Then cometh Jesus with them
The eleven disciples,
unto a place called Gethsemane;
the Syriac version calls it Ghedsiman; the Persic, Ghesmani, so
the Arabic; the Vulgate Latin, and the Ethiopic, Gethsemani: in
Munster's Hebrew Gospel, and in the Vulgate Latin, and Arabic
versions, it is called a "village"; and in the Ethiopic version,
"a village of wine"; and in the Syriac and Persic versions, a
place. Here, according to an Ethiopic writer, the Virgin Mary was
buried by the apostles F4. Its etymology is very differently
given: some read, and explain it, as if it was (Mynmv yg) , "a valley of fatness", or
"of olives", as it is called in Munster's Hebrew Gospel; see (
Isaiah 28:1 )
; others as if it was (ynmyod
yg) , "a valley of signs", or a very famous valley; so
Mount Sinai is called {e}, (yanmyo rh) , "Harsemanai", the mountain of signs: but,
to take notice of no more; the true reading and signification of
it is, (ynmv) (tg) , "an olive press", or a press
for olives: so we read F6 of a chamber in the temple which is
called "the chamber", (aynmv
tyb) , "Beth Semania", or "Bethsemani", where they put
their wine and oil for temple service. It is very probable that
at, or near this place, was a very public olive press, where they
used to squeeze the olives, for the oil of them, which they
gathered in great plenty from off the Mount of Olives; at the
foot of which this place was; and a very significant place it was
for our Lord to go to at this time, when he was about to tread
the wine press of his Father's wrath, alone, and of the people
there were none with him: for it follows,
and saith unto the disciples, sit ye here, while I go and
pray
yonder:
perceiving a time of distress was coming upon him, he betakes
himself to prayer, an example worthy of our imitation; in the
performance of which duty he chose to be retired and solitary,
and therefore left eight of his disciples at a certain place,
whilst he went to another at some distance, convenient for his
purpose; who perhaps might be the weakest of the disciples, and
not able to bear the agonies and distress of their Lord and
Master.
F4 Ludolph. Lex. Ethiop. p. 554.
F5 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 89. 1.
F6 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 16. 1.