θρόμβος

a clot, large drop

Definition

θρόμβος (thrombos) refers to a thick, clotted mass, most specifically a clot of blood. In its sole New Testament occurrence in Luke 22:44, it describes the 'great drops' of sweat that fell from Jesus in Gethsemane, which were 'like drops of blood.' This vivid simile uses the word's primary sense of a dense, heavy drop or clot to convey the intensity and physical agony of Jesus's prayer. The term emphasizes not just liquid, but a thickened, almost solid consistency, highlighting the extreme stress of the moment.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 22:44, within the narrative of Jesus's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is employed in a powerful simile, describing Jesus's sweat as falling 'like great drops (θρόμβοι) of blood.' The usage is highly descriptive and medical in tone, intended to convey the severe physical and emotional distress Jesus experienced as he prayed before his arrest and crucifixion.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek verb θρέμβομαι (thrembomai), meaning 'to coagulate' or 'to curdle.' The root sense is of a liquid thickening into a semi-solid mass. This etymology directly informs its meaning as a clot or a heavy, dense drop, as seen in its application to both blood and, by simile, to sweat in Luke's Gospel.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it provides a profound, physical window into the humanity and suffering of Jesus Christ. The description of his sweat falling like clots of blood underscores the reality of his incarnation and the immense weight of the sin he was preparing to bear. It enriches the reading of Luke 22:44 by emphasizing that Christ's atoning work began not only on the cross but in his willing submission to anguish, fulfilling the role of a suffering servant (Isaiah 53). Understanding this vivid Greek term deepens appreciation for the cost of our redemption.

In the ancient Greco-Roman world, medical and physiological descriptions often used this term for coagulated blood. Luke, traditionally identified as a physician (Colossians 4:14), employs precise, clinical language familiar in Hellenistic culture to describe a supernatural or intensely emotional physical phenomenon. The simile would have been understood by contemporary readers as a sign of extreme anguish or a life-threatening crisis, making the scene in Gethsemane unmistakably dramatic.

στάγων (stagon, G2360) — a general term for a drop of any liquid; lacks the specific connotation of thickness or clotting. αἷμα (haima, G129) — the general word for blood itself, not specifying its clotted state.

Word Details

Scripture References