As we journey through the events leading up to Easter, one significant moment stands out: Jesus’ time in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Gethsemane, located at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, is where Jesus spent His final hours before His arrest. The name “Gethsemane” means “oil press,” symbolizing the intense pressure Jesus faced as He prayed. In this garden, Jesus experienced deep anguish, knowing the suffering that awaited Him.
The Gospel of Matthew describes this poignant moment:
“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’” (Matthew 26:36-38, NIV)
Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane reveals His humanity and His willingness to submit to God’s will, despite the immense suffering He knew He would endure.
“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’” (Matthew 26:39, NIV)
In Gethsemane, Jesus’ agony was so intense that His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). This imagery of blood and the garden’s name, “oil press,” can be seen for the immense pressure Jesus faced.
Olive oil production begins with olives being placed into a round vessel, often called the “sea,” where they are crushed by a heavy “millstone”, then to the gethsemane which was a large pillar to press the oil out of the oilves. Just as olives are pressed to produce oil, Jesus was pressed by the weight of humanity’s sins, leading to His sacrificial death on the cross.
Reflecting on Jesus’ anguish in Gethsemane reveals the depth of His love and sacrifice. Easter is more than a time to mourn His death—it is a celebration of His triumph over sin and the grave. Through His resurrection, Jesus extends to us the gifts of hope, forgiveness, and everlasting life.
This Easter, reflect on the meaning of Gethsemane and the immense love Jesus revealed. His sacrifice brings us peace, and we celebrate the hope of renewed life. Gethsemane was a place of profound sorrow and overwhelming pressure for Jesus, yet became the pathway to the ultimate triumph of Easter.