Mk. 14:27-38, Pictorial Background for Gethsemane

Today we have pictures with brief explanations.  This is a famous painting that has been tweaked by many over the ages since the original by a German artist named Henrich Hofmann.  It is of Jesus praying in Gethsemane at “the stone of  agony.”  The second photo is of that “stone” at the Church of All Nations, where there is an ancient olive orchard today. 

  

This is an olive press. It happens to be one at Nazareth Village, a Christian model village showing what life in Nazareth might have been like in Jesus’ day.  “Gethsemane” means “an oil press.”  At NV the guides explain that olives were pressed three times.  The first produced the best oil for the temple; the second was for food; and the third for lamps, soap etc. Some have likened this to the three times  Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, each time praying the same prayer, that the Father’s will would be done. 

We have shown the next picture before.  These are steps from Roman time that were part of the path that crossed the Kidron Valley from  southern Jerusalem.  They were found near the Upper Room from which Christ left to cross over to Gethsemane, and near the house of Caiaphas to which Jesus was brought under arrest later in the evening.

This photo is of a Catholic site, supposedly the grotto where the disciples slept and where Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.  Then we have a couple of photos of ancient olive trees on the Mt. of Olives. 

 

St. Peter in Gallicantu, in the southern part of the Old City, is considered by  Catholics as the house of Caiaphas.  Jesus was brought there  (wherever it is) after His arrest in the Garden.  The rooster, of course, is a reminder of Peter and his three denials.  Also on the property is an underground chamber where, since it was found at the house of Caiaphas, it was believe Jesus was held until the interrogation began.  He would have been let down the hole into the cave beneath.

Lots of tradition, lots of imagination.  I always seek to remember that God has given to me, to us, all we need for life and godliness, a statement by Peter (2 Pt. 1:3-4) in the first century.  I don’t need to fill in the parts of the story that the Bible has not explained.  But I do appreciate being there so as to get a reminder that the story is real, true, historical, geographical.  “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”