Did Jesus Literally Sweat Blood? A Critical Review



Bart Ehman's blog explained recently how scholars critique various things that appear in the Bible. He explained there are sometimes internal inconsistencies and sometime external. Internal are when the Bible and handed down versions point toward altered material. An example is the passage which tells us Jesus "sweat like blood" or produced sweat that was like blood before he was killed. (Luke 23:43-44)

Neither verse 43 nor 44 was present in what most scholars consider the oldest and/or best manuscripts that have survived. So the question is whether it was or was not included in what the original author(s) wrote.

Here scholars like Ehrman look for styles of writing. With computer technology it is easy to compile the words various writers like to use or notice words appear one place but are never used elsewhere. Then there is the over arching message a particular writer wants to pass along and whether some passages seem to not conform. When the latter happens there is more suspicion a phrase was added later by a scribe wanting to add something the original writer might have disagreed with.

Scholars believe the author of Luke had in front of him the earlier Book of Mark. The Mark author made certain a message of suffering was attributed to the Jesus character. What Jesus was quoted as saying in Mark went into how much Jesus was suffering while waiting to be killed.

While the writer of Luke followed the sequence of events from Mark carefully, he did not like the way Mark characterized Jesus' state of mind. Especially he did not like it that Mark portrayed Jesus as gloomy and suffering.

So, when the author of Luke told the story he omitted most of the references to being in the dumps and suffering. Luke did not want a whiny complaining Jesus.

But in Luke, there is one exception, the passage about sweating blood. Why would the Luke author portray a chipper Jesus through most of the chapter but then write that Jesus was so in agony he was sweating blood?

Ehrman and scholars like him say the probability is elevated that a scribe did not like the chipper Jesus portrayed be Luke and inserted the two verses about Jesus agony. Note Ehrman does not say he knows a scribe did this, just that the probability is high.

There are two bits of evidence, then, the missing passages in early an early manuscript and the inconsistency in message.




Comments

  1. little helperMarch 11, 2020 at 4:52 PM

    I see Ehrman passes the plate too. Just like being in church. He claims it goes for a good cause, so do churches.
    But the blood thing does not change the story.
    I've heard of; "shitting tacks". I doubt it though.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ardy BMarch 12, 2020 at 9:53 AM

    I read hematidrosis is not uncommon in prisoners awaiting execution. For me a bit of the human Jesus is refreshing. Bart will have to wait for my subscription and donation. My retirement account is hemorrhaging. It’s blood sweat and tears as I await my financial destruction. Good luck everyone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jon LindgrenMarch 12, 2020 at 11:47 AM

      Ardy B "...I await my financial destruction."

      It is a bit cheeky of him to require a financial donation to the shelter where he lives. I pay because he summarizes his long books there. I buy maybe half his books also but the blog is what I use most. Speaking of "financial destruction", that stock market. Ouch.

      Delete
    2. little helperMarch 12, 2020 at 1:27 PM

      Buy accordions. Nobody wants them now, but someday, there may be a run.

      Delete
    3. Jon LindgrenMarch 12, 2020 at 2:10 PM

      helper "Buy accordions...but someday there may be a run."

      That's an opening to tell my story of financial genius. A year of so after Nixon resigned my wife and I were poking around a junk store in her little home town. There was a Nixon dinner plate for as I recall $15.00. I whispered to my wife, "We have to buy that thing. Everyone is dumping their Nixon plates because he is so unpopular. In a few years people will be looking for them and we will have the only one. Maybe we'll make $100."

      I came across that plate the other day in our boxes. It's been decades so I thought now is the time to cash in. I found lots of them on EBay for $10.00.

      Delete
  3. Ardy BMarch 12, 2020 at 2:29 PM

    little helper “Buy accordions”
    Darn good suggestion but I believe the hosts of “Polka Party” have the market cornered. I’m counting on the big box of Cabbage Patch Kids my daughter left behind. The Mrs. said the Walmart toilet paper isle is completely empty here. She recalled the Cabbage Patch Kid customer wars in the Walmart isles and speculated about a TP war with people fighting over the last rolls of single ply.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. little helperMarch 12, 2020 at 2:52 PM

      Ardy; If you can find a German girl with 5 buckle overshoes willing to dance on the bar, and you can play an accordion, you have a future. (The Bible does not say there is no beer in heaven.)
      I'd do that but my wife won't let me.

      Delete

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