What Happened in the Garden of Gethsemane?
The garden at Gethsemane, a place whose name literally means “oil press,” is located on a slope of the Mount of Olives just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. A garden of ancient olive trees stands there to this day. Jesus frequently went to Gethsemane with His disciples to pray (John 18:2). The most famous events at Gethsemane occurred on the night before His crucifixion when Jesus was betrayed. Each of the Gospel writers describes the events of that night with slight variations, so reading the four accounts (Matthew 26:36-56, Mark 14:32-52, Luke 22:40-53 and John 18:1-11) will give an accurate picture of that momentous night in its entirety.
As the evening began, after Jesus and His disciples had celebrated the Passover, they came to the garden. At some point, Jesus took three of them—Peter, James and John— to a place separated from the rest. Here Jesus asked them to watch with Him and pray so they would not fall into temptation (Matthew 26:41), but they fell asleep. Twice, Jesus had to wake them and remind them to pray so that they would not fall into temptation. This was especially poignant because Peter did indeed fall into temptation later that very night when three times he denied even knowing Jesus. Jesus moved a little way from the three men to pray, and twice He asked His Father to remove the cup of wrath He was about to drink, but each time He submitted to the Father’s will. He was “exceedingly sorrowful unto death,” but God sent an angel from heaven to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43).
After this, Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, arrived with a “multitude” of soldiers, high priests, Pharisees, and servants to arrest Jesus. Judas identified Him by the prearranged signal of a kiss which he gave to Jesus. Trying to protect Jesus, Peter took a sword and attacked a man named Malchus, the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Jesus rebuked Peter and miraculously healed the man’s ear. It’s surprising that witnessing this amazing miracle of healing had no effect on the multitude. Neither were they shaken by His awesome display of power as described in John 18:5-6, where either at the majesty of His looks, or at the power of His words, or both, they became like dead men, falling to the ground. Nevertheless, they arrested Him and took Him to Pontius Pilate, while the disciples scattered in fear for their lives.
The events that occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane have reverberated down through the centuries. The passion Jesus displayed on that momentous night has been depicted in music, books, and films for centuries. From the 16th century, when Bach wrote two magnificent oratorios based on the gospel accounts of Matthew and John, to the present day with the film The Passion of the Christ, the story of this extraordinary night has been told again and again. Even our language has been affected by these events, giving us such phrases as “he who lives by the sword dies by the sword” (Matthew 26:52); “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38); and “sweating drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). Of course, the most important impact of this night was the willingness of our Savior to die on the cross in our place in order to pay the penalty for our sins. God “made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As the evening began, after Jesus and His disciples had celebrated the Passover, they came to the garden. At some point, Jesus took three of them—Peter, James and John— to a place separated from the rest. Here Jesus asked them to watch with Him and pray so they would not fall into temptation (Matthew 26:41), but they fell asleep. Twice, Jesus had to wake them and remind them to pray so that they would not fall into temptation. This was especially poignant because Peter did indeed fall into temptation later that very night when three times he denied even knowing Jesus. Jesus moved a little way from the three men to pray, and twice He asked His Father to remove the cup of wrath He was about to drink, but each time He submitted to the Father’s will. He was “exceedingly sorrowful unto death,” but God sent an angel from heaven to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43).
After this, Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, arrived with a “multitude” of soldiers, high priests, Pharisees, and servants to arrest Jesus. Judas identified Him by the prearranged signal of a kiss which he gave to Jesus. Trying to protect Jesus, Peter took a sword and attacked a man named Malchus, the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Jesus rebuked Peter and miraculously healed the man’s ear. It’s surprising that witnessing this amazing miracle of healing had no effect on the multitude. Neither were they shaken by His awesome display of power as described in John 18:5-6, where either at the majesty of His looks, or at the power of His words, or both, they became like dead men, falling to the ground. Nevertheless, they arrested Him and took Him to Pontius Pilate, while the disciples scattered in fear for their lives.
The events that occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane have reverberated down through the centuries. The passion Jesus displayed on that momentous night has been depicted in music, books, and films for centuries. From the 16th century, when Bach wrote two magnificent oratorios based on the gospel accounts of Matthew and John, to the present day with the film The Passion of the Christ, the story of this extraordinary night has been told again and again. Even our language has been affected by these events, giving us such phrases as “he who lives by the sword dies by the sword” (Matthew 26:52); “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38); and “sweating drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). Of course, the most important impact of this night was the willingness of our Savior to die on the cross in our place in order to pay the penalty for our sins. God “made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
See gotquestions.org
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1.So, Jesus and His disciples had just celebrated Passover.
2. Jesus took Peter, James and John to a separated place, apart from the rest.
3. But they fell asleep.
4. Jesus woke them twice to tell them to pray.
5. Jesus moves away from them to pray and asked God to remove what He was about to do, from Him.
6. Jesus submits to His Father's will.
7. God sends an angel from heaven, to give him strength.
8, Judas arrives with soldiers, high priests etc. to arrest Jesus.
Judas gave Jesus a kiss to identify Him to those that had come to arrest Him.
9. Peter took a sword and cut off the ear of a soldier.
10. Jesus rebuked Peter and then healed the ear of the solider.
11. They arrest Jesus and took him to Pontis Pilate.
In thinking on the events that led up to the arrest of Jesus that night, you might wonder how people could want Jesus dead after He had just completed 3 years of the powerful message of God that He had brought to the sinfulness of humanity.
So here are some of my thoughts on that night so long ago.
These people were bent on getting rid of him, but they had to get someone to show them which one of the twelve was Jesus?
Really?
Maybe these people did not want anyone exposing their sin. They wanted things left just as they were.
Did they want him dead because He was turning their hearts away from their own agenda?. At least some of them were. His friends and others had begun to see he wasn't just a human man.
Plus, the head honcho of the day, was probably afraid of Jesus becoming the highest authority in the land, as we know that Herod had tried to have Jesus killed as a child.
Of course, these people were government workers. We know how honest they were, right? Maybe some of them took pride in the events that were unfolding. Perhaps a ego trip that says, "Look at me. I am a big part of this." type of thing.
The disciples fell asleep. I would never have done that. No, not me. What about you?
Sadly, we probably would have. That is a real picture of how lazy we can become in spiritual matters. Some things are just not as important as other things are when it comes to a relationship with God.
And lastly, why would Jesus heal the soldier's ear that Peter had cut oft
I have no doubt that with the message of forgiveness that Jesus came to give, he couldn't get angry and unforgiveable even at the last hours of his life here. He showed them (and us) that He did have the power to heal even during a time when is life was on the line. And not only that, but to forgive. It didn't matter what they were doing to Him. It just wasn't in Him to let that event stay as it was.
A lesson in the forgiveness for all of humanity. A lesson to us that is important today as it was back then.
Maybe you have some thoughts or insights about that evening that was leading to a dark trip to the cross. But the thing so marvelous about it was that the darkness to it, did not last. The grave that they laid his body in, could not and did not stay closed. It opened to a Glorius light and Jesus would burst out in triumph!!!
The sin of all humanity could now be forgiven for those that accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior!!!
Thanks for coming today, Friends. God bless you and yours!
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