Gethsemane. - Matthew 26:36
This was a garden at the foot of Mount Olivet; here Jesus, as the SUBSTITUTE of His people, receiving the cup of wrath from the hand of His offended Father. It was the wrath of God, all we had deserved; the punishment we must have endured; the Son of God in our nature, in our stead, for our salvation, was punished by Divine Justice.
No human hand touched Him, no human voice spake to Him, when He sweat great drops of blood falling down to the ground. It was the baptism He expected, and O how great was His love! The baptism He longed to undergo. See the wonderful Sufferer, hear His dreadful groans, listen to His heart-breaking sighs; heaven and hell are astonished, only man remains unaffected.
Beloved, it is our SURETY. He is paying our debt, redeeming our souls, purchasing our happiness, and making our peace. He went to GETHSEMANE that we might not go to hell. He was punished that we might be glorified. Often, very often, visit this sacred spot; here have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings by faith.
O my soul, I charge thee to visit Gethsemane, and visit it very often for fellowship with Jesus!
Go to the garden, sinner; see
Those precious drops that flow;
The heavy load He bore for thee:
For thee He lies so low.