Why Gethsemane?

Scripture Reference
Matthew 26: 36-38


36Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me. (American Standard Version)

Jesus led His disciples out of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley and over to the Mount of Olives to a garden called Gethsemane. Gethsemane means "Olive Press", and most likely it was a walled olive grove where Jesus would go to be alone with His Father.

Eight of the disciples were left at the gate and told to pray. Jesus took the other three, Peter, James and John, with Him further into the garden to pray. These three chosen for the more intimate view of Christ's agony, had previously enjoyed a closer proximity than the others at the raising of Jairus' daughter, and upon the mount of transfiguration.

Pastor Collins, asked the question, “Why Gethsemane?” The Mount of Olives was intimately connected with the private, and devotional life of the Savior. There He often sat with His disciples, telling them of wondrous events yet to come, of the destruction of the Holy City; of the sufferings, the persecution, and the final triumph of His followers (Matthew. 24).

Jesus went to the garden to retire each evening for meditation, and prayer, and rest of body, when weary and harassed by the labors and trials of the day (Luke 21:37); The Garden of Gethsemane is considered the holy of hollies. The place where Christ went on the night of his betrayal to utter the wonderful prayer, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39). And when the cup of God's wrath had been drunk, and death and the grave conquered, He led His disciples out again over the Mount of Olives as far as Bethany, and after a parting blessing ascended to heaven (Luke 24:50, 51; Acts 1:12).

The one purpose of Christ's coming into the world was to make an atonement, through death, for man's sin; Without Gethsemane there would be no agony of the cross. Christ in the garden, sinless and Holy God incarnate was able to perceive the horror of sin in a way we cannot. "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." This very human prayer gives insight into the sufferings of Christ and should enhance human appreciation of his unselfish deed.

As believers, we should be in awe of what we see in the Garden of Gethsemane, and we should be moved by that awe to surrender or wills, service and worship as we see the Father and Son’s Love in the plan of our redemption.