What did Jesus sweat in the Garden of Gethsemene?

A:The story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene developed as it apssed from gospel account to gospel account. The first, Mark's Gospel, simply has Jesus pray to God that he might be spared his destiny, but if that be God's will he would do his will. Here there is no mention of Jesus sweating. This is taken up by Matthew, again with no mention of Jesus sweating.

Luke 22:44 elaborates on the earlier account, saying that Jesus was in such agony that his sweat was like great drops of blood.

Of course, it could be that the authors of Mark and Matthew simply failed to mention this small detail, but then we find that John's Gospel reverses the entire story. In this gospel, Jesus does not pray in the Garden of Gethsemene and does not ask God to be spared from crucifixion but does say a triumphant prayer to God (John 17:1-26) saying that his time had come, before reaching the Garden (John 18:1). John provides no room for Jesus to suffer before (or even during) his crucifixion.

Luke's account adds a nice dramatic touch to the story of the Garden of Gethsemene, but we must remember that the author was not present and that Jesus was alone, with just Peter, James and John asleep a stone's throw away. We know the author of John's Gospel knew the story in Luke, but he clearly did not believe it.