Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College & Dallas Seminary graduate, Pentair

Good question, Jim. 

The account of Jesus sweating blood, recorded in Luke 22:44, is understood both as a rare physiological phenomenon and as a profound theological statement about his humanity and sacrificial mission. The biblical text states that his sweat was "like drops of blood" falling to the ground, and this phrasing may indicate either a metaphorical description of heavy perspiration or a literal instance of hematohidrosis. Hematohidrosis is a medically documented condition in which extreme stress causes capillaries around the sweat glands to rupture and release blood or blood pigment into perspiration. The inclusion of this detail is particularly noteworthy because Luke, the author of that Gospel, was a physician, which lends further credibility to the historical and medical precision of the account. (Luke 22:44)

Theologically, this event reveals Jesus' genuine human nature, showing that he experienced real fear and anguish rather than facing his passion with detachment. It also serves as a vivid foreshadowing of the physical suffering he would endure on the cross. The intense agony in Gethsemane stemmed from his inner struggle as he contemplated bearing the weight of human sin, yet he ultimately demonstrated perfect obedience by submitting to the Father's will, praying, "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42)

As for the television series The Chosen, it does depict this scene, and creator Dallas Jenkins has confirmed that the show includes a small amount of blood in that moment. However, he has also noted that the presentation is an artistic interpretation rather than a strictly literal rendering. This approach is consistent with the series' role as a supplemental dramatization of the biblical narrative rather than a word-for-word adaptation of Scripture, and it reflects the reality that the Gospels themselves do not record every detail of Jesus' life. (John 21:25)

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