Jesus spent a lot of time in an olive orchard this week. What is often called “the Olivet Discourse” was probably a Tuesday evening discussion with His disciples, sitting together in the grove as they viewed the Temple and busy city of Jerusalem across the valley.
That particular olive grove has a spectacular setting and has one of the most photographed views in Israel. I was first there in 1975, staying in a hotel atop the Mount of Olives. A few years ago I returned again with my church. Though bustling with tourists and over developed to handle the crowds, the setting is still a peaceful spot when the crowds are gone. Jesus surely enjoyed the quiet of the orchard in the evenings.
D'Aun and I on the Mt. of Olives, with the temple site and Jerusalem in the background.
Recently I’ve had a lot more involvement with olive orchards. D’Aun started D’Oliva Olive Oil at our family ranch in Sunol, so for the last 2-years we’ve spent time planting trees, pulling weeds, fixing irrigation lines, battling gophers and harvesting olives. Despite the hard work, there is a unique kind of peace in the orchard. It’s something more than just a big garden.
It’s presumptuous to project human emotions onto the Messiah, but I’ve often wondered how Jesus views the Garden of Gethsemane now. Does He reflect on having enjoyed the simplicity of an orchard? Does He remember admiring the pruned trees, weedless rows, or other accomplishments of a proud farmer? Does He recall the peacefulness and calm of an orchard in the evening?
Or was the time in the orchard filled with anxiety, worry, despair? As many people point out, Gethsemane means oil press. I’ve seen presses at work, and they are highly efficient at squeezing every last drop of oil out of an olive. At most a few ounces are gathered for every pound of waste that is tossed aside. Lots of fitting images there, and I suspect Jesus felt that pressure in His last evenings. Perhaps that is what He remembers.
Some of the ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane
Still, I hope He sees the orchard as a thing of beauty. A place of growth, where soil, water, sun, pollinators and all the rest of God’s creation dance together.
As I walk through D’Aun’s orchard, I sometimes think of how much fun it would be to show Jesus around. I wonder what His reaction might be. I envision showing Him the variety of trees, the owl boxes, where the creek flows nearby, and the snowy plover eggs camouflaged under the tree. We would talk about water problems, how to handle the gophers, and when we hope for the first significant harvest. Every now and then He’d go quiet, as would I, and I’d wonder what He was thinking.
And somehow, as we walked the rows and enjoyed the simple beauty of an orchard, I always envision Him smiling.