"GETHSEMANE: The Beauty of the Garden"

The Garden of Gethsemane ("Olive Press")

Of the hundreds of times we have heard the Garden story preached, how often have we heard the significance of Malchus (John 18:10) who lost an ear (and most certainly his head if you would not have ducked) and the significance of Peter’s sword? Peter certainly misunderstood what Jesus had said about swords earlier that evening (Luke 22:35–38). He had warned them that from now on the situation would change, and men would treat them as transgressors.

He was not suggesting that they use material swords to fight spiritual battles, but that they get a new mind-set and expect opposition and even danger. One thing I love about God is that He always warns us. He had provided for them and protected them while He was with them on earth, but now He was returning to the Father. They would have to depend on the Holy Spirit and exercise wisdom. Peter apparently took His words literally and thought he was supposed to declare war!

Peter’s sword symbolizes rebellion against the will of God. Peter should have known that Jesus would be arrested and that He would willingly surrender to His enemies (Matt. 16:21; 17:22–23; 20:17–19). Peter made every mistake possible! He fought the wrong enemy, used the wrong weapon, had the wrong motive, and accomplished the wrong result! He was openly resisting the will of God and hindering the work that Jesus came to accomplish! While we admire his courage and sincerity, it was certainly a demonstration of zeal without wisdom or discernment.  Christ calls all Believers to be ‘revolutionary’ and not ‘reactionary’ in our dealings in ministry.

Why did Peter fail so miserably? For one thing, he had argued with the Lord when Jesus warned him that he would deny his Master that very night. Peter had slept when he should have been praying, and he talked when he should have been listening. He imitated the very enemies who came to arrest Jesus, for they too were armed with swords. Peter would discover that the sword of the Spirit is the weapon God’s servants use in fighting their spiritual battles (Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17). He would later use His ‘spiritual sword’ at Pentecost and “slay” 3,000 souls for the Kingdom!

Jesus did not need Peter’s protection. He could have summoned twelve legions of angels (72,000 to be exact) had He wanted to be delivered (Matt. 26:52–54). These actions point to the beauty of the Garden.  It is a place of ‘adversity, distress and turmoil.’  It is a place of correction, rebuke and conviction. It is a place of communion and peace and reflection. Finally, it is a place of liberation, and grace and repass. The Garden represents the thing we as believers have most in common with the Savior that is seldom preached and accepted; adversity… which is commonly referred to as the “cup” (Luke 22:42).

          Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him and took Him away to be crucified. Isn’t it ironic that the name Judas means ‘Praise Yahweh’ or ‘God?’ Further, God’s grace allowed Jesus to rebuke the ‘same spirit’ of temptation (the devil in the person of Judas) in the Garden of Gethsemane that befell Adam (Satan moving through the deception of the serpent) in the Garden of Eden. Selah...