the most despised and wicked people. In fact, so horrific was the pain that a word was designed to help explain it--excruciating, which literally means “from the cross.” From His arrest in the garden until the time our Lord stated, “It is finished” (John 19:30), Scripture records only one instance where Jesus “cried out in a loud voice” (Matthew 27:46). As our sinless Savior bore the weight of the world’s sins on His shoulders, and the suffering Servant cried out, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; cf. Psalm 22:1). The spiritual pain no doubt greatly exceeded the intense physical pain the Lord endured on our behalf.
At the beginning of creation,
human history began in a garden
(Genesis 2:8),
and when the first Adam sinned against God in this garden, death entered the world
(Genesis 3:6).
Thousands of years later, Jesus Christ, the last Adam
(1 Corinthians 15:45)
entered into another garden to accept the cup from
His Father’s hand
(Matthew 26:42; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42)
, and death was about to be swallowed up in victory. Although God’s plan was designed before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4–5), we must never forget that its execution came at a great cost. Ultimately, then, we are the ones responsible for the blood that dripped from our Savior as He prayed in the garden.
And we are the reason Jesus’ soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Indeed, these bloodied sweat drops came at a great cost; let us never forget that.