Good Friday: Agony and Blood

Can you imagine knowing the exact details of your death? Imagine knowing every graphic and specific detail of your last days. It’s one thing to know you are going to die, but it’s another to be able to completely visualize the excruciating and painful aspects of your death. This was the life Jesus lived and this was why His humanity cried out as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus was the creator of everything in heaven and on earth (Colossians 1:15) and was now about to be crucified by His own creation. The same creation He was about to save and redeem from sin. Jesus knew every ounce of spit that would fall upon His face, He could visualize every fist that would strike His face and body, He knew about the crown of thorns that would be forced upon His head, He knew how many times their reeds would strike His head, He possessed the foresight to see the number of slaps that would cross His face, He could already hear the insults and curses that would be spoken against Him, He knew that His disciples would abandon Him at His time of greatest need, He knew that Judas would betray Him and hand Him over to the Sanhedrin, He knew that His closest disciple Peter would deny he even knew Him, He knew He would be scourged and His fleshed ripped off His body, He visualized the nails being driven through His hands and feet, He looked ahead and could see every ounce of blood that would drip from His body, and He knew His life would be offered up on a cross to fulfill the wrath of God.

Picture a dark garden just outside city of Jerusalem and imagine Jesus kneeling down before His father and crying out in agony. Luke wrote that Jesus “being in agony, was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:44).

Is it important to note that debate exists among scholars on whether Jesus actually sweated blood or whether Luke meant this verse figuratively. However, there is a condition called  hematidrosis where blood is infused into one’s perspiration. This condition is caused by extreme anguished or physical strain. Both of which Jesus experienced that night in the Garden of Gethsemane.

What’s important is that Jesus was on the threshold of death and was beginning to experience separation from His father for the first time in His life, which caused Him great agony. Does your own separation from God cause you agony?

Good Friday is about the wrath of God being satisfied through Jesus going to the cross. Express your gratitude this Friday and every day of your life for the gift of eternal life and the forgiveness of sins found in Christ.

His agony and blood were for you!