The Garden of Gethsemane
In the first of our three-part blog series on the metaphysical interpretation of Good Friday and Easter, we explored the Last Supper, or Holy Communion. In this second part, we will take a look at Gethsemane through the lens of metaphysics.
“32 They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 He took with him Peter and James and John.”
(Mark 14: 32-33)
Though over the ages, Gethsemane has represented “agony and distress and betrayal,” Jesus the Christ in A Course in Miracles speaks, “My brothers slept during the so-called ‘agony in the garden’ but I could not be angry with them because I knew I could not be abandoned.”
Gethsemane was also the scene associated with the betrayal of Jesus. Once again, in A Course in Miracles, Jesus clarifies “I could not have said, ‘Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?’ unless I believed in betrayal. The whole message of the crucifixion was simply that I did not.”
The actual translation of the word “Gethsemane” is “oil press; press for extracting unguents and ointments.” The struggle that takes place in our own consciousness when Truth, as represented by Jesus the Christ, is realized and is like the good that is pressed out forcing the error to fall away. Our agony is letting go of our human side to reveal our Spiritual nature – that which we have always been and will always be.
The Garden of Gethsemane can also represent for us that place in consciousness where we acknowledge our fears – and move beyond them. While Jesus took with him all the disciples who represent all of the various faculties of the mind: strength, power, imagination, will, etc., he asked three of the disciples to go further into the garden with him. Once again, he took Peter and John, Faith and Love, but this time they were joined by James, representing Wisdom. When we, in our growing awareness, allow the indwelling Christ to direct these powers, Faith and Love and Wisdom supplant the hold of the ego, and we are then ready to step into a greater demonstration of our Wholeness and the blessing that it is to those around us.
“35 And he went aside a little and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass away from him. 36 And he said, ‘Abba, Oh Father, thou can do everything, make this cup pass away from me; but not according to my will, but thine.”
(Mark 14: 35-36)
Jesus was a fully realized Being who knew the unreality of the body and the total Reality of Spirit. He passed this test in the wilderness just before he began his ministry, when he faced his ego and completely dedicated himself to God.
This reference in Mark 14:35 & 36 can be beneficial to us in our journey if we simply learn to defer to God’s will.
When we are able to come to this realization, we too can truly share the joy and truth of being one with the Divine in the Garden of God’s Love.
