Jesus' Emotional State Before the Crucifixion Event

Jesus' emotional state before his crucifixion was marked by profound distress, anguish, and a deep sense of troubled spirit, even as he remained resolute in his obedience to God's will ^{[5, 10]}. This emotional turmoil is evident in several biblical accounts leading up to his death.

One significant instance of Jesus' emotional depth is recorded in John 11, during the raising of Lazarus. When Jesus saw Mary and the Jews weeping, he was "deeply moved in spirit and was troubled within himself" ^[1]. This passage also famously states, "Jesus wept" ^[3]. The Greek term tarassō, used to describe Jesus' troubled spirit here, is also employed in John 12:27 to describe his agony before his crucifixion ^[5]. John Gill suggests that Jesus' weeping at Lazarus's tomb stemmed from meditating on Lazarus's state, the sisters' distress, and the unbelief of the Jews present ^[9]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary notes that Jesus "groaned in himself," indicating a struggle with rising emotions, whether sorrow or righteous indignation at unbelief ^[12].

As the crucifixion approached, Jesus openly expressed his inner turmoil. In John 12:27, Jesus states, "Now is my soul troubled" ^[10]. This trouble is directly linked to the prospect of his impending death, which he had just described as the hour of his glory ^[10]. The Tyndale House Commentary on John 12:27 emphasizes that Jesus could not be impassive in the face of death, experiencing genuine anguish while maintaining obedience to the Father ^[5]. This internal conflict is further highlighted by his question, "and what shall I say?" indicating a "strait betwixt two" – the appalling nature of the cross and the worse prospect of shrinking from the Father's will ^[10].

The Synoptic Gospels also portray Jesus' intense emotional struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane. In Mark 14:35-36, Jesus falls to the ground to pray, indicating his deep distress ^[7]. He addresses God as "Abba, Father," and pleads, "Please take this cup . . . from me" ^[7]. The "cup" is a metaphor for suffering, often representing judgment or blessing ^[6]. This prayer reveals Jesus' human fear and anxiety, expressing his feelings and desires to the Father ^{[6, 7]}. The Tyndale House Commentary on Mark notes that it was not only the physical agony of crucifixion that terrified him, but also the unique nature of his death ^[7]. Matthew Henry observes that Jesus "harped much upon" his own sufferings, showing himself "forward to go on with his undertaking, even when he came to the hardest part of it" ^[11].

The crucifixion itself was considered the most horrible form of death, involving scourging and immense suffering ^{[2, 4]}. For a Jew, it carried an additional horror due to the curse mentioned in Deuteronomy 21:23 ^[2]. Criminals were often given a stupefying potion to deaden the pain, though Jesus refused it ^[8]. This context underscores the gravity of the suffering Jesus anticipated and the depth of the emotional distress he experienced. Despite this profound anguish, Jesus remained committed to his mission, demonstrating both his full humanity and his unwavering obedience.

Sources

John “John 11:33 (LEB) — Then Jesus, when he saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her weeping, was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled within himself.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Crucifixion — A common mode of punishment among heathen nations in early times. It is not certain whether it was known among the ancient Jews; probably it was not. The modes of capital punishment according to the Mosaic law were, by the sword (Ex. 21), strangling, fire (Lev. 20), and stoning (Deut. 21). This was regarded as the most horrible form of death, and to a Jew it would acquire greater horror from the curse in Deut. 21:23. This punishment began by subjecting the sufferer to scourging. In the case of our Lord, however, his scourging was rather before the sente”
John “Jesus wept. -- John 11:35”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Crucifixion — was in used among the Egyptians, (Genesis 40:19) the Carthaginians, the Persians, (Esther 7:10) the Assyrians, Scythains, Indians, Germans, and from the earliest times among the Greeks and Romans. Whether this mode of execution was known to the ancient Jews is a matter of dispute. Probably the Jews borrowed it from the Romans. It was unanimously considered the most horrible form of death. Among the Romans the degradation was also a part of the infliction, and the punishment if applied to freemen was only used in the case of the vilest criminals. The one ”
John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 12:27: 12:27 my soul is deeply troubled: John used the same term (Greek tarassō) to describe Jesus’ strong emotion of agony before Lazarus’ tomb (11:33; also 13:21). When Jesus stood before death, he could not be impassive. Jesus experienced genuine anguish, yet he remained strong in obedience to the Father’s will (5:19-23; 6:37; 8:29, 38; 14:31).”
Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 22:42: 22:42 please take this cup of suffering away: A cup is a metaphor for experiencing either judgment or blessing (see, e.g., Pss 23:5; 75:8; 116:13; Isa 51:17). Jesus felt all the emotions of his humanity, including fear and anxiety.”
Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 14:35: 14:35-36 Jesus fell to the ground to pray because of his deep distress (see Gen 17:1-3; Lev 9:24; Num 14:5; 16:4). Since it was normal to pray out loud, Jesus’ prayer was probably overheard by the three disciples, who would not have fallen asleep immediately. • Jesus addressed God as Abba, Father, indicating their close relationship (see Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). • Please take this cup . . . from me: In faith, Jesus expressed his own feelings and desires to the Father. It was not only the physical agony of crucifixion that terrified him, but also the unique death that he”
John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 19:17: CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF THE LORD JESUS. (Joh 19:17-30) And he bearing his cross--(See on Luk 23:26). went forth--Compare Heb 13:11-13, "without the camp"; "without the gate." On arriving at the place, "they gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall [wine mingled with myrrh, Mar 15:23], and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink" (Mat 27:34). This potion was stupefying, and given to criminals just before execution, to deaden the sense of pain. Fill high the bowl, and spice it well, and pour The dews oblivious: for the Cross is sharp, T”
John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 11:34: Jesus wept. As he was going along to the grave, see Joh 11:28; as he was meditating upon the state of his friend Lazarus, the distress his two sisters were in, and the greater damnation that would befall the Jews then present, who, notwithstanding the miracle, would not believe in him. This shows him to be truly and really man, subject to like passions, only without sin. John 11:36”
John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 12:27: Now is my soul troubled--He means at the prospect of His death, just alluded to. Strange view of the Cross this, immediately after representing it as the hour of His glory! (Joh 12:23). But the two views naturally meet, and blend into one. It was the Greeks, one might say, that troubled Him. Ah! they shall see Jesus, but to Him it shall be a costly sight. and what shall I say?--He is in a strait betwixt two. The death of the cross was, and could not but be, appalling to His spirit. But to shrink from absolute subjection to the Father, was worse still.”
Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 10:32: Here is, I. Christ's prediction of his own sufferings; this string he harped much upon, though in the ears of his disciples it sounded very harsh and unpleasing. 1. See here how bold he was; when they were going up to Jerusalem, Jesus went before them, as the captain of our salvation, that was now to be made perfect through sufferings, Mar 10:32. Thus he showed himself forward to go on with his undertaking, even when he came to the hardest part of it. Now that the time was at hand, he said, Lo, I come; so far was he from drawing back, that now, more than ever, he p”
John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 11:38: Jesus again groaning in himself--that is, as at Joh 11:33, checked or repressed His rising feelings, in the former instance, of sorrow, here of righteous indignation at their unreasonable unbelief; (compare Mar 3:5) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. But here, too, struggling emotion was deeper, now that His eye was about to rest on the spot where lay, in the still horrors of death, His "friend." a cave--the cavity, natural or artificial, of a rock. This, with the number of condoling visitors from Jerusalem, and the costly ointment with which Mary afterwards an”

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