The word “Gethsemane” means “Garden of the olive press” in Hebrew (gat = press, semane = oil).
It lies at the foot of the Mount of Olives.
Olives are harvested in the fall of each year in the Holy Land.
Typically, there are three pressings, the first yields the virgin oil, this is the finest oil for cooking and for anointing.
The second pressing would yield oil used for lamps and combined with other ingredients for medicines.
The third pressing would be used as a cleansing agent, it was used to make soap.
At the garden where olives where pressed three times, Jesus Christ was pressed three times as He prayed three times (see Matthew 26).
From the lessons of the olive press, we can learn…
Jesus is the Messiah – The anointed one.
Jesus is the Light of the world and the one who heals and restores.
Jesus is the one who cleanses our sin.
