Hebrews 5:7 · Bible study
Hebrews 5:7 Commentary: Jesus’ Agony and Answered Prayer
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the divine Son cried out in desperate prayer, and what it means that He was heard, the meaning of Gethsemane and reverent submission.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus, in his earthly vulnerability, prayed with intense emotion to the Father, who heard him because of his reverent submission, and answered by sustaining and raising him, not by removing the cross.
- Key words: Deēseis (specific petitions), hiketērias (suppliant’s gesture), kraugē ischuras (loud crying), eulabeia (godly reverence).
- Main debate: In what sense was Jesus “heard”? Options: delivered from fear of death, strengthened to endure, or rescued from death by resurrection.
- Theological theme: Christ’s real humanity, the nature of prayer as submission, and the Father’s response that works through suffering, not around it.
- Best use: A text for teaching on prayer, suffering, and the humanity of Christ, especially for those who feel their own prayers are not answered.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
KJV King James Version 1769
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
who in the days of his flesh both prayers and supplications unto Him who was able to save him from death--with strong crying and tears--having offered up, and having been heard in respect to that which he feared,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up both supplications and entreaties to him who was able to save him out of death, with strong crying and tears; (and having been heard because of his piety;)
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who in the days of his flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offering up prayers and supplications to him that was able to save him from death, was heard for his reverence.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El cual en los días de su carne, ofreciendo ruegos y súplicas con gran clamor y lágrimas al|strong="G4314, G3588" que le podía librar de la muerte, fué oído por su reverencial miedo.
Ele, nos dias de seu corpo carnal, ofereceu com grande clamor e lágrimas, tanto orações como súplicas para aquele que podia o livrar da morte, e foi ouvido por causa da devoção.
C’ est lui qui, dans les jours de sa chair, ayant présenté avec de grands cris et avec larmes des prières et des supplications à celui qui pouvait le sauver de la mort, et ayant été exaucé à cause de sa piété, a appris,
Und er hat in den Tagen seines Fleisches Gebet und Flehen mit starkem Geschrei und Tränen geopfert zu dem, der ihm von dem Tode konnte aushelfen; und ist auch erhört, darum daß er Gott in Ehren hatte.
Die in de dagen Zijns vleses, gebeden en smekingen tot Dengene, Die Hem uit den dood kon verlossen, met sterke roeping en tranen geofferd hebbende, en verhoord zijnde uit de vreze.
Il quale, ne’ giorni della sua carne, avendo con gran grida e con lagrime offerto preghiere e supplicazioni a Colui che lo potea salvar dalla morte, ed avendo ottenuto d’esser liberato dal timore,
Który za dni ciała swego modlitwy i uniżone prośby do tego, który go mógł zachować od śmierci, z wołaniem wielkiem i ze łzami ofiarował, i wysłuchany jest dla uczciwości.
Он, во дни плоти Своей, с сильным воплем и со слезами принес молитвы и моления Могущему спасти Его от смерти; и услышан был за Свое благоговение;
基督 在 肉體 的時候，既 大聲 哀哭， 流淚 禱告， 懇求 那 能 救 他 免 死的主，就 因 他的虔誠 蒙了應允。
Who in the days of his flesh, having sent up prayers and requests with strong crying and weeping to him who was able to give him salvation from death, had his prayer answered because of his fear of God.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Hebrews 5:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse describes Jesus’ intense prayer in Gethsemane (and possibly on the cross). Calvin, Barnes, Gill, and the Cambridge Bible all note that “the days of his flesh” refers to his earthly life of weakness and suffering. Jesus offered “prayers and supplications”, the Greek deēseis (specific requests) and hiketērias (olive-branch symbols of a suppliant), with loud crying and tears. The key puzzle: he prayed to the One able to save him from death, yet he died. The consensus is that “having been heard” (eisakoustheis) does not mean he was spared physical death. Rather, as Vincent and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown explain, he was heard in the sense that the Father strengthened him to endure the cup, or that he was delivered from death through resurrection. The phrase “because of his godly fear” (apo tēs eulabeias) points to his reverent submission, not terror. Christ’s prayer was answered by the Father’s sustaining presence and ultimately by the resurrection.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Gethsemane focus: The language of 'strong crying and tears' fits the garden scene (Luke 22:44; Mark 14:33-36) and the prayer to be saved from 'the cup.'
- Cross inclusive: The reference to being saved from death and crying aloud echoes Psalm 22:1 and Jesus’ final cry on the cross, so the verse may cover the entire passion.
- Heard as resurrection: Since Jesus died, being 'heard' cannot mean escaping physical death; therefore the answer was the resurrection (Acts 2:24; Heb 13:20).
What is clear: Jesus truly prayed with human anguish to the Father, who heard him because of his reverent submission — and the outcome, whatever the specific content of the prayer, was that Jesus was enabled to become the author of eternal salvation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The reality of Jesus’ human suffering and prayer | All traditions affirm that Jesus truly experienced human weakness and prayed with genuine emotion, demonstrating his full humanity. | Some emphasize that this proves his solidarity with us; others stress that his sinlessness makes his prayer qualitatively different from ours (he expressed no doubt or rebellion). |
| The meaning of 'heard' in light of Jesus’ death | Christians agree that God answered Jesus’ prayer, because Scripture says he was heard. | Catholic and Orthodox interpreters often see the answer as strengthening Jesus to endure the passion, while Reformed and Protestant commentators emphasize that the resurrection was the ultimate answer, since Jesus prayed to be saved from death and was raised. Some also see deliverance from the fear of death. |
| The nature of 'godly fear' (eulabeia) | All agree it is a positive quality: reverent submission, piety, or holy caution, not the terror of punishment. | A minority view (some Latin Fathers) read it as 'deliverance from fear' (exauditus a metu), but this is not widely held. The consensus, both East and West, is that it refers to Jesus’ devout reverence that made his prayer acceptable. |
| Which event does this verse describe? | The primary reference is to Gethsemane, possibly including the cross. | Some (e.g., Wesley) restrict it to Gethsemane; others (e.g., Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) include the cross, citing Psalm 22. A few see it as a summary of Jesus’ entire prayer life in suffering. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In Hebrews 5, the author is establishing Jesus’ qualifications as a high priest “after the order of Melchizedek.” A high priest must be taken from among humans, able to sympathize with the weak, and called by God (Heb 5:1-4). Verse 7 shows Jesus fulfilling these requirements in the most visceral way. “Days of his flesh” means his incarnate life, especially its climax in suffering. The term “flesh” here emphasizes vulnerability, not sin, as Calvin notes, “the word flesh does not signify what is material, but a condition” of human weakness.
The two Greek words for prayer, deēseis (requests arising from need) and hiketērias (an olive-branch held by a suppliant), paint a vivid cultural picture. A suppliant in the ancient world would approach a powerful person with an olive branch wrapped in wool, a gesture of humble entreaty. Jesus, the Son of God, takes this posture before the Father. The loud cries and tears are not recorded in the Gospel accounts of Gethsemane, but the intense sorrow and sweating blood imply them (Luke 22:44). The author of Hebrews may also allude to Psalm 22:1 and 22:24, where the sufferer cries out and is heard.
“Him who was able to save him from death” acknowledges God’s power over death, a point Jesus himself made in Gethsemane (“All things are possible for you,” Mark 14:36). Yet the prayer was not a demand for escape but a request submitted to the Father’s will. “Heard because of his godly fear” uses the preposition apo (from, because of) and the noun eulabeia, which the Cambridge Bible defines as “reverent fear” or “reasonable shrinking” in contrast to cowardice. The Greek Fathers read it as “because of his reverent submission.” Thus Jesus’ prayer was effective not because he begged loudly, but because he trusted the Father completely.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical sources note no significant textual variants for Hebrews 5:7. The manuscript tradition is stable, with minor differences only in word order (e.g., the placement of “both” in some witnesses) that do not affect meaning.
Reception History
In the early church, Greek Fathers such as Chrysostom and Cyril of Alexandria used Hebrews 5:7 to argue for Christ’s full humanity against docetism: real tears, real cries, real prayer. The verse was also cited in Christological controversies to show that the Son’s human will was perfectly submitted to the Father. In the Latin tradition, Augustine and later medieval theologians saw it as a model of how to pray in anguish, honestly, yet with reverence. During the Reformation, Calvin stressed that Christ’s prayer teaches us that God hears the cries of his children even when the trial continues. Modern interpreters often focus on the psychological reality of Jesus’ agony and the pastoral comfort this verse offers to those who feel their prayers go unanswered.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Jesus prayed as a real human being. “Days of his flesh” shows he took on weakness. He needed to pray, not from sin, but from genuine human dependency. His loud cries and tears prove he experienced real agony, not a mere appearance of suffering.
- Jesus prayed with reverent submission. He addressed the Father as the One “able to save from death,” yet he submitted to the Father’s will. His prayer was not a demand but a trusting request. “Godly fear” (eulabeia) is the key: a holy caution that defers to God’s wisdom.
- Jesus was heard, not spared the cross, but sustained through it. The Father answered by strengthening him to endure the cup of wrath and by raising him from death. As Vincent writes, “God was able to save him from death altogether. He did not do this. He was able to sustain him under the anguish of death, and to give him strength to suffer the Father’s will: both these he did.”
Five-point outline
- The paradox of a divine Son who prays like a desperate human.
- The content of the prayer: not a request for an easy way out, but an honest cry for deliverance coupled with submission.
- The manner of the prayer: with strong crying and tears, not stoic resignation but raw emotion.
- The answer to the prayer: God heard him because of his reverence, not because he avoided death, but because he was given strength to face it and was raised.
- The result: Jesus became “the author of eternal salvation” (v. 9) precisely because he traveled this path of suffering obedience.
Illustration hooks
- The olive branch of the suppliant. In ancient courts, a person seeking mercy would hold out an olive branch wrapped in wool. Jesus comes to the Father not with demands but with that same gesture of humble entreaty.
- A child crying in a doctor’s office. The child begs not to get a shot, even though they know the parent is able to prevent it. The child is heard, held, comforted, and the shot is given. The child is not spared, but strengthened and loved through the difficulty.
- A weightlifter training. The athlete prays not for the weight to be removed but for strength to lift it. Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, and the Father sent an angel to strengthen him (Luke 22:43).
Questions your congregation is asking
- If Jesus is God, why did he need to pray at all? Doesn’t that show weakness?
- What does it mean that God “heard” Jesus, if Jesus still died? Was the prayer a failure?
- Was Jesus afraid of death? If he was, does that mean he didn’t trust the Father?
Leading a Discussion
This verse takes us to the most vulnerable moment in the life of Jesus. It shows that prayer is not about getting what we want, but about bringing our honest pain to the Father and trusting his will. Hebrews 5:7 is a window into the real humanity of Christ and the nature of faithful prayer.
Discussion questions
- Read Hebrews 5:7-10. What do you learn about Jesus from the phrase “the days of his flesh”? Why does the author emphasize this?
- The Greek words for prayer (deēseis and hiketērias) suggest specific requests and a suppliant’s posture. How would you describe Jesus’ attitude in prayer here? How does it compare to your own?
- What does the detail “strong crying and tears” tell you about Jesus’ emotional state? Why might the author include this when the Gospels don’t mention tears in Gethsemane?
- “He was heard because of his godly fear.” What is “godly fear” (eulabeia)? How does it differ from fear that doubts God?
- If Jesus was heard, why did he still die on the cross? What was the answer to his prayer, according to the commentators (e.g., being strengthened, resurrection)?
- How does this verse help you understand your own prayers in times of suffering? What does it teach about God’s answers that don’t remove the trial?
- Verses 8-9 say Jesus “learned obedience” through suffering. How does his prayer in v. 7 fit into that learning? What does it mean for your discipleship?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 2:2 | He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. He shall take his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense, and the priest shall burn its memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 4:4 | He shall bring the bull to the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh; and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 4:14 | when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting. |
| Psalms 18:19 | He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. |
| Psalms 18:20 | Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me. |
| Psalms 22:1 | For the Chief Musician; set to “The Doe of the Morning.” A Psalm by David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? |
| Psalms 22:21 | Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. |
| Psalms 22:24 | For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the one who offered prayers and tears as Jesus in his human suffering, focusing on the agony in Gethsemane. He stresses that Jesus' loud cries and tears were real and not dishonorable, showing he prayed intensely for deliverance from death. Though not spared the cross, his prayer was heard through the strength given to endure.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin draws a sharp distinction between Christ's earthly condition and his glorified state. He insists that "days of his flesh" refers not to material flesh but to a time of human weakness and suffering that Christ left behind at his ascension. The cross taught Christ obedience and consecrated him as priest for our salvation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws attention to Christ's intense, tearful prayers offered to the Father who could save him from death. His cry was not unanswered: he was heard in the very thing he feared, showing that his suffering did not mean the Father refused him.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Christ's tears and cries were not over physical death but the hiding of the Father's countenance, the spiritual separation His holy love shrank from. His prayer to be saved from that was heard not by removing the trial but by strengthening Him to hold fast reverent fear and unwavering faith, the very form of His request granted.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that Christ's learning obedience through suffering was not a transition from disobedience, but a deepening of his human experience that equipped him for sympathy with our weaknesses. His Gethsemane prayer, though denied deliverance from death, was heard because of his filial reverence, and through that path he became the author of eternal salvation to those who obey him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that a high priest must be taken from among men because sinful humanity cannot approach God directly. God therefore chose one from among us to serve as mediator, so that everyone who comes to God through this priest is welcomed with honor.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the Greek word for "godly fear" (eulabeia) as a human trait in Christ, meaning a cautious, respectful handling of the Father's will. Christ's prayer was heard not by escaping death entirely, but by receiving strength to suffer and then deliverance through resurrection.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley distinguishes what Christ feared most in Gethsemane. It was not the painful, shameful death itself but the weight of divine justice and the dishonor sin had done to a holy God. Compared to that, physical suffering mattered little, and Christ was heard so that he drank the cup without fear.