Once again a garden becomes the backdrop for significant change in the life of mankind. In Eden, the first man’s disobedience changed the course of all who would follow him. In Gethsemane, the Son of Man’s obedience will change the course of all who would follow Him. This particular garden was surrounded by olive groves. Olives, and the oil that was produced from pressing them, were crucial to the life and well-being of all in Israel. In this garden, we will see Jesus “pressed” like He has never been before. As Jesus experiences the crushing pressure of contemplating His own death as well as the pressure of all of evil bearing down on Him, the oil of His obedience will produce life and well-being not just for many in Israel, but for the world. What a dramatic setting!
“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.’ Continue reading
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