Luke 22:43Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

An angel from heaven came to Him and provided Him with strength. This serves as a source of our encouragement, as it reminds us of the empowering nature of prayer, prompting us to seek it during challenging times. In this moment, the prophecy of Moses, declared in the majestic song, is realized: ‘And let all the children of God be strengthened’ (Deuteronomy 32:43). Some interpret this passage to mean that an angel appeared before Him, exalted Him, and proclaimed: ‘Your strength, O Lord! For You have triumphed over death and hell, bringing salvation to humanity. Indeed, it is true.’

Luke does not indicate the number of times the Lord engaged in prayer; however, he provides details that both Matthew and Mark omit, such as the moment when an angel came to strengthen Him during His supplication and the sweat that fell from Him like great drops of blood. When Luke records that, after praying, He approached the disciples, it is unclear which moment he references, yet this does not conflict with the accounts given by the other two evangelists. Additionally, John, after noting that the Lord entered the garden with His disciples, provides no details about His actions there until Judas arrived with the Jewish leaders to betray Him.

The passage concerning the angel who provided strength to the Lord, found in the Gospel of Luke, is also recounted by the esteemed Dionysius, not in written form but likely communicated in a concealed manner to both him and St. Timothy by the Apostle Paul, whose preaching Luke documented. There is evidence suggesting he gleaned this knowledge indirectly, as he states, "which is revealed by our priestly traditions." It is essential to understand that the account of the angel who assisted Him should not contradict the interpretation of sacred Scripture, especially as it pertains to His incarnation.

In this chapter, the entirety of this discussion is presented and explained. Therefore, refer to the interpretation of the verse, “And leaving them, he went away again, and prayed a third time, saying the same word.”

I recalled a verse from the Gospel of Luke that I feel should be examined more closely. It mentions that "when he was in the effort, he sweated, and his sweat was like drops of blood. But an angel of the Lord appeared, strengthening Him" (Luke 22:43-44). Scriptural words are profoundly significant and beneficial for us, and those who fail to recognize their power may find themselves facing peril instead of receiving the grace intended. There is nothing more compelling than this statement. The phrase "was in effort" reveals that the Lord in His humanity was genuinely human. This is evidenced by His sweating, which is described as drops of blood—a condition of the physical body rather than a spiritual one.

The apostle Paul affirms that Jesus Christ, in His moments of anguish, offered fervent prayers accompanied by tears and was liberated from His fears (Heb. 5:7). As noted in the account by St. Luke (Luke 22:43), an angel from heaven came to minister to Him, providing encouragement. Thus, the outcome of the prayer in Gethsemane was the fortification of Jesus’ humanity for His mission, enabling Him to overcome weariness and effectively complete His redemptive act at Golgotha.

Jesus, once so bold in spirit, now appeared to be overwhelmed by deep sorrow. Not long before, He declared, "Now the Son of Man is glorified," and urged, "Take heart, I have overcome the world." Yet at this moment, He felt compelled to pray to the Father that this cup might be taken from Him. What could have provoked such anguish in Jesus' spirit, leading to such a swift shift in His state? It was certainly not merely the physical suffering He anticipated before His crucifixion, for death is not necessarily more harrowing for the righteous than for the wicked. It is often observed that a wrongdoer seeks punishment to ease their conscience. Even common individuals are capable of enduring physical pain without despair.

Despite the situation, an angel was dispatched to Him during His third prayer, and the angel’s mere presence was meant to uplift Jesus further and empower Him to withstand the impending suffering. This encouragement was crucial, as His vigor started to wane, demonstrated by the unusual sweat forming on His brow, resembling blood that dripped to the earth.

In that place, He commenced praying to fortify His spirit, overwhelmed by the enormity of humanity's sins that He was about to bear. His human nature was distressed at the impending load He was to carry. In a moment of profound anguish, Christ considered the possibility of evading the immense task of redemption and cried out to the Father, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to Thee; carry this cup past Me." Yet, He instantly committed everything to the will of the One who had sent Him, declaring, "but not what I want, but what Thou wilt." At this moment, the unity of His Divine and human natures was more evident than ever.

An angel from heaven came to Him, a detail unique to Luke's account. The Lord was deeply sorrowful (refer to Matt. 26:37-38), and His human form was weary; thus, the heavenly Father sent an angel to His beloved Son during this time of anguish to provide Him with strength. The phrase "appeared to Him" indicates a physical manifestation of the angel, similar to other instances when angels are seen by men (Luke 1:11); therefore, it should not be interpreted in a spiritual sense, but rather as a tangible presence. The term "strengthened" implies more than mere comfort; it denotes a profound support. Regarding the timing of the angel's visit, it is likely that it occurred after the initial prayer of the Savior, which may have contributed to a sense of tranquility during His subsequent prayers (Matt. 26:39-44).