Gethsemane

The word Gethsemane comes from the Hebrew/Aramaic words "Gat Shmanim", which literally means "olive press."

In this painting - Jesus kneels beside an olive press in the garden of Gethsemane, holding an empty cup. The setting is not by chance—Gethsemane was a place where olives were crushed under immense pressure, releasing rich red oil (almost like scarlet). This pressing of the olives parallels the crushing weight of the world’s sins that Jesus bore that night. Luke 22:44 describes how "being in agony, He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Just as olives release their oil under pressure, Jesus’ suffering caused Him to bleed from every pore as He took upon Himself the full weight of human sin, sorrow, and pain.

The cup in His hand is empty—a powerful symbol of the bitter cup He willingly drank. In Matthew 26:39, Jesus says, "And He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.'" The first pressing of olives produces a bitter oil, and like that bitter taste, Jesus experienced the bitterness of sin—something He had never known before. For the first time, He comprehended what sin truly feels like, as He took upon Himself the consequence of every human failing, betrayal, and weakness.

In the background, a dark olive tree with ripe black olives — Jesus being the tree is a reminder of the burden He carried alone. Yet beneath the press, amid the scene of suffering, stands a single white flower. That flower represents me—and you. We could only watch as He suffered, powerless to ease His burden. And yet, because of His suffering, we are made pure and clean - without any other spots. Isaiah 1:18 reminds us, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." His atoning sacrifice means that no matter how stained or broken we are, we can always be restored to purity through Him.

Pressed, crushed, and poured out—He gave everything so that we could be whole.

(Doctrine and Covenants 19:18)

Reproduced from the artist’s digital artwork created with Midjourney and Photoshop. Created 2024.