The Garden of Gethsemane

The Garden

                For as long as I can remember I have always associated olive oil with agony. Is this because some aspect of the passion story of Jesus has made some lasting impact on my mind? No, although as a child I did always like hearing the Bible stories. No, this association is much more personal. It came to the surface again when we visited the olive grove at the foot of the Mount of Olives. This was probably part of the olive grove (the garden, Gethsemane) in which Jesus went to pray before his arrest.

                Olive oil and agony. As a background I need to divulge some of my medical history. Sorry! As a wee nipper, say about four years old, I underwent an operation for peritonitis which, although saving my life, left me with some intestine problems. As a result, certain foods, if eaten in larger amounts or too quickly would cause blockages which would result in severe stomach pains. Initially my parents were advised to give me quantities of olive oil  which was supposed to ease the pain and aid in my recovery. A doubtful remedy you are probably thinking. So as I was writhing in my bed in agony, I had to drink a glass full of olive oil. This stomach problem had never been completely rectified but I can tell you that an injection of morphine gives better relief than a glass of olive oil!

                Now this bunch of olive trees, retained within a small area of 1200 square metres, reminded me of those severe stomach pains. But the garden is there reminding Christians from around the world - those who visit Jerusalem and actually walk in it and those who merely read about it in the gospels - of the agony suffered by Jesus before he was arrested and dragged off to his trials and crucifixion.

                The garden contains eight very old olive trees and younger ones as well as new life shooting out of what appears to be dead wood. Scientists, with the aid of carbon dating, have given the older trees an age of around 900 years, i.e. they were established at the time of the Crusades. DNA testing has shown them to have come from the same parent material. This has caused some to suggest that these trees have links back to those trees what were in existence at the time of Jesus. Interesting perhaps, but of little religious significance.

Getting the olive trees growing again in the garden of Gethsemane.

An olive tree trunk in the Garden seen by many centuries.

This is Mark's version of Jesus taking three of his disciples - the inner core of Peter, James and John - and going into the garden to pray (14:32-42).

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 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."Going a little further he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.Returning the third time he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! here comes my betrayer!"

                Apart from the emotional agony which brings Jesus to his knees (next post on the Church of All Nations will refer to this) this pericope emphasises once again the unreliability of Jesus' disciples to help him in time of need. Mark even uses the technique of the threefold repetition to emphasise this failing.

                His disciples were a big let-down. They went to sleep here. Sure it was late in the evening and they were no doubt tired ("their eyes were heavy"). Perhaps they had celebrated a little too abundantly with the cup at the Passover meal. But Jesus relied on them giving him a little moral support and they let him down. One can assume that these three disciples would have really liked to help but they were not really up to it. As that saying, which has found wide-spread use in the English language, puts it: "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak".

                Jesus' words here in verse 38, as recorded by Mark, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak "are addressed to Mark's readers as much as to the sleepy Peter in the garden. It is enlightening to read this verse in the old King James Version of the Bible: "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." Now ye can be the plural form of thou. He is probably referring to US as well as Peter and the other disciples. Mark wants us to be involved. In times of testing one needs to stay close to the Lord and walk with him.

                This same idea of involvement comes out in that old nineteenth century American spiritual hymn which goes, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Sometimes it causes me to tremble! tremble! tremble! Were you there when they crucified my Lord?"

                Under the old gnarled olive trees in this remaining garden of Gethsemane, if one can be alone, in a quiet place, one can indeed be with Jesus. The emotion can cause one to tremble! But remember if you are with Jesus, he is with you.

                Finally I want to remember back to my childhood with the stomach pain and olive oil but this time as a healthy young kid sitting on the beautiful smooth Queensland hoop pine pews, swinging my legs and listening to the congregation singing. They are following the tune solemnly coaxed out of the pedal organ and singing, similarly solemnly,

Go to dark Gethsemane,

Ye that feel the tempter's power;

Your Redeemer's conflict see,

Watch with him one bitter hour:

Turn not from his griefs away,

Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

                And then:  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh __MEN.