People think of the Garden of Gethsemane as a peaceful place where Jesus went to spend time alone with His Father and pray. When in fact Gethsemane actually means “oil press.”
The Garden of Gethsemane was located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, which is the biblical site where Jesus experienced profound agony, prayed, and was betrayed by Judas Iscariot before His crucifixion.
The Garden of Gethsemane – the oil press symbolizes the intense pressure Jesus faced while accepting His impending sacrifice.
The agony in the Garden followed the Last Supper, Jesus, with Peter, James, and John, went to the Garden, where Jesus was deeply distressed, asking for the “cup” of suffering to be removed while ultimately submitting to God’s will. Luke 22:44 says His agony was so severe that His sweat was like drops of blood.
Peter, James, and John fell into a deep sleep until Judas Iscariot arrived with the Roman Soldiers carrying swords, sent by the chief priests and Pharisees. Judas identified Jesus with a kiss of greeting leading to Jesus’s arrest.
Jesus was quickly abandoned by His disciples, who fled in fear.
From Pity to Praise 