Insights on the Last Supper and Gethsemane

Welcome back to the course Seeking Jesus. My name is John Hilton. When you imagine the Last Supper, what image comes to your mind? Probably the most famous drawing of the Last Supper was done by Leonardo da Vinci. What do you notice about this more recent drawing of the Last Supper? In this picture, you can see that women and children are depicted as being present. What do you think? Is this just an artist's fanciful imagination, or is it realistically possible that women and children were present at the Last Supper? In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Last Supper is presented as a Passover meal, and Passover is traditionally a family gathering. It's good to have a guy's night out, but not on Thanksgiving. That's a family day. From that perspective, it wouldn't be unusual for women or children to be at a Passover meal. In Mark chapter 15, we learn that women were present at the cross of Christ and that these women had come up with Christ from Galilee. If they had been following Christ for months or more, it seems possible that they were included at the Last Supper. Notice these two scriptural details. In Mark chapter 14 verse 18, we read that at the last supper, when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me. So that's the first prediction. Someone who's in the room eating with us will betray me. In the next verses we read, they began to be distressed and to say one after another, surely not I. Jesus said to them, it is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl. with me. If the only people in the room were the twelve, it wouldn't make sense for Jesus to say, one of you will betray me, and then a moment later say, it's one of the twelve. That wouldn't be helpful. These verses suggest that other people were present. Let's take a look at a second detail. In Mark chapter 14 verse 28, still at the Last Supper, Jesus says, after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Now flip over to Mark chapter 16 verse 7. This is after the resurrection. The women are at the empty tomb. and the young man there has a message for them. He says, go tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him just as he told you. One way you can read this phrase is that the angel is saying to the women, don't you remember when Jesus told you he would meet you at Galilee? This would infer that the women were also present at the Last Supper. To be clear, we don't know for sure whether women or children were present at the Last Supper, but it's interesting to consider the possibility. There are many events that take place at the Last Supper, and it's challenging to put them in exact chronological order because there's not one account that includes all of these events. Matthew, Mark, and Luke have one version of the Last Supper, and then John has a very different version. The Synoptic Gospels highlight the sacrament as a key part of what's happening at the Last Supper, and we've seen different elements of Christ instituting the sacrament in previous classes. In Matthew 26, we read,"...as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the disciples." and said, Take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the new testament, or new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. In our fourth class, we talked together about an old covenant. An animal was slaughtered and Moses took the blood, threw it on the people, and they made a covenant that they would follow the law that Moses had given them. This was called the blood of the covenant. Centuries later, Jeremiah wrote that the Israelites had broken this covenant and that a new covenant would be coming. Here at the Last Supper, Jesus says, This is the blood of my new covenant, which is shed for you. In the previous class, we saw how Paul emphasized the importance of remembering Jesus as we take the sacrament. That's something that appears in Luke as well, when he records Jesus saying, This do in remembrance of me. We also discussed how Paul reminds us that every time we take the sacrament, we are publicly testifying of the Savior's death. A key difference between the synoptics and John is that in John, there's no discussion of the sacrament. There's no administering of bread and water. Instead, John describes the washing of the feet. In John 13, we read, Jesus got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples'feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. In Christ's time, people wore sandals and walked on dirt paths. Sanitation wasn't what it is today, and people might have walked in things worse than dirt. Washing somebody's feet wasn't a pleasant task, but Jesus did it. At the end of the day, the feet were the dirtiest part of the body. Perhaps one application for us from this moment is that Christ is willing to reach out and touch even the messiest parts of our lives. At First Peter, resisted Christ washing his feet, and maybe sometimes we don't want to let Christ in to certain areas of our lives, but he is here to make us clean. Now, over the last month, which of the two main events in the Last Supper have you thought more about? The sacrament or the washing of the feet? My guess is for most of us, it's the sacrament because every Sunday we participate in this ordinance. I wonder how our lives might be different if every week we also reminded ourselves of the other key event from the Last Supper. the washing of the feet. I'm not suggesting that the deacons go around with little bowls of water and wash everyone's feet, but maybe you and I could take a private moment on the Sabbath to think about Christ washing his disciples'feet. He is the Son of God. He has no responsibility, no need to do this menial task, but he does it. He lowers himself, and then he says in verse 17, if ye know these things, meaning that you should provide this type of selfless service, happy are ye if ye do them. There's joy that will come into our lives if we can be like the Savior. He said, I have set you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Ultimately, the Savior will lower himself by being lifted up on a cross to cleanse us from all sin. What does this look like in our lives? How can we, metaphorically speaking, wash people's feet? I'm impressed by the fact that Jesus didn't wait for his disciples to ask, hey, could you wash my feet? He just acted. Sometimes we might think, well, if someone asks me for help or if I receive such and such a calling, then I'll go serve. The Savior didn't wait. He acted. It reminds me of this story told by Elder Clayton Christensen. He said, I once felt passed over when another man was called to a leadership position I had felt I might receive. In the crisis of self-confidence that ensued, I realized that because our minds are finite, we create hierarchies and statistically aggregate people. We perceive stake presidents to be higher than bishops and primary presidents higher than primary teachers because they preside over more people. But God has an infinite mind. He needs no statistics above the level of the individual in order to have a perfect understanding of what is happening. This means, I realized, that the way God will measure my life is not by the numbers of people over whom I have presided, but by the individual people whose lives I have touched with his love and with the gospel of Jesus Christ. With this sense of my most important calling, I began to fast and pray that God would give me opportunities daily to bless and help people. As I acted on the promptings I received, it was as if God spoke to me more frequently because he knew I was listening. This period of my life proved to be one of extraordinary growth. There is a calling far higher than that of stake president, bishop, or Relief Society president. It is to be a doer of good, a disciple of Christ, an intermediary for whom God answers others'prayers. How might you translate these ideas in your life? What would things look like if you and I remembered a little more frequently the Savior washing his disciples'feet? After the foot washing, Christ said, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall men know ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. You might know that this verse is the basis for the lyrics of a hymn. When I was a child, I was confused by this hymn because I misheard the lyrics. I heard, by this shalmeno, and I thought a shalmeno was some type of object, and one day I would get a shalmeno, and that's how people would know that I was a disciple. That's not what Christ was teaching. Don't expect to receive a shalmeno anytime soon. Jesus is saying that people will know we are his disciples if we love each other. Jesus says this is a new commandment, and the new part is in how we are supposed to love. The old commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself, but what if I don't love myself very much? Then I'm not going to love my neighbor very much. But Jesus is saying it's not about how much you love yourself. He wants us to love others as he loves us. That raises the bar. According to John, this is not only a new commandment, it's also the last commandment that Jesus gives to his disciples. In John 15, Jesus says, this is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. Then in verse 17, he says, These things I command you, that ye love one another. These are the final commands Christ gives in mortality. Jesus clearly describes and demonstrates the type of love he has for us and then calls us to that kind of love. How will we respond to this commandment? In some ways, we're talking about simple things. Love. service, and I doubt anyone who's watching today is thinking, oh wow, I should serve others? I never thought of that. But this is what Christ taught at the Last Supper, and hopefully discussing it together helps it sink a little deeper into our hearts. At the Last Supper, Christ also repeatedly taught about the importance of keeping all his commandments. He didn't say, if you love me, follow me on social media, or like my posts, or type amen in the comments. He wants us to do what he says. In John 14, 15, Jesus teaches, if ye love me, keep my commandments. In verse 21, he says, they who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me. Verse 23 says, those who love me will keep my word. In the next chapter, we see the same emphasis. Chapter 15, verse 10 says, if ye keep my commandments, you will abide in my love. Verse 14, you are my friends if you do what I command you. Christ. clearly wants us to keep his commandments. I want to share a personal story that I'm reminded of when I think about the Savior's phrase, if you love me, keep my commandments. It has to do with this pamphlet that you see on the screen. Towards the end of my mission, the church produced this pamphlet, and when the mission president gave it to the missionaries, he gave us a new mission rule. The rule was that anytime we had an appointment with someone and they didn't show up, we were supposed to write our names and phone numbers on the pamphlet and put it on the door in hopes that the person would be touched by the pamphlet and call us. At the time, my companion and I were busy teaching lots of people. We met the McGee family. The father was not a member, the mother was not active, and their son Jeff, who was 14, had not been baptized. The parents didn't really want to talk to us, but Jeff said he'd be willing to meet. So we set up an appointment. It was a hot afternoon. We showed up, knocked on the door, no response. Knocked again, nothing. We thought to ourselves, Jeff's 14, he probably isn't really that interested in meeting with us. So we got in the car, cranked on the air conditioning, And as we were driving away, we remembered, oh, we forgot to put the pamphlet on the doorstep. Look at this pamphlet. Do you think a 14-year-old boy is going to be very interested in it? I don't think so. But there's something valuable about just being obedient. So we stopped the car, got out, and right as I was putting the pamphlet on the door, the door opened. It was Jeff. Turns out he'd been taking a nap, and it just took him a long time to get to the door. So to make a long story short, Jeff got baptized. Now, to make a short story long, Four months later, it was the last week of my mission, and I'd been hoping and praying that in my final transfer, I could help one more person get baptized, but it wasn't happening. All the people we had been teaching had told us that they were no longer interested. It was a really hard, discouraging time. It was a Tuesday night, exactly one week from the day I would be flying home, and we were at the McGee's family house. After Jeff had been baptized, Jeff's mom had started coming to church, so we were teaching a lesson for new and returning members to help strengthen Sister McGee and Jeff. Right as the lesson began, Jeff's dad walked into the room. Jeff and his mom had told us that Jeff's dad made fun of them for going to church, but I was a bold missionary, so I said, Mr. McGee, we're going to share a message with your wife and son. Would you like to join? He said, no. I said, oh, but Mr. McGee, it's a special message. Okay, he said, and then he sat down. So that's a tip for any future missionaries out there. You can remember that phrase, it's a special message, and it was a special message. We talked about faith in Christ. repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit was there. At the end, I looked at Brother McGee and said, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized? A tear came into his eye, and he said, I've seen such a change in my wife and my son since they've been going to church. I will be baptized. I said, Brother McGee, five days from now, this Sunday, we're having a baptismal service. Will you be baptized this Sunday? He said yes, and he was. Today, it might take more time to prepare people for baptism, but this was back in the wild 1990s. I felt so much joy as I saw this miracle right as I left the mission field. Now, fast forward 14 months. I'm at BYU studying business and dating an amazing woman. There was some friction in our relationship, though, because I was ready to be serious, and she still had doubts. At this difficult time, I got some good news from the McGee family. They were going to the temple to be sealed together, and they invited my old companion and me to come and join them at the Denver Temple. From Provo to Denver is about eight hours, and my companion and I planned a road trip. But at the last moment, he wasn't able to go. So I asked Lonnie, the person I was dating, would you like to take a road trip to Denver? To my surprise, she said yes. Now, those of you who have served missions know that on your mission, there are certain people that just love you and think you're the greatest missionary. So I took Lonnie to all of those houses. People would say things like, oh, Elder Hilton, he was the best missionary. And I'd say, yes, tell her more. We got to see the McGee family sealed in the temple. And then as we were driving home, Lonnie said to me, I think I'm ready to get serious. And we were engaged a few months later. Have you noticed how everything in this story hinges on one choice, one day to put one pamphlet on one door? If I don't put the pamphlet on the door, we don't baptize Jeff, don't baptize his dad. I don't get invited to the ceiling. My wife doesn't fall in love with me. My whole life collapses or succeeds on this one moment. Now, I want to be careful with this story because I don't want anyone to feel anxious or like, oh, well, I've made some mistakes in the past, so I guess I've ruined my whole life. That's not the case. At the same time, I believe that we do have pivotal moments in life. And I love this experience because I can pinpoint a chain of events to one little decision. We can't always see that, but perhaps in the next life, we'll be able to look at some of the small choices we've made and see a cascade of ways that has changed our life. Or maybe we'll reach out to someone, and from our perspective, nothing happens, but later we'll be able to see how our small efforts made a ripple effect in another person's life. It's also true that sometimes we keep the commandments and life gets worse in the short run. But I know that in the long run, when we keep the commandments, we're blessed. And you never know which... little choice, which time you put a pamphlet on a door, or have family scripture study, or decide to be in the place you should be or leave the place you shouldn't be, or reach out to another in love is the time that will make all the difference. In an earlier class, we talked about how in John's account there are seven I am statements from the Savior. Two of these come from Christ's final discourse. In John chapter 14 verse 6, Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Christ is not one of many. good paths. He is the path. He is the way. And let's connect Christ's phrase, I am the truth, with something he taught in John chapter 8. He said, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Jesus is the truth. Deeply knowing the truth, Jesus sets us free. In time, he can make us free from worry, free from fear, free from sin. The last of the I am statements is, I am the true vine. In other words, as Raymond Brown puts it, Jesus is emphasizing that he is the source of real life, a life that can only come from above and from the Father. Many of the things we encounter are fake. We may come across fake news, false promises of happiness through sin, or bogus beliefs that don't lead to peace. Jesus, on the other hand, is 100% real, 100% true. The Savior continues, For the fruit of the gospel to blossom and bless our lives, we must be firmly attached to Him, the Savior of us all, and to this church which bears His holy name. He is the vine that is our true source of strength and the only source of eternal life. A question that each of us can periodically ask ourselves is, how am I doing in staying closely connected to the true vine? If we're not careful, we can become branches that are insufficiently connected to the vine. In many cases, this happens not because we're trying to be malicious or do something wrong. We just get caught up in so much stuff that we lose focus on what matters most. Jesus here reminds us to stay connected with him. Before the Savior and his disciples entered Gethsemane, Christ offered a special prayer. There are many important aspects to this prayer. We'll highlight just two. First, notice how Jesus is about to go through immense suffering. and yet he still focuses his prayer on others. He says, I pray for them. Sanctify them through thy truth. I pray for them which shall believe. Praying for others is part of a pattern in how Jesus Christ prays. In the New World, he prayed, I pray unto thee for them, and I pray for those whom thou hast given me. Thinking about these prayers from the Savior makes me wonder how much of my prayers are about me and how much I'm really praying for others. Remember, just after this prayer, Christ will endure the most horrific things. But he doesn't focus his prayer on himself. He focuses on others. By the way, if you're interested in more patterns in how the Savior and prophets pray, you can see the additional resources in the course website. Second, note how in his prayer, Christ prays for unity. In John 17 20, Jesus says, I pray for those who believe in me. I pray that they may all be one. Father, may they be in us. just as you are in me, and I in you. May they be one, just as you and I are one."When Jesus prays that they may be one, the they in that sentence is all believers in Christ. Not just Latter-day Saints or Catholics or Baptists, but all believers. When I was growing up, I'll be honest, I sometimes felt an us-versus-them mentality between Christian denominations. That's not what Jesus is praying for. Jesus is praying that all Christians will be one. in the same way that he and the Father are one. Church leaders in modern times have also called for unity among different religious groups. Joseph Smith said, The inquiry is frequently made of me. Wherein do you differ from others in your religious views? In reality, in essence, we do not differ so far in our religious views. Christians should cease wrangling and contention with each other and cultivate the principles of union and friendship in their midst. And they will do it before the millennium can be ushered in and Christ takes possession of his kingdom. More recently, Elder Neil L. Anderson taught, Some of our fellow Christians are at times uncertain about our beliefs and motives. Let us genuinely rejoice with them in our shared faith in Jesus Christ and in the New Testament scriptures we all love. In the days ahead, those who believe in Jesus Christ will need the friendship and support of one another. In 2019, President Russell M. Nelson met with the Pope. In a press conference afterwards, President Nelson said, The differences in doctrine between the Church of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church are real, and they're important, but they're not nearly as important as the things we have in common. Our concern for human suffering, the importance of religious liberty for all of society, and the importance of building bridges of friendship instead of building walls of segregation. Before Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that all those who believe in him will be unified. How could we help be a small part of the answer to this prayer? There's another type of unity Christ mentions in his prayer. He says, Father, may they be in us just as you are in me and I in you. In other words, Christ is praying that we will be in him and Heavenly Father. May they be one just as you and I are one. I in them, you in me. Jesus is praying that he can be in us so that we can be completely one with him. This idea appears in other passages. The Apostle Paul speaks of Christ in you. On another occasion, Paul said, It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. What would your life look like? What would my life look like if Christ lived in us? If we had that kind of unity with him and the Father? In 3519, Jesus prays, Father, I pray unto thee for them, that I may be in them, as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one. We know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are extremely unified. And Christ is praying that you and I will have that same type of unity with Him, that He will be in us. I don't want this comment to come off in the wrong way, but when we pray, we hope that God will answer our prayers. Here, Jesus is praying that He will be in us. Is it possible that we, through our agency, by choosing to invite Christ to be in us, can, in some small way, be a part of an answer to Christ's prayer? Let's now go with Christ into Gethsemane. Have you ever wondered what was the weather like? as Christ and the disciples walked into Gethsemane. I don't know why, but somehow in my mind, I always picture it being 60 degrees with a slight breeze. But the scriptures tell us that it was cold that night. Later, Peter and others were warming themselves by the fire. At this time of year, it would not be uncommon for nighttime temperatures to be in the 40s. When I lived in Jerusalem, I had a beautiful experience during Holy Week. On the night when Christ went to Gethsemane, there's a special interfaith ceremony at the Catholic chapel in Gethsemane. Afterwards, people walked from Gethsemane to the traditional location of Christ's trial by Caiaphas. My family was in the chapel enjoying the service, and as we walked out, it was pouring rain. You probably can't tell from this picture, but we were soaked by the time we got to Caiaphas'mansion. I'm not suggesting that it was raining while Christ was in Gethsemane, but it was a season where rain was possible. While the weather was the least of the Savior's worries, for me, considering the weather helps make Christ's experience in Gethsemane a little more tangible. In Matthew, we learn that Jesus was extremely distressed as he walked into Gethsemane. We read, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then he said unto them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. Can you feel the agony Christ is already experiencing as he enters Gethsemane? Can you sense in the Savior's words what he's feeling? He went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying, Oh my Father. If it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. A couple of years ago, I did a research project where I looked at everything that has ever been said by church leaders about Christ and Gethsemane. Christ's statement, as thou wilt, is part of one of the most common themes they have discussed, how Christ surrendered his will to the will of the Father. Think of it. How often do we say, either in prayer or in life, this is what I want? But Jesus focused on what his Father wanted. After expressing his desire to do his Father's will, Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, So could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you do not come to the time of trial. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. I love this observation from Timothy Keller. He wrote, Here is a man under the most crushing weight asking his friends for a little support and finding that they have gone to sleep on him. He has been completely let down, but what does he say? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Isn't that remarkable? He's giving them some credit. He says, You let me down, but I know you mean well. In the depths of his agony, he can still find something affirming to say to his friends. There are about 20 things wrong with the disciples'performance that night, but he finds the one or two things that are right and points them out. What a great example for each of us to follow. Now, let's explore a detail mentioned only by Luke. In Luke 22, 44, we read,"...and being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints see this as a pivotal time when Christ suffered for our sins. Although we know from modern revelation that there's atoning significance in this moment, if all we had were these verses from Luke, we wouldn't know that Christ suffered for our sins in Gethsemane. Luke simply gives a narrative description telling us that Christ's sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground. So, if you're ever talking with a fellow Christian and say, I love how Christ suffered for our sins in Gethsemane, Your friend might not understand because the Bible doesn't itself mention Christ atoning for our sins in Gethsemane. Latter-day Saints know about Christ suffering for our sins in Gethsemane from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. Let's look at two important verses. In Mosiah 3.7, King Benjamin says, And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, more than man can suffer, except it be unto death. For behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. In Doctrine and Covenants 19, we hear the Savior's own words, For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent. But if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I, which suffering caused myself, even God the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit, and would that I might not drink the bitter cup and shrink. Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations. unto the children of men."These are the only two passages of scripture that explicitly talk about Jesus Christ suffering for our sins in Gethsemane. Sometimes we cite other scriptures in connection with Gethsemane, but these are the only verses where the text itself is connected to atoning efficacy in Gethsemane. I love what President Russell M. Nelson teaches. The word Gethsemane comes from two Hebrew roots, gat meaning press and shemen meaning oil. especially that of the olive. Their olives had been pressed under the weight of great stone wheels to squeeze precious oil from the olives. Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane was literally pressed under the weight of the sins of the world. He sweated great drops of blood, his life's oil, which issued from every pore. This is a powerful moment and we know of its significance thanks to the blessing of Restoration Scripture. Let's conclude with two final thoughts. First, if you visit Gethsemane today, you can see the remnants of an ancient road. When I lived near Gethsemane, my archaeologist colleague Matt Gray and my supervisor Roy Huff went to great efforts to take a group of us to see this ancient road. At first, I thought, this is nice, but it looks like just some old rocks. But then I realized its spiritual significance. This road existed in the time of Christ, and it led right out of town. I love thinking about this road because it's a reminder that Jesus Christ didn't have to atone for our sins. He had a choice. Sometimes we think about Christ's atonement as being inevitable, but just like you and me, Jesus had agency. As he was walking into Gethsemane feeling heavy and knowing what was before him, maybe he looked over and saw this road. Perhaps Satan tempted him again and said, you don't have to do this. You can just take this road, walk right out of town, go back to Galilee, and live happily ever after. For me, the lesson from this road is that Jesus didn't leave. He stayed and suffered for us. And because Jesus did not give up on us then, he is not giving up on us now. Some of us might be in a place where we feel like Jesus is walking away from us. He is not. He did not walk away on the night of Gethsemane, and he is not walking away from us now. Finally, as we conclude, I want to do a brief synopsis study with you. As you might remember from an earlier video, a synopsis study is when we carefully study side by side what Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. taught about a certain event. We can find great insights by looking for both similarities and differences. In Gethsemane, Matthew and Mark highlight a human Jesus. They describe Jesus'soul as being sorrowful unto death. and tell us that Jesus fell on his face. It's only in Matthew and Mark that we read about Judas actually kissing Jesus to betray him. Think about what it feels like to have one of your best friends betray you. Only Matthew and Mark tell us that all the disciples fled. Matthew and Mark want us to know that there's a human aspect to Jesus. He understands our pain and the human emotions we experience. Luke shows us a healing Jesus. As you recall, when Christ was arrested, Peter cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Luke is the only author to record that Jesus healed the servant's ear. Think about that. Jesus extends healing to someone who is sinning against him. Luke reminds us that we have a Savior who can heal all of us, physically and spiritually. Of all the accounts, John is the most unique. John doesn't say anything about Jesus'suffering in Gethsemane. Remember, John has a high Christology. He's emphasizing the divine Jesus. In fact, in John, when the people are coming to arrest Jesus, rather than Judas identifying Jesus with a kiss, Jesus takes control of the situation. Before the soldiers can say anything, Jesus asks, who are you looking for? The soldiers say, we are looking for Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus responds, I am he. And all the soldiers fall to the ground. Movie accounts of Gethsemane don't always portray this scene as John tells it, but John wants us to see a Jesus who is in control. John highlights Jesus in Gethsemane defending his disciples, fulfilling his promise to protect them. In Mark, it almost seems like Jesus is afraid to drink the bitter cup. But in John, Christ seems to embrace it. Here, Jesus tells Peter,"...put away your sword, the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"John shows us a divine Savior who is completely in control. These images on the screen represent unique aspects of the accounts of Gethsemane, with Matthew and Mark on the left, Luke in the middle, and John on the right. Sometimes people wonder which of these accounts best portray Jesus. We'll discuss this further in a future class, but for now, I want to testify that these accounts all point us to the real Jesus. Jesus is human, He's healing, and He's divine. Depending on our situation, we may relate with different aspects of the Savior's character on different days. We might desire to connect with the Savior who has suffered, knowing that He can deeply empathize with our pain. We might cry out to a loving, forgiving Savior. confident that he will respond with healing. We might yearn for a Savior who is strong, one who can control every situation and strengthen us to move forward. Christ's love and compassion for each of us is deep and real. As we come to better understand the human, healing, and divine characteristics of Christ, our testimony of him and the peace we feel will deepen. Thanks for staying until the very end. I want to make sure that you know there are pre-class readings for each of these videos in the course. as well as additional resources like PowerPoints and quiz questions to explore. Click the link in the description to access these additional learning resources.

Welcome back to the course Seeking Jesus. My name is John Hilton. When you imagine the Last Supper, what image comes to your mind?

Probably the most famous drawing of the Last Supper was done by Leonardo da Vinci. What do you notice about this more recent drawing of the Last Supper? In this picture, you can see that women and children are depicted as being present.

What do you think? Is this just an artist's fanciful imagination, or is it realistically possible that women and children were present at the Last Supper? In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Last Supper is presented as a Passover meal, and Passover is traditionally a family gathering. It's good to have a guy's night out, but not on Thanksgiving.

That's a family day. From that perspective, it wouldn't be unusual for women or children to be at a Passover meal. In Mark chapter 15, we learn that women were present at the cross of Christ and that these women had come up with Christ from Galilee. If they had been following Christ for months or more, it seems possible that they were included at the Last Supper.

Notice these two scriptural details. In Mark chapter 14 verse 18, we read that at the last supper, when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me. So that's the first prediction. Someone who's in the room eating with us will betray me. In the next verses we read, they began to be distressed and to say one after another, surely not I.

Jesus said to them, it is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl. with me. If the only people in the room were the twelve, it wouldn't make sense for Jesus to say, one of you will betray me, and then a moment later say, it's one of the twelve.

That wouldn't be helpful. These verses suggest that other people were present. Let's take a look at a second detail. In Mark chapter 14 verse 28, still at the Last Supper, Jesus says, after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Now flip over to Mark chapter 16 verse 7. This is after the resurrection.

The women are at the empty tomb. and the young man there has a message for them. He says, go tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him just as he told you.

One way you can read this phrase is that the angel is saying to the women, don't you remember when Jesus told you he would meet you at Galilee? This would infer that the women were also present at the Last Supper. To be clear, we don't know for sure whether women or children were present at the Last Supper, but it's interesting to consider the possibility. There are many events that take place at the Last Supper, and it's challenging to put them in exact chronological order because there's not one account that includes all of these events.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke have one version of the Last Supper, and then John has a very different version. The Synoptic Gospels highlight the sacrament as a key part of what's happening at the Last Supper, and we've seen different elements of Christ instituting the sacrament in previous classes. In Matthew 26, we read,"...as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the disciples." and said, Take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the new testament, or new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

In our fourth class, we talked together about an old covenant. An animal was slaughtered and Moses took the blood, threw it on the people, and they made a covenant that they would follow the law that Moses had given them. This was called the blood of the covenant. Centuries later, Jeremiah wrote that the Israelites had broken this covenant and that a new covenant would be coming.

Here at the Last Supper, Jesus says, This is the blood of my new covenant, which is shed for you. In the previous class, we saw how Paul emphasized the importance of remembering Jesus as we take the sacrament. That's something that appears in Luke as well, when he records Jesus saying, This do in remembrance of me.

We also discussed how Paul reminds us that every time we take the sacrament, we are publicly testifying of the Savior's death. A key difference between the synoptics and John is that in John, there's no discussion of the sacrament. There's no administering of bread and water.

Instead, John describes the washing of the feet. In John 13, we read, Jesus got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples'feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you?

You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. In Christ's time, people wore sandals and walked on dirt paths. Sanitation wasn't what it is today, and people might have walked in things worse than dirt. Washing somebody's feet wasn't a pleasant task, but Jesus did it.

At the end of the day, the feet were the dirtiest part of the body. Perhaps one application for us from this moment is that Christ is willing to reach out and touch even the messiest parts of our lives. At First Peter, resisted Christ washing his feet, and maybe sometimes we don't want to let Christ in to certain areas of our lives, but he is here to make us clean. Now, over the last month, which of the two main events in the Last Supper have you thought more about? The sacrament or the washing of the feet?

My guess is for most of us, it's the sacrament because every Sunday we participate in this ordinance. I wonder how our lives might be different if every week we also reminded ourselves of the other key event from the Last Supper. the washing of the feet.

I'm not suggesting that the deacons go around with little bowls of water and wash everyone's feet, but maybe you and I could take a private moment on the Sabbath to think about Christ washing his disciples'feet. He is the Son of God. He has no responsibility, no need to do this menial task, but he does it.

He lowers himself, and then he says in verse 17, if ye know these things, meaning that you should provide this type of selfless service, happy are ye if ye do them. There's joy that will come into our lives if we can be like the Savior. He said, I have set you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Ultimately, the Savior will lower himself by being lifted up on a cross to cleanse us from all sin. What does this look like in our lives?

How can we, metaphorically speaking, wash people's feet? I'm impressed by the fact that Jesus didn't wait for his disciples to ask, hey, could you wash my feet? He just acted.

Sometimes we might think, well, if someone asks me for help or if I receive such and such a calling, then I'll go serve. The Savior didn't wait. He acted. It reminds me of this story told by Elder Clayton Christensen. He said, I once felt passed over when another man was called to a leadership position I had felt I might receive.

In the crisis of self-confidence that ensued, I realized that because our minds are finite, we create hierarchies and statistically aggregate people. We perceive stake presidents to be higher than bishops and primary presidents higher than primary teachers because they preside over more people. But God has an infinite mind.

He needs no statistics above the level of the individual in order to have a perfect understanding of what is happening. This means, I realized, that the way God will measure my life is not by the numbers of people over whom I have presided, but by the individual people whose lives I have touched with his love and with the gospel of Jesus Christ. With this sense of my most important calling, I began to fast and pray that God would give me opportunities daily to bless and help people.

As I acted on the promptings I received, it was as if God spoke to me more frequently because he knew I was listening. This period of my life proved to be one of extraordinary growth. There is a calling far higher than that of stake president, bishop, or Relief Society president.

It is to be a doer of good, a disciple of Christ, an intermediary for whom God answers others'prayers. How might you translate these ideas in your life? What would things look like if you and I remembered a little more frequently the Savior washing his disciples'feet?

After the foot washing, Christ said, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall men know ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. You might know that this verse is the basis for the lyrics of a hymn.

When I was a child, I was confused by this hymn because I misheard the lyrics. I heard, by this shalmeno, and I thought a shalmeno was some type of object, and one day I would get a shalmeno, and that's how people would know that I was a disciple. That's not what Christ was teaching.

Don't expect to receive a shalmeno anytime soon. Jesus is saying that people will know we are his disciples if we love each other. Jesus says this is a new commandment, and the new part is in how we are supposed to love. The old commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself, but what if I don't love myself very much?

Then I'm not going to love my neighbor very much. But Jesus is saying it's not about how much you love yourself. He wants us to love others as he loves us.

That raises the bar. According to John, this is not only a new commandment, it's also the last commandment that Jesus gives to his disciples. In John 15, Jesus says, this is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. Then in verse 17, he says, These things I command you, that ye love one another. These are the final commands Christ gives in mortality. Jesus clearly describes and demonstrates the type of love he has for us and then calls us to that kind of love. How will we respond to this commandment?

In some ways, we're talking about simple things. Love. service, and I doubt anyone who's watching today is thinking, oh wow, I should serve others? I never thought of that.

But this is what Christ taught at the Last Supper, and hopefully discussing it together helps it sink a little deeper into our hearts. At the Last Supper, Christ also repeatedly taught about the importance of keeping all his commandments. He didn't say, if you love me, follow me on social media, or like my posts, or type amen in the comments.

He wants us to do what he says. In John 14, 15, Jesus teaches, if ye love me, keep my commandments. In verse 21, he says, they who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me. Verse 23 says, those who love me will keep my word.

In the next chapter, we see the same emphasis. Chapter 15, verse 10 says, if ye keep my commandments, you will abide in my love. Verse 14, you are my friends if you do what I command you.

Christ. clearly wants us to keep his commandments. I want to share a personal story that I'm reminded of when I think about the Savior's phrase, if you love me, keep my commandments.

It has to do with this pamphlet that you see on the screen. Towards the end of my mission, the church produced this pamphlet, and when the mission president gave it to the missionaries, he gave us a new mission rule. The rule was that anytime we had an appointment with someone and they didn't show up, we were supposed to write our names and phone numbers on the pamphlet and put it on the door in hopes that the person would be touched by the pamphlet and call us.

At the time, my companion and I were busy teaching lots of people. We met the McGee family. The father was not a member, the mother was not active, and their son Jeff, who was 14, had not been baptized.

The parents didn't really want to talk to us, but Jeff said he'd be willing to meet. So we set up an appointment. It was a hot afternoon. We showed up, knocked on the door, no response. Knocked again, nothing.

We thought to ourselves, Jeff's 14, he probably isn't really that interested in meeting with us. So we got in the car, cranked on the air conditioning, And as we were driving away, we remembered, oh, we forgot to put the pamphlet on the doorstep. Look at this pamphlet.

Do you think a 14-year-old boy is going to be very interested in it? I don't think so. But there's something valuable about just being obedient. So we stopped the car, got out, and right as I was putting the pamphlet on the door, the door opened.

It was Jeff. Turns out he'd been taking a nap, and it just took him a long time to get to the door. So to make a long story short, Jeff got baptized. Now, to make a short story long, Four months later, it was the last week of my mission, and I'd been hoping and praying that in my final transfer, I could help one more person get baptized, but it wasn't happening.

All the people we had been teaching had told us that they were no longer interested. It was a really hard, discouraging time. It was a Tuesday night, exactly one week from the day I would be flying home, and we were at the McGee's family house. After Jeff had been baptized, Jeff's mom had started coming to church, so we were teaching a lesson for new and returning members to help strengthen Sister McGee and Jeff. Right as the lesson began, Jeff's dad walked into the room.

Jeff and his mom had told us that Jeff's dad made fun of them for going to church, but I was a bold missionary, so I said, Mr. McGee, we're going to share a message with your wife and son. Would you like to join? He said, no.

I said, oh, but Mr. McGee, it's a special message. Okay, he said, and then he sat down. So that's a tip for any future missionaries out there.

You can remember that phrase, it's a special message, and it was a special message. We talked about faith in Christ. repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit was there.

At the end, I looked at Brother McGee and said, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized? A tear came into his eye, and he said, I've seen such a change in my wife and my son since they've been going to church. I will be baptized.

I said, Brother McGee, five days from now, this Sunday, we're having a baptismal service. Will you be baptized this Sunday? He said yes, and he was.

Today, it might take more time to prepare people for baptism, but this was back in the wild 1990s. I felt so much joy as I saw this miracle right as I left the mission field. Now, fast forward 14 months.

I'm at BYU studying business and dating an amazing woman. There was some friction in our relationship, though, because I was ready to be serious, and she still had doubts. At this difficult time, I got some good news from the McGee family. They were going to the temple to be sealed together, and they invited my old companion and me to come and join them at the Denver Temple. From Provo to Denver is about eight hours, and my companion and I planned a road trip.

But at the last moment, he wasn't able to go. So I asked Lonnie, the person I was dating, would you like to take a road trip to Denver? To my surprise, she said yes. Now, those of you who have served missions know that on your mission, there are certain people that just love you and think you're the greatest missionary.

So I took Lonnie to all of those houses. People would say things like, oh, Elder Hilton, he was the best missionary. And I'd say, yes, tell her more.

We got to see the McGee family sealed in the temple. And then as we were driving home, Lonnie said to me, I think I'm ready to get serious. And we were engaged a few months later.

Have you noticed how everything in this story hinges on one choice, one day to put one pamphlet on one door? If I don't put the pamphlet on the door, we don't baptize Jeff, don't baptize his dad. I don't get invited to the ceiling.

My wife doesn't fall in love with me. My whole life collapses or succeeds on this one moment. Now, I want to be careful with this story because I don't want anyone to feel anxious or like, oh, well, I've made some mistakes in the past, so I guess I've ruined my whole life.

That's not the case. At the same time, I believe that we do have pivotal moments in life. And I love this experience because I can pinpoint a chain of events to one little decision.

We can't always see that, but perhaps in the next life, we'll be able to look at some of the small choices we've made and see a cascade of ways that has changed our life. Or maybe we'll reach out to someone, and from our perspective, nothing happens, but later we'll be able to see how our small efforts made a ripple effect in another person's life. It's also true that sometimes we keep the commandments and life gets worse in the short run.

But I know that in the long run, when we keep the commandments, we're blessed. And you never know which... little choice, which time you put a pamphlet on a door, or have family scripture study, or decide to be in the place you should be or leave the place you shouldn't be, or reach out to another in love is the time that will make all the difference. In an earlier class, we talked about how in John's account there are seven I am statements from the Savior.

Two of these come from Christ's final discourse. In John chapter 14 verse 6, Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Christ is not one of many.

good paths. He is the path. He is the way.

And let's connect Christ's phrase, I am the truth, with something he taught in John chapter 8. He said, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Jesus is the truth. Deeply knowing the truth, Jesus sets us free. In time, he can make us free from worry, free from fear, free from sin. The last of the I am statements is, I am the true vine.

In other words, as Raymond Brown puts it, Jesus is emphasizing that he is the source of real life, a life that can only come from above and from the Father. Many of the things we encounter are fake. We may come across fake news, false promises of happiness through sin, or bogus beliefs that don't lead to peace.

Jesus, on the other hand, is 100% real, 100% true. The Savior continues, For the fruit of the gospel to blossom and bless our lives, we must be firmly attached to Him, the Savior of us all, and to this church which bears His holy name. He is the vine that is our true source of strength and the only source of eternal life. A question that each of us can periodically ask ourselves is, how am I doing in staying closely connected to the true vine? If we're not careful, we can become branches that are insufficiently connected to the vine.

In many cases, this happens not because we're trying to be malicious or do something wrong. We just get caught up in so much stuff that we lose focus on what matters most. Jesus here reminds us to stay connected with him.

Before the Savior and his disciples entered Gethsemane, Christ offered a special prayer. There are many important aspects to this prayer. We'll highlight just two.

First, notice how Jesus is about to go through immense suffering. and yet he still focuses his prayer on others. He says, I pray for them.

Sanctify them through thy truth. I pray for them which shall believe. Praying for others is part of a pattern in how Jesus Christ prays. In the New World, he prayed, I pray unto thee for them, and I pray for those whom thou hast given me. Thinking about these prayers from the Savior makes me wonder how much of my prayers are about me and how much I'm really praying for others.

Remember, just after this prayer, Christ will endure the most horrific things. But he doesn't focus his prayer on himself. He focuses on others.

By the way, if you're interested in more patterns in how the Savior and prophets pray, you can see the additional resources in the course website. Second, note how in his prayer, Christ prays for unity. In John 17 20, Jesus says, I pray for those who believe in me.

I pray that they may all be one. Father, may they be in us. just as you are in me, and I in you. May they be one, just as you and I are one."When Jesus prays that they may be one, the they in that sentence is all believers in Christ. Not just Latter-day Saints or Catholics or Baptists, but all believers. When I was growing up, I'll be honest, I sometimes felt an us-versus-them mentality between Christian denominations. That's not what Jesus is praying for. Jesus is praying that all Christians will be one. in the same way that he and the Father are one. Church leaders in modern times have also called for unity among different religious groups. Joseph Smith said, The inquiry is frequently made of me. Wherein do you differ from others in your religious views? In reality, in essence, we do not differ so far in our religious views. Christians should cease wrangling and contention with each other and cultivate the principles of union and friendship in their midst. And they will do it before the millennium can be ushered in and Christ takes possession of his kingdom. More recently, Elder Neil L. Anderson taught, Some of our fellow Christians are at times uncertain about our beliefs and motives. Let us genuinely rejoice with them in our shared faith in Jesus Christ and in the New Testament scriptures we all love. In the days ahead, those who believe in Jesus Christ will need the friendship and support of one another. In 2019, President Russell M. Nelson met with the Pope. In a press conference afterwards, President Nelson said, The differences in doctrine between the Church of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church are real, and they're important, but they're not nearly as important as the things we have in common. Our concern for human suffering, the importance of religious liberty for all of society, and the importance of building bridges of friendship instead of building walls of segregation. Before Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that all those who believe in him will be unified. How could we help be a small part of the answer to this prayer? There's another type of unity Christ mentions in his prayer. He says, Father, may they be in us just as you are in me and I in you. In other words, Christ is praying that we will be in him and Heavenly Father. May they be one just as you and I are one. I in them, you in me. Jesus is praying that he can be in us so that we can be completely one with him. This idea appears in other passages. The Apostle Paul speaks of Christ in you. On another occasion, Paul said, It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. What would your life look like? What would my life look like if Christ lived in us? If we had that kind of unity with him and the Father? In 3519, Jesus prays, Father, I pray unto thee for them, that I may be in them, as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one. We know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are extremely unified. And Christ is praying that you and I will have that same type of unity with Him, that He will be in us. I don't want this comment to come off in the wrong way, but when we pray, we hope that God will answer our prayers. Here, Jesus is praying that He will be in us. Is it possible that we, through our agency, by choosing to invite Christ to be in us, can, in some small way, be a part of an answer to Christ's prayer? Let's now go with Christ into Gethsemane. Have you ever wondered what was the weather like? as Christ and the disciples walked into Gethsemane. I don't know why, but somehow in my mind, I always picture it being 60 degrees with a slight breeze. But the scriptures tell us that it was cold that night. Later, Peter and others were warming themselves by the fire. At this time of year, it would not be uncommon for nighttime temperatures to be in the 40s. When I lived in Jerusalem, I had a beautiful experience during Holy Week. On the night when Christ went to Gethsemane, there's a special interfaith ceremony at the Catholic chapel in Gethsemane. Afterwards, people walked from Gethsemane to the traditional location of Christ's trial by Caiaphas. My family was in the chapel enjoying the service, and as we walked out, it was pouring rain. You probably can't tell from this picture, but we were soaked by the time we got to Caiaphas'mansion. I'm not suggesting that it was raining while Christ was in Gethsemane, but it was a season where rain was possible. While the weather was the least of the Savior's worries, for me, considering the weather helps make Christ's experience in Gethsemane a little more tangible. In Matthew, we learn that Jesus was extremely distressed as he walked into Gethsemane. We read, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then he said unto them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. Can you feel the agony Christ is already experiencing as he enters Gethsemane? Can you sense in the Savior's words what he's feeling? He went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying, Oh my Father. If it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. A couple of years ago, I did a research project where I looked at everything that has ever been said by church leaders about Christ and Gethsemane. Christ's statement, as thou wilt, is part of one of the most common themes they have discussed, how Christ surrendered his will to the will of the Father. Think of it. How often do we say, either in prayer or in life, this is what I want? But Jesus focused on what his Father wanted. After expressing his desire to do his Father's will, Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, So could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you do not come to the time of trial. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. I love this observation from Timothy Keller. He wrote, Here is a man under the most crushing weight asking his friends for a little support and finding that they have gone to sleep on him. He has been completely let down, but what does he say? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Isn't that remarkable? He's giving them some credit. He says, You let me down, but I know you mean well. In the depths of his agony, he can still find something affirming to say to his friends. There are about 20 things wrong with the disciples'performance that night, but he finds the one or two things that are right and points them out. What a great example for each of us to follow. Now, let's explore a detail mentioned only by Luke. In Luke 22, 44, we read,"...and being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints see this as a pivotal time when Christ suffered for our sins. Although we know from modern revelation that there's atoning significance in this moment, if all we had were these verses from Luke, we wouldn't know that Christ suffered for our sins in Gethsemane. Luke simply gives a narrative description telling us that Christ's sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground. So, if you're ever talking with a fellow Christian and say, I love how Christ suffered for our sins in Gethsemane, Your friend might not understand because the Bible doesn't itself mention Christ atoning for our sins in Gethsemane. Latter-day Saints know about Christ suffering for our sins in Gethsemane from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. Let's look at two important verses. In Mosiah 3.7, King Benjamin says, And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, more than man can suffer, except it be unto death. For behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. In Doctrine and Covenants 19, we hear the Savior's own words, For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent. But if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I, which suffering caused myself, even God the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit, and would that I might not drink the bitter cup and shrink. Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations. unto the children of men."These are the only two passages of scripture that explicitly talk about Jesus Christ suffering for our sins in Gethsemane.

Sometimes we cite other scriptures in connection with Gethsemane, but these are the only verses where the text itself is connected to atoning efficacy in Gethsemane. I love what President Russell M. Nelson teaches. The word Gethsemane comes from two Hebrew roots, gat meaning press and shemen meaning oil. especially that of the olive.

Their olives had been pressed under the weight of great stone wheels to squeeze precious oil from the olives. Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane was literally pressed under the weight of the sins of the world. He sweated great drops of blood, his life's oil, which issued from every pore.

This is a powerful moment and we know of its significance thanks to the blessing of Restoration Scripture. Let's conclude with two final thoughts. First, if you visit Gethsemane today, you can see the remnants of an ancient road. When I lived near Gethsemane, my archaeologist colleague Matt Gray and my supervisor Roy Huff went to great efforts to take a group of us to see this ancient road.

At first, I thought, this is nice, but it looks like just some old rocks. But then I realized its spiritual significance. This road existed in the time of Christ, and it led right out of town.

I love thinking about this road because it's a reminder that Jesus Christ didn't have to atone for our sins. He had a choice. Sometimes we think about Christ's atonement as being inevitable, but just like you and me, Jesus had agency.

As he was walking into Gethsemane feeling heavy and knowing what was before him, maybe he looked over and saw this road. Perhaps Satan tempted him again and said, you don't have to do this. You can just take this road, walk right out of town, go back to Galilee, and live happily ever after. For me, the lesson from this road is that Jesus didn't leave.

He stayed and suffered for us. And because Jesus did not give up on us then, he is not giving up on us now. Some of us might be in a place where we feel like Jesus is walking away from us. He is not. He did not walk away on the night of Gethsemane, and he is not walking away from us now.

Finally, as we conclude, I want to do a brief synopsis study with you. As you might remember from an earlier video, a synopsis study is when we carefully study side by side what Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. taught about a certain event. We can find great insights by looking for both similarities and differences. In Gethsemane, Matthew and Mark highlight a human Jesus.

They describe Jesus'soul as being sorrowful unto death. and tell us that Jesus fell on his face. It's only in Matthew and Mark that we read about Judas actually kissing Jesus to betray him.

Think about what it feels like to have one of your best friends betray you. Only Matthew and Mark tell us that all the disciples fled. Matthew and Mark want us to know that there's a human aspect to Jesus. He understands our pain and the human emotions we experience.

Luke shows us a healing Jesus. As you recall, when Christ was arrested, Peter cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Luke is the only author to record that Jesus healed the servant's ear.

Think about that. Jesus extends healing to someone who is sinning against him. Luke reminds us that we have a Savior who can heal all of us, physically and spiritually.

Of all the accounts, John is the most unique. John doesn't say anything about Jesus'suffering in Gethsemane. Remember, John has a high Christology.

He's emphasizing the divine Jesus. In fact, in John, when the people are coming to arrest Jesus, rather than Judas identifying Jesus with a kiss, Jesus takes control of the situation. Before the soldiers can say anything, Jesus asks, who are you looking for? The soldiers say, we are looking for Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus responds, I am he. And all the soldiers fall to the ground. Movie accounts of Gethsemane don't always portray this scene as John tells it, but John wants us to see a Jesus who is in control. John highlights Jesus in Gethsemane defending his disciples, fulfilling his promise to protect them. In Mark, it almost seems like Jesus is afraid to drink the bitter cup.

But in John, Christ seems to embrace it. Here, Jesus tells Peter,"...put away your sword, the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"John shows us a divine Savior who is completely in control. These images on the screen represent unique aspects of the accounts of Gethsemane, with Matthew and Mark on the left, Luke in the middle, and John on the right. Sometimes people wonder which of these accounts best portray Jesus. We'll discuss this further in a future class, but for now, I want to testify that these accounts all point us to the real Jesus.

Jesus is human, He's healing, and He's divine. Depending on our situation, we may relate with different aspects of the Savior's character on different days. We might desire to connect with the Savior who has suffered, knowing that He can deeply empathize with our pain. We might cry out to a loving, forgiving Savior. confident that he will respond with healing.

We might yearn for a Savior who is strong, one who can control every situation and strengthen us to move forward. Christ's love and compassion for each of us is deep and real. As we come to better understand the human, healing, and divine characteristics of Christ, our testimony of him and the peace we feel will deepen. Thanks for staying until the very end.

I want to make sure that you know there are pre-class readings for each of these videos in the course. as well as additional resources like PowerPoints and quiz questions to explore. Click the link in the description to access these additional learning resources.

Transcript for:Insights on the Last Supper and Gethsemane

Transcript for:
Insights on the Last Supper and Gethsemane