The Downward Motion of Jesus' Sweat and the Authenticity of Luke 22:43-44

Recurring debate over the authenticity of Luke 22:43-44 has subjected the verses to intense scrutiny. In addition to the unique vocabulary and Jesus' dycovia, the blood and sweat metaphor/imagery is a usual locus of investigation. Missing from these studies on the blood and sweat, however, has...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Pope, Michael (Author)
Format: Print Article
Language:English
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Published: Catholic University of America Press [2017]
In: The catholic biblical quarterly
Year: 2017, Volume: 79, Issue: 2, Pages: 261-281
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Lukasevangelium 22,43-44 / Jesus Christus / Sweat / Movement
IxTheo Classification:HC New Testament
Further subjects:B Idioms
B Bible. Luke
B Metaphor in the Bible
B Jesus Christus
B Blood
B Luke 22
B Bible Versions
B secretion
B Jesus
B sweat
B 43-44
B Jesus Christ Prayer in Gethsemane
B Body
B Bible. Lukasevangelium 22,43-44
Parallel Edition:Electronic
Description
Summary:Recurring debate over the authenticity of Luke 22:43-44 has subjected the verses to intense scrutiny. In addition to the unique vocabulary and Jesus' dycovia, the blood and sweat metaphor/imagery is a usual locus of investigation. Missing from these studies on the blood and sweat, however, has been any interrogation of KcrraPaivovTci;, the one term describing the sweat's secretion and motion. Almost unanimously, translators and commentators have rendered the participle as "falling" even though this is inconsistent with Luke's own use of KaraPaivstv. I argue that the notion of sweat falling is incongruous across time and genre with Greek modes of discussing the emission and movement of sweat and similar bodily fluids. Instead of Jesus' sweat "falling," I argue that "coursing down" or "streaming down" best captures the idiom. Along with gaining translational accuracy and coherence with Lucan usage, I suggest that this description of Jesus' sweat accords with his bodily comportment (kneeling) in 22:41, a modest but previously unnoticed piece of internal evidence that may point toward the verses' authenticity.
ISSN:0008-7912
Contains:Enthalten in: The catholic biblical quarterly