I am student studying Physics at Brigham Young University, and I am required to fulfill a certain amount of religion credits. This past week our religion class was studying the Second Book of Nephi in the Book of Mormon, and in chapter 9, the author, the ancient American prophet Jacob, was discussing the Isaiah revelations, revelations that were brought over on a brass set of plates to help preserve the doctrine and teachings of the Jewish culture after the family left Jerusalem. As Jacob was discussing the prophecies of the Savior, I became aware of how acutely and personally my Savior has suffered for me and what beautiful symbolism was present in all stages of his suffering.
Jesus Christ in Gethsemane.
For example, while in class, my professor explained the meaning of the word Gethsemane, or in other words oil press, the name of the place where Jesus began his suffering and atonement for the sins and pains of all. The word atonement was keyed by William Tyndale, to describe the process of becoming at one with God, at one with us. In the process of atoning for our sins Christ gave us the key, opened the door in a sense for us to become one with God. For our sins to be ‘blotted out’ and the demands of justice satisfied so we could be made clean, so we could return to the presence of our God, our Heavenly Father. But the price to pay was so high, even the name Gethsemane just furthers to intensify and explain metaphorically the pain. Gethsemane means oil press; an oil press in ancient times was generally a millstone that would roll along a circular path and make the olives ‘bleed from every pore’ if you will. They were crushed under the weight of the millstone. As I pictured my Savior in his own press, I wondered of what weights He had to bear that night. He had to bear all the sins of the world, all the depression, the weakness, the sorrow, the feelings of inadequacy and lack of self worth, not to mention the physical pains.
But for some reason it was the fact that he had to experience the sensation of inadequacy that struck me. For the first time ever, my Lord felt the debilitating emotion that I so often feel but magnified to an extent greater than any other person before. The difficulty of having to do the hardest thing that has ever been done with such negative feelings, feelings He never had cause to feel before. I am so grateful that He had the strength to complete it. When you read in Isaiah we see that there was no back up Christ, that if He failed, that all would be lost and our bodies ‘would rot and the flesh fall away’ and yet we have no need to fear anymore, for death has been conquered. Man made free. I know my Redeemer suffered and died for me, for you, and for everyone that has yet to live, and all those who have lived and passed on. He loves me with a love so pure I cannot imagine, so loyal it makes me feel unworthy and yet, I know that is all right. HE knows me more perfectly, more acutely than I can imagine and I know that just as He was patient and merciful to those who crucified him, so is He to me. And I will strive each day of my life to be more worthy of this love. This gift I do not deserve, nor ever will.
This article was written by Rachel G., a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
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