Gethsemane
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Gethsemane is only mentioned by Matthew[1] and Mark[2] who place Jesus’ agony and his arrest there. Luke[3] specifies that these events took place at the Mount of Olives and John[4] speaks of a garden that Judas knew "because Jesus and his disciples often met there."
Maria Valtorta confirms these four accounts and notably explains why Jesus and his disciples often gathered there.
Gethsemane is an agricultural property located to the west of the Mount of Olives and near the city of Jerusalem. It is one of the estates of Lazarus, who owns several in Jerusalem. Therefore, it is private property. Its proximity to the Temple, located just across the Kidron, but also to Bethany where Lazarus and Martha reside, and to the field of the Galileans, the traditional place of their encampment during the obligatory feasts, all explain why Jesus and his disciples have a practical and safe base there.
The property is managed by Jonah and his family.
Location
- Other spellings: Gathhsémané - Gath Semni - Gat Šmānê,
- 31° 46’ 48’’ N / 35° 14’ 24’’ E /
- +710m
Residents or natives
Jonah, the guardian, his wife Mary and their son Mark.
Description
This property of Lazarus of Bethany is located on the Mount of Olives opposite Jerusalem on one of the roads leading to Bethany.
"[The House of Gethsemane] is a real country house, amongst thick olive-trees. From the rustic open space in front of the house one can see the olive-trees down the terraces of the hill, right down to a little torrent, with very little water,[5] which flows away along the valley formed by two hills: on the top of one there is the Temple, on the other hill there are only olive-trees. Jesus is at the first slopes of the latter hill, which rises smoothly, completely covered with peaceful trees."[6]Later, pursued Jesus finds Home at Nob, a village northeast of Jerusalem, on the eastern slope of Mount Scopus. This provides Maria Valtorta with an opportunity to describe the surroundings.
"But Jesus is much closer than they thought. After going out through one of the gates, He went around the Antonia and came out of town through the Sheep Gate, descending into the valley of the Kidron which has very little water in the central part of the riverbed. Jesus crosses it jumping on the stones emerging from the water and begins to climb the Mount of Olives. The olive-trees are very thick in that part and are mingled with the bushes which make this side of Jerusalem gloomy, I would say funereal, closed as it is between the dark walls of the Temple which dominates on that side with all its mountain, and the Mount of Olives on the other. Farther south the valley brightens up and widens out, whereas here it is very narrow: the scratch of a gigantic claw which has dug a deep furrow between Mount Moriah[7] and the Mount of Olives."[8]
Notable events
- Jesus receives the allegiance of Judas[9] impressed by the authority Jesus displays when driving out the Merchants of the Temple. It is the same one who, in the same place, allows Jesus to be arrested with a Kiss after his night of agony.[10]
- The risen Jesus appears to the disciples gathered for the additional Passover (Pesha Sheni). This feast allowed the faithful who had not been able to eat the Passover a month earlier to do so. Jesus had kept some people away from this feast that was to be the occasion of his violent Passion.[11]
- The Risen Jesus gathers apostles and disciples here before leaving for the nearby place of his Ascension.[12]
- It is finally the place where Mary will retire with John[13] until her Dormition[14] and her Assumption.[15]
"The house, from which I was abducted to Heaven, was one of the countless generosities of Lazarus, for Jesus and His Mother. The little house of Gethsemane, near the place of His Ascension. It is useless to look for its remains. In the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, it was devastated, and its ruins were scattered in the course of ages."[16]
Its name
Gethsemane is a transliteration of its Hebrew name: Gat Šmānê, meaning "the oil press," which is consistent with the nature of the place.
Where is it mentioned in the work?
GRM 54 GRM 66 GRM 70
GRM 112 GRM 196
GRM 602 GRM 638 GRM 642 GRM 643 GRM 646 GRM 648 GRM 649 GRM 650 GRM 651
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