The Divine Hesitation—Agony in the Oil Press

Posted on April 9, 2009
Filed Under Theology |

The old city of Capernaum sits on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Much of it has been excavated to reveal the plan of what it looked like in the days when Jesus walked there. In 1968, archeologists even believed they had uncovered Peter’s house. I was fascinated as I stood next to it and imagined what it would have been like to watch Peter come and go or maybe to see Jesus standing here in the doorway. That was fascinating. But I was fascinated more by a stone implement just down the street from Peter’s house. What caught my attention was what it was called: “gethsemane”—derived from an Aramaic word meaning “oil press”.

The olives were dumped into the trough and the huge stone was rolled over them, crushing them under its massive weight. The oil was squeezed from the olives, filling the trough and eventually dripping into a waiting jar.

Somehow I had missed learning this. At first I was somewhat miffed that I hadn’t known this before, and then I became extremely grateful…thankful that I was learning it for the first time, standing in old Capernaum, looking at a real “gethsemane”.

The implication of it all washed over me like a tidal wave. I felt like an olive in the press.

In a few days we were going to Jersusalem. And while there, we were going to go the Garden of Gethsemane.

It would be the most emotional time of the entire trip for me.

It was the most emotional part of Jesus’ trip as well.

Matthew says it was here that Jesus began to be “grieved and distressed”. Mark uses the words “very distressed and troubled”. Jesus described it this way: “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death…”

This was the olive press for Jesus.

Why is He here?

Why is He in such agony?

Why is He struggling so?

As we walk toward Easter, I want to spend a few days pondering this amazing, puzzling, heart-wrenching scene.

I am reminded of one of my favorite hymns, “The Love of God”. It was written back in 1917, by Frederick Lehman, based upon an old Jewish poem written in 1050 by Meir Gen Isaac Nehorai. Lehman had first seen the poem scratched on the wall of an insane asylum. The poem, Haddamut, was incorporated as the third stanza of the song and I think it is one of the most phenomenal poems ever written by man:

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Lehman’s refrain is appropriate:
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Amen!

Comments

13 Responses to “The Divine Hesitation—Agony in the Oil Press”

  1. Dori on April 9th, 2009 10:58 pm

    And then that oil is placed in a lamp to become the light… wow!

  2. Pete on April 10th, 2009 6:33 am

    Dr. Tackett,

    I just simply love your heart for the Lord. The incredible insight and inspiration you openly share in how the Lord is working in your life and all praise to our Heavenly Father! What a blessing you are to so many!

    As I have been reflecting and walking toward easter I have fallen to my knees and become without words to even attempt to wrap my head around the last gathering of the disciples in the upper room. What must that have been like?

    and than the peace that surpasses all understanding floods me when we read “mandatum novum do vobis” our Lord and Saviour tells us “a new commandment i give you, love one another as I have loved you and they will know that you are my disciples”

    I am very appreciative of Timothy and his incredible thoughtfulness to respond to my questions in our recent communications. Gods design being so incredible when he tells us ” I will never leave you nor forsake you” is experienced in our brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to share Gods Eternal Truth in both commitment to his eternal word and to his eternal love. In spirit and in truth!

    Gods many Blessings and Peace to you and your family on this most awesome weekend. ….. He lives! He lives!

    in him,

    Pete

  3. Jonathan on April 10th, 2009 10:17 am

    Amen, what a profound meaning behind a word and location that we talk about so often.

    I just want to thank you for the Truth Project, my wife and I just finished it and our lives are truly changed after gazing upon the face of God. I truly believe that it should be required watching for every Christian, as it gives us such a fundamental understanding of what God intended for this world.

  4. Joe on April 11th, 2009 3:36 pm

    I cannot sing that hymn, even to myself, without tears.

  5. Paul on April 14th, 2009 6:44 pm

    Notice that in Isiah 53:5 that He was crushed for our iniquities. Look up the Hebrew word for revealed (1540). How does one strip naked and take captive the “arm of the Lord”? He was revealed and crushed, and at the great judgement He Himself will be the crusher and revealer.

  6. Graham on April 14th, 2009 6:59 pm

    Profound poetry has the gift of expressing the heart’s deepest emotions; the poem Haddamut does that for me. Another thing: it is really great that The Truth Project did not end with the 12th lesson. The blogs and e-mails are a refreshing way of continuing the Project in my mind and heart, as the discovery of Truth is an on-going process in this challenging world.

  7. jennifer pfe on April 16th, 2009 1:41 am

    I completed the Truth Project and it was more than I had visioned a time ago. If only the information could reach the masses.
    Wouldnt they be shocked? More than! I shared after one of the lessons with everyone how traumatized I was when I heard the 6th grade teacher telling the class that we evolved from apes. I still recall the horror of it. I remember feeling alone with God as we listened to the claim and how it broke our heart, how rejected God felt, I felt the pain. I realized what this was doing to all the kids in my class, I was mortified.
    That was decades ago and I have more proof than I know what to do with, it is just like having a best friend that never goes away or is too far. My next vision is that we will bring the message of pure love to anyone we come into contact with.
    Will will put our light high as we can hold it to make the darkness flee. Christ said if we lift Him up before men He will draw all men unto Him. We must work together.

  8. anna on April 16th, 2009 10:04 am

    Thank you for the Truth Project. I love to write and I have always been determined to say what I have to say plainly. I believe communication to be the most amazing gift we have outside of salvation. It is clear to me that the Spirit has been speaking to many about truth and how committed to it we must be. Truth Project and all the people involved in its production are doing just that. I am so grateful to God and to you all for the beautiful, articulate and faithful way you are revealing His truth. I love how He amazes me. :)

  9. Chris on April 16th, 2009 11:37 am

    Soli Deo Gloria!

  10. Stephen on April 16th, 2009 8:02 pm

    Del: It might be helpful for you to point out that the grinding stone shown in the photo is *not* a ‘gethsemane’, at least according to Ray Vander Laan in the “Weight of the World” lesson of TTWMK. The gethsemane was a stone column, under which bags of olives were laid and the weight of the column was allowed to exert a strong, steady pressure for the oil to exude. This is actually a much better image of Christ’s suffering than the grinding wheel. Maybe a minor point, but why not be accurate?

  11. Bruce on April 18th, 2009 12:32 pm

    Dear Bro Del and Focus on the Family

    Hi from Bruce & Mary J. in BC

    He is risen indeed.

    As we are waiting on the Lord for some group participants ,we are savouring the tours and loving what the Holy Spirit is working in us .To love one another and abide in Him.I asked for prayer for direction for us and our local body of beleiver friends in Christ seeking His New Vision for us in His Kingdom. Ps91 Jer29::

    love in the Truth
    Bruce and Mary J

  12. Crystal on April 22nd, 2009 7:06 pm

    I am trying to begin a young adult ministry at a local church and I know there is a need but I along with other volunteers get discouraged by the lack of participation. Should we give up? I encountered another dilema recently in getting volunteers to help in the childrens ministry ages 2-7. I chose to give up my day enjoying sitting in church to sit with the children. I also sing on the praise team and sing in the choir. I feel that since God seen my sacrifice to go in the children’s room he has now sent volunteers(plenty). I feel He will honor this sacrifice too. I want to keep going.

  13. Bill on May 21st, 2009 9:22 am

    Dear Dr. Tackett - Thank you for this great series, “The Truth Project”. My wife & I completed it at our home with 13 others and plan to do it again (and again, etc.). Regarding the “Gethsemane” there is probably no better picture/video of this than Focus on the Family’s “That The World May Know’ series, which I taught in our Adult Sunday School class. One of the segments goes into a bit more detail - and this is also one of the more powerful series (like The Truth Project) from FOTF.
    Looking forward to the Youth version of TTP. Thanks for the pursuit of truth, so missing in today’s culture. God bless you and your family.
    Bill
    PS consider adding a link to this series!

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