Matthew Key

I learned this FASCINATING detail about the Garden of Gethsemane on a recent trip to Israel and it completely changed how I read the night Jesus was arrested. Here's what I discovered. The word "Gethsemane" actually means "oil press." And that's interesting because Gethsemane is located on the Mount of Olives, where olives were crushed and pressed to produce oil. In the Bible, there are 4 different purposes for olive oil. 1. To anoint kings, priests, and prophets 2. For cleansing. 3. To treat wounds and bring healing 4. To bring light through oil lamps. Now think about this. In Gethsemane, Jesus was being pressed under the weight of what was coming… …because He fulfills the roles of anointed KING, PRIEST and PROPHET. …because He’s getting ready to go to the cross to CLEANSE us from our sins. …because He’s the One who came to HEAL our wounds. …because He is the LIGHT of the world and whoever walks with him will never walk in darkness. But wait, there’s more. When you press ripe olives, the first liquid out of the press is not pure oil. It is a dark purple-reddish color liquid. Some people think it looks like blood. Luke 22:44 tells us that Jesus was in such agony that His sweat became like drops of BLOOD falling to the ground. Here’s the point. Salvation costs you nothing. But to Jesus, it cost him everything. The olives were pressed and what came out was oil. Jesus was pressed and what came out was his blood. And it is in his blood that today we find salvation.