By the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

The mental anguish resulting from our Lord’s struggle with temptation in Gethsemane pushed Him to an untold emotional extreme, causing His pores to exude large “drops of blood falling to the ground.” This proves the tremendously heavy weight of sin since it was able to crush the Savior to the point He sweated “drops of blood”!

It also demonstrates the mighty power of His love. Isaac Ambrose (Puritan author, 1602 – 1674) made the beautiful observation that sap exuding naturally from a camphor tree, without cutting it, is always the best. Jesus, the most precious “camphor tree” of all, yielded sweet spices from the wounds produced by the knotty whips and the piercing nails of the cross. But He gave forth the best spice in the garden without any whips, nails, or wounds.

This exhibits how voluntary His suffering was, for His blood freely flowed in Gethsemane without Him being pierced by a spear. There was no need for a physician to draw blood or cut Christ with a knife, for His blood flowed spontaneously in the garden. There was no need for the authorities to cry out, “Spring up, O well!” (Num. 21:17), for it flowed by itself in torrents of crimson.

When people suffer great mental pain and anguish, apparently their blood rushes to their hearts. Their faces become pale and, if the anguish is extreme enough, they will suffer a fainting spell, for their blood has gone inward as if to nourish the inner person during its severe trial.

Yet look at our Savior in His extreme agony ​— He was utterly oblivious to Himself. Instead of His blood being driven by His anguish to nourish His own heart, it rushed outward to the world to satisfy the earth’s need for moisture. The agony of Christ that caused Him to be poured out upon the ground pictures perfectly for us the fullness of the offering He made for mankind.

Do we really perceive how intense His struggle in the garden must have been? Will we listen to His voice when He says to us, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (Heb. 12:4)?

Behold Jesus — the great Apostle and High Priest of our profession of faith! Then be willing to sweat blood rather than yield to the great Tempter of your soul.

By the pen of Jim Reimann:

Jesus suffered great agony in Gethsemane, praying, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matt. 26:39). Our future as believers hung on the word Yet, or as the King James Version says, “Nevertheless.” Nevertheless — “as you will”! What a beautiful reflection and fulfillment of this prophecy:

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great . . . because he poured out his life unto death.

Isaiah 53:10 – 12