How was Jesus agony in the Garden different from despair?

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Hey everyone. I have been wondering this for a while. The Bible tells us that Jesus suffered such agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He died that He literally sweat blood (which is an actual condition known as hematohydrosis). But I know that Jesus did not commit the sin of despair because He never sinned. However, I am trying to figure out what the difference was between His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and despair. Could you please help me out?
 
Holly3278 said:
Hey everyone. I have been wondering this for a while. The Bible tells us that Jesus suffered such agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He died that He literally sweat blood (which is an actual condition known as hematohydrosis). But I know that Jesus did not commit the sin of despair because He never sinned. However, I am trying to figure out what the difference was between His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and despair. Could you please help me out?
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Remember that Jesus even in the agony of His soul prayed “Not my will but your will be done.” These are not the words of despair. Despair is the sin of our circumstances leading us to no longer trust God, but that does not mean that we will never suffer. Recall righteous Job who suffered greatly and was then called to account by God because his circumstance led him to question God’s justice. Jesus never does that. He accepts the justice of His Father but that does not mean that He, in His flesh, thinks lightly for the trial that awaits Him. But remember also that the NT also tells us that He bore the shame and suffering for the Joy that was set before Him. So even in His deepest hour the ordeal, on some level with in Him, was one whereby He had great joy knowing this was God’s plan for the saving of many souls.

God Bless
 
To despair is to lose all hope. One can be in extreme agony and not lose hope. In fact, I would venture to say that since Jesus KNEW what the outcome of the situation would be, he could not despair. Of course, that does not make the situation any less painful or agonizing. Knowing that such a situation will have a good end, despite also knowing just how horrendous it will be to endure it, is what faith is all about. He had no reason to despair, despite His agony.
 
Holly3278 said:
Hey everyone. I have been wondering this for a while. The Bible tells us that Jesus suffered such agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He died that He literally sweat blood (which is an actual condition known as hematohydrosis). But I know that Jesus did not commit the sin of despair because He never sinned. However, I am trying to figure out what the difference was between His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and despair. Could you please help me out?
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As others have replied, agony or torment is not evidence of giving up hope in God, which is the core element of despair. Jesus’ agony in the garden was less an indicator of despair than were his words on the cross near the end: “My God, My God! Why have you abandoned me?”

This is the more problematic event in terms of Jesus coming close to despair. However, in response it should be noted that Jesus often made reference to the Old Testament to demonstrate the truth of what he said and did, but also to demonstrate that his mission was to fulfill the promises of God in the Old Testament. As such, these words of his from the cross are a direct reference to Psalm 22 which is a prophetic prayer of David that points directly to Jesus as the one who fulfills it to the letter. As such, his words of abandonment on the cross can be taken as a final notice or claim of what he was all about, a kind of cogent reminder that he had lived up to David’s prayerful but prophetic pleas for deliverance found in this Psalm and not words of despair at all.
 
There is private revelation - I can’t remember who , it my have been St Faustine - where it was claimed that he was shown all the sins of the people he was to be crucified for - that Satan was there to ask him if he was willing to be crucified for the most horrible of sins and then showing Jesus these sins , just use your imagination. You don’t have to believe this but it certainly would explain his agony.It was also revealed that he said “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” because of the horror of these sins and a great loathing he felt for these sinners and for lukewarm Christians.

Don’t have to believe this but like I said it does make sense in some ways.
 
Holly3278 said:
Hey everyone. I have been wondering this for a while. The Bible tells us that Jesus suffered such agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He died that He literally sweat blood (which is an actual condition known as hematohydrosis). But I know that Jesus did not commit the sin of despair because He never sinned. However, I am trying to figure out what the difference was between His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and despair. Could you please help me out?
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I should note that Luke only says that His sweat was “like drops of blood falling to the ground.” You could either interpret that literally (Jesus had hematidrosis and actually sweated blood), or as a vivid simile (Jesus sweated so profusely as if He was bleeding). Either way you choose to interpret it, the decription highlights how anxious Jesus is.

I should add that the Greek word agonia (where we get ‘agony’ from) was understood not so much as ‘excruciating pain’ as it does today, but as the ‘competition’ or ‘(intense) struggle’ of an athlete or warrior: the kind of preparation that athletes undergo before an athletic contest, which could indeed be a very painful and gruelling ordeal. So when Jesus ‘agonized’ at Gethsemane, it meant that He was like an athlete preparing, ‘struggling’ hard before the big game.

So to answer your question, no, Jesus’ agony doesn’t count as despair.
 
Thank you everyone for your answers. They were quite helpful. I may re-read this thread again sometime soon so as to re-absorb what I read so I can use it in my own apologetics efforts but as for myself, I now understand why Jesus’ agony in the Garden was not despair but instead a sense of horror upon realizing the sins of the world He was going to be crucified for.

I really appreciate these answers. I was unfortunately suffering from some involuntary doubt due to this. Since I am a person who loves learning I decided that I needed to learn why it isn’t despair and so that is why I posted on here. You all really helped to strengthen me in my faith! Thanks again! 👍
 
Holly3278 said:
Thank you everyone for your answers. They were quite helpful. I may re-read this thread again sometime soon so as to re-absorb what I read so I can use it in my own apologetics efforts but as for myself, I now understand why Jesus’ agony in the Garden was not despair but instead a sense of horror upon realizing the sins of the world He was going to be crucified for.

I really appreciate these answers. I was unfortunately suffering from some involuntary doubt due to this. Since I am a person who loves learning I decided that I needed to learn why it isn’t despair and so that is why I posted on here. You all really helped to strengthen me in my faith! Thanks again! 👍
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Why couldn’t Jesus have experienced the temporary, involuntary emotion of despair (as distinguished from a volitional despair of the will)? He was human like us in all things.

You just had an involuntary moment of doubt - why couldn’t Jesus 🤷?
 
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