Explore the Bible: November 12

Willing • Mark 14:32-34

By Rick Henson

Jesus walked to the Garden of Gethsemane just outside the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem, along with Peter, James, and John. To this day Olive trees grow there, though at that time they also produced Olive oil there. In fact, the name Gethsemane means “Garden of the Olive Press.” From the gospels we know this was the night of His arrest and the day before the crucifixion. Jesus knew what was ahead, though the disciples, including His inner circle seemed unaware. 

Jesus often prayed alone as described in Matthew 14, when He walked on the water to rescue the disciples from a storm. (NKJ). He began His public ministry after forty days in the wilderness fasting, praying, and overcoming temptation. This night, however, He took Peter, James, and John, though He went a little further into the garden. Jesus again faced severe temptation and was greatly distressed and troubled. 

As He prayed earnestly, sweat drops fell as great drops of blood. He knew what was ahead and struggled as He faced the moment when He who knew no sin would become sin in our place so we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJ). Jesus asked the Father if it were possible that this cup would pass from Him. The cup was the wrath of God, as told in Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17, and Jeremiah 49:12 (NKJ). 

In the Garden of the Olive Press, Jesus was pressed in agony. Three times He prayed alone. When Olive oil was produced, fresh olives, ripe from the picking were placed in a porous bag and pressed with weights on a large stone carved for this purpose. The first pressing produced virgin olive oil, which is the richest and best olive oil, exclusively used for food and cooking. The same olives are then pressed with more weight, producing olive oil used in lamps. The third and final pressing used much more weight and this olive oil was used for making soap. Jesus was pressed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He is our Bread of Life, the Light of our World, and He washes us white as snow. O what a Savior!

As Jesus talked to the Father, He asked if the cup of God’s wrath could be removed. In Jerusalem at that time, a young man would speak with the father of his future wife to negotiate the price of the bride. After they negotiated the price, they drank a cup to seal the agreed price. After this, the groom-to-be would speak to his future bride and tell her that he was going to prepare a place for her. He would then build a room on his father’s house and return for his bride when it was ready. 

Jesus spoke with the Father, negotiating the price of His bride, the church. He knew the cost and agreed to drink from the cup. The cost was much too high a price, yet Jesus paid it all. All to Him we owe. He then went to His Father’s house to prepare a place for us and will one day return to receive us unto Himself. John 14:2-3 (NKJ). Jesus surrendered His will to that of the Father and agreed to pay the price for our sins. 

All of this was prophesied in Isaiah 53:10-11 which reads, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.” (NKJ). 

Through eternity past, Jesus knew the price to be paid for the bride, His church. For every believer, the knowledge of our own personal sins and the darkness of our own hearts reveals to us all the price Jesus paid for us, multiplied times millions of believers. As 1 Peter 2:24 reads, “(Christ) who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed.”(NKJ). Jesus was stressed in the garden, though not for His sin, but for mine and yours. Thank you, God for your amazing grace that looks beyond our sins and sees our Savior. 

Henson is minister of outreach and evangelism at Bethel Church, Brandon.