In the Garden of Gethesmane was Jesus so drenched in blood that the soldiers didn’t recognize him?

Hey Gramps,

I have a couple to questions that I would like to qualify by saying that I’m active LDS and have a curious nature when it comes to things that are relevant to my salvation. I’m not looking for ammo just whatever information that you can share.

While Christ was the Garden of Gethsemane, paying for our sins Luke says that he sweat great drops of Blood, i.e. bled from every pore. Would it be unreasonable to suppose that Christ was drenched in blood and that is why the soldgers didn’t recognize him and then fell back as he stepped forward?

Also, and this one should be a little easier, from a recent priesthood lesson, Pres. Joseph F. Smith seems to indicate that denying your testimony qualifies you as a son of predition. What does it take to qualify as a son of perdition?

Rick, from Utah

Dear Rick,

Question 1– Your guess is as good as mine.

Question 2– Here are the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie with respect to becoming a son of perdition–

“There is an unpardonable sin, a sin for which there is no forgiveness, neither in time nor in eternity. It is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; it is to deny Christ, to come out in open rebellion, to make open war against the Son of Man after gaining, by the power of the Holy Ghost, a sure and perfect knowledge of the truth and divinity of the Lord’s work. It is to shed innocent blood, meaning to assent unto the death of Christ-to crucify him afresh, Paul says- with a full and absolute knowledge that he is the Son of God. It is to wage open warfare, as does Lucifer, against the Lord and his Anointed, knowing that the course so pursued is evil. It is to deny-to say the sun does not shine while seeing its blazing light-it is to deny Christ after a sure and irrevocable testimony has been received by the power of the Holy Ghost. Hence, it is a scurrilous and evil declaration against the Holy Ghost, against the sole and only source of absolute and sure knowledge. It is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.

“Let men without this sure knowledge speak even against Christ himself; let them commit all manner of sins and blasphemies, even murder, and yet when the penalties have been paid and a proper repentance granted, men shall come forth in immortality and gain an inheritance in whatever kingdom of glory they merit. Only the sons of perdition shall be cast out eternally to live and reign with Lucifer in hell forever. Such is the mercy and wonder of that eternal plan-the gospel of God, now named after Christ his Son-which a gracious God has provided for all his children” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Vol.2, p.215-217).

Gramps