Pressed Down and Shaken

I've often wondered why Jesus didn't go back to Bethany and celebrate the Passover with Lazarus and his sisters. Why stay in Jerusalem where his enemies were? Turns out that's where everyone was to eat the Passover meal according to Deuteronomy 16:5-6.
 
And at the end of this particular Passover Jesus takes his disciples away from the upper room to a garden called Gethsemane, which means the place of the oil press. The Mount of Olives was filled with olive trees that extended down into the garden called Gethsemane where the olives were pressed to produce oil. Doesn't sound much like a garden does it?

What an interesting location, right? But the disciples knew this place well. A little statement made in John 18:2 tells us they went there often. And, according to A Visual Guide to Bible Events, people went there to get away from others, to get some privacy.

On this particular night, after a long day of activities and preparations, rather than learning more from Jesus they were asked to pray. But, they failed to stay awake long enough to pray for Jesus as he himself wrestled in prayer. Can you relate to falling asleep if your stomach was full and the night was late and you had trouble focusing on words to pray?

On the other hand, Jesus prayed hard. So hard in fact, that he did something they may never have seen before. He sweated blood. After two millennium of others experiencing the same thing medicine calls it hematohidrosis, or hematidrosis. By description it can happen in several locations on the body, not just the forehead; it can occur with a wide range of blood coloring; and usually occurs when under a great deal of stress.

Knowing you're going to die when you take your next big step is a great deal of stress. But being tempted one last time can add to that stress also.

You see, just up the hill from the garden was the way into the Judean Wilderness. Jesus could have gone up there and hidden from the Pharisees, the chief priests, and the Roman Guard. He could have been free and clear of the brutality that would soon come to him. But then he would have failed. His human nature would have won out and he would not have given us the greatest gift that has ever been given.

Instead he chose to kneel in the garden, crying out to his heavenly Father, "Take this cup." In the end he bowed to the will of the Father. In many ways, waiting there for his punishment he had the last of his human nature pressed out of him in a place known for pressing out oil. Oil that would be used to light lamps that would show the way. Oil that would be used to make bread for an offering.

Jesus showed his followers the way to the Father. He continues to show us the way. He was Son of Man when he was taken to the high priests but more importantly he was the innocent, sinless Son of God when he was beaten then nailed to a wooden cross.