One morning a student in Sunday School raised their hand and asked their teacher, “Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?” The teacher responded, “To die for our sins so we can have forgiveness.” Puzzled, the student asked another question “Why couldn’t He just forgive us?” Most of us reading have asked this question once or twice in our lives. Perhaps we have even been asked this question and could not come up with an answer. Many books have been written to answer this question, but I hope this short article can bring some satisfaction to this daunting question. Genesis records how God created all things good, but then Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered the world. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death, therefore, death is a consequence of sin. Since every person has sinned, every person is appointed to die Hebrews 9:7. The only way to punish sin is by death. Jesus had to die because only death can pay off our sin debt. God is a just and righteous judge. Sin must be punished. If God does not punish sin, He cannot be just or righteous. Instead of judging our sin at the moment we sin, because we all would be dead, God showed grace by establishing the sacrificial system.

On the night of the last supper, Jesus not only did some of the most profound teaching in his life, but he also traveled to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. It is here that all three synoptic Gospels (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46) record Jesus praying in the garden. He had gone to pray, as was his custom in the garden. His disciples were there, and he had asked the three, Peter, James and John to pray that they might not be tempted. In Luke 22:44 it says “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (ESV) this is the phenomenon that we will examine in this article. The name of the medical condition when a person sweats drops of blood is called hematidrosis, hematohidrosis, or hemidrosis. This condition is primarily caused when an individual is under extreme emotional or psychological stress. This extreme stress causes the capillaries surrounding sweat glands to leak or rupture. The blood then comes out of the pores with sweat. This is an extremely rare physiological response, a real phenomenon. Many have stated their belief that Jesus experienced this phenomenon because he knew the physical torture that he would undergo. This however is highly unlikely. While Jesus is fully God and fully man at the same time, and did feel real physical pain. The reason for this can be found in the gospel of Matthew 26:39, where it says “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” The cup itself holds the answer. One might ask what cup he would like to pass, and the answer is the cup of God’s wrath.

In the words of an ancient Easter hymn, I will sing “Christians, to the Paschal victim offer your thankful praises! A lamb the sheep redeems, Christ, who only is sinless, reconciles sinners to the Father…Speak, Mary, declaring what you saw, wayfaring: ‘The tomb of Christ, who is living, the glory of Jesus’ resurrection.’ Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.”

“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. “ Galatians 6:14 (kjv) As we focus on the cross and the radiance beaming from the cross, there is the thought of the cross being the lighthouse that shines the light of the Gospel of Christ out over the wild, rough, ragged, and battered coast of life. With this radiance beaming from the cross it is a reminder that if we will follow that light, our frail vessel has the potential of navigating safely through the storms of life and make our way into the harbor of ETERNAL LIFE. This Easter season it is our privilege to glory (or boast) in the love that radiates from the cross. The radiance of the cross beams out the message of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, painfully bleeding and suffering as he pays the supreme sacrifice for the sins of the world. The cross continues to radiate the passion and love of Jesus for sinful humanity, and that beam from that old rugged cross will continue to guide us into the harbor of eternal life.

Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead They were engraved in the rock forever! Job 19:23-24 I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, He lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living head. Is there no longer any shame in being caught in a lie? Social media is filled with people making false claims.

Could this be a step to unity? For Pope Francis, the answer is clear: “Easter belongs to Christ!” the pontiff declared in September 2024, when he met with representatives of the Pasqua Together 2025 Initiative, an assemblage of various lay associations and movements of several Christian confessions.