Easter Story - THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

Garden of Gethsemane, as it appears today.  Photo by Bedrosian, online courtesy Wikimedia Commons.  This photo is licensed via CC BY-SA 3.0.

After dinner, Jesus spent time talking and praying with his eleven remaining disciples. Leaving the upper room, the group went to a place outside the city of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley, called the Mount of Olives. They would have seen a stunning view of Jerusalem from that vantage point.

A peaceful garden, surrounding an olive grove, stood nestled on the mount. Called the Garden of Gethsemane, its name comes from the Hebrew Gat Shemen, meaning "olive press."

When he arrived at the Garden (also known as the Garden of Olives), Jesus asked His disciples to wait and keep watch as he prayed a short distance away. In great anguish, Jesus prayed he would not have to suffer the horror He knew waited just ahead.

As his disciples slept, He pleaded:

Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;
yet not my will but Yours be done.

After he finished praying, Jesus asked his disciples why they had fallen asleep. In the meantime, Judas was leading a band of men into the Garden.

Their purpose was to arrest Jesus.