Traditional Garden of Gethsemane
Very few Holy Land pilgrims miss the Garden of Gethsemane. The small section tourists get to see represents only a portion from the large groves of olive trees that still grace the slopes today.
Beautifully manicured pathways accent about a dozen ancient trees. But don’t let the name fool you. In Jesus’ day it wasn’t a garden; it would be better to call it an olive grove.
Gethsemane, a place meaning, “oil press,” is located on a slope of the Mt. of Olives, just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. Jesus frequently went to Gethsemane with His disciples as a place of prayer (John 18:2).The most famous event at Gethsemane occurred on the night of His “betrayal.” Each of the Gospel writers describes the events of that night—with slight variations. Therefore, it is important to read each account (Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:40-53; and John 18:1-11) to get an accurate picture of that momentous night in its entirety.
Gethsemane Grotto
Archaeologists have discovered a cave next to “the Garden” in which they found an ancient olive press. The Byzantines believed this grotto is possibly the place where Jesus left eight of His disciples while He took three others a short distance away to pray. After asking the three to pray, Jesus walked about a “stone’s throw” further to pray alone (Luke 22:41).
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