Daily Devotion for March 3, 2006

To Jerusalem with the ComPASSIONATE Christ

'Gethsemane'

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."  He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."  Mark 14: 32-34

 

Jesus went, with His inner circle of disciples, to a place 'which they named Gethsemane.' The word means 'oil-press' (Hebrew gat, press, and semen, oil).  No one knows exactly where this was, but tradition places it at the base of the western slope of the Mount of Olives. Eight ancient olive trees have survived the ravages of the centuries to stand as reminders of the passion of Christ. Whether or not they are original is irrelevant, but most date the roots of the olive trees back to 2000 years ago. At any rate, they cannot be far from the original grove of trees in which Jesus prayed and His disciples slept.

 

Of course Jesus knew what the coming days would hold; it was inevitable that His life should run its course, and that evil should seek to destroy Him, not knowing that to kill the Prince of Life is to destroy death. This was the calm before the storm. He longed for some time away there without distraction. In Gethsemane, He could grapple with the enormity of His burden, of what the coming days would bring. It was natural that He would want His closest supporters and friends to be with Him at such a time; but they would fail Him.

 

Mark tells us that Jesus was greatly agitated, or distressed, presumably at what awaits Him and the size of the task before Him. His emotions were similarly enlarged. You can almost sense the dread that the Son of Man, Jesus, felt at the prospect of His death. Is it wrong to imagine that the Son of God, Jesus, felt horror knowing that his closest followers would all fall away?  Is it any wonder that at this time of loneliness that he would want to spend time praying to His Father.  His Father would be the ONLY ONE to understand.  Jesus’ sorrow was literally 'unto death.' As the hour of His arrest drew closer He moved away, even from His three closest disciples. He needed to be alone with His Father, to draw strength for what was ahead. Peter, James and John were called upon to 'watch,' that is, to be vigilant in prayer; but they failed.

 

Prayer
Dear Jesus, at times in my life I have felt alone thinking no one was there for me.  I can have a small glimpse of what you felt as you faced the pain of what was ahead.  Help me to follow your example that in times of loneliness, as in all times, I too can go to your father and seek comfort in HIS presence.  Amen

 

Historical Background and Location of Gethsemane

 

Can we localize the property or garden mentioned by Mark’s Gospel as situated beyond Kidron in the direction of the Mount of Olives? In his Commentary on Matthew, Origen (d. 253) takes care to stress the importance of the geographical data in Matthew and Mark. He writes, "Given knowledge of Hebrew terms, the name of the property, Gethsemane, helps us understand the locality. It is not without reason that Matthew and Mark have taken care to give the name of the property" (Patrologia Graeca 12, 1740).

 

The memory of the name was not to die out. About one hundred years after Origen, Eusebius (c. 333) notes that it was still in use. In his Onomasticon he writes, "The faithful at present still betake themselves there to pray" in the property of Gethsemane "where Christ had prayed before his Passion."

 

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