I’m continuing my exploration of some of the plants associated with Easter week – today it is the olive, cultivated for its wood, olives, olive oil, and medicinal properties. After the Last Supper, Jesus and his disciples entered the garden of Gethsemane, as was their usual practice. Jesus spent the eve of his crucifixion in intense prayer—wrestling, agonizing, seeking, and accepting what was to come. The descriptions in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22 convey the events of the evening from the unique perspectives of their reporters.
Gethsemane was at the base of the Mount of Olives, which is a limestone ridge running north and south outside of Jerusalem. The mount had been used for centuries as a cemetery, and was also used for cultivating olive trees. The word Gethsemane means “oil press.” The garden would have provided a retreat away from the busy city, perfect for prayer and reflection. The exact site of the garden is not known, but a Garden of Gethsemane exists today. The grove of olive trees on the mount was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Some believe the most ancient trees that remain in the garden are from root stock that was present in Jesus’ day.
Learn More:
Neot Kedumim, The Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel (plant list):
http://www.n-k.org.il/public/english/what/trails/plantlist.htm
Old Dominion University (plant list):
Gethsemane was at the base of the Mount of Olives, which is a limestone ridge running north and south outside of Jerusalem. The mount had been used for centuries as a cemetery, and was also used for cultivating olive trees. The word Gethsemane means “oil press.” The garden would have provided a retreat away from the busy city, perfect for prayer and reflection. The exact site of the garden is not known, but a Garden of Gethsemane exists today. The grove of olive trees on the mount was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Some believe the most ancient trees that remain in the garden are from root stock that was present in Jesus’ day.
The olive trees, Olea europaea, are native to the eastern Mediterranean Basin. Olive trees have been cultivated for thousands of years, possibly originating in Syria. The olive tree grows well in calcareous soils, such as limestone, and even in clay soil, if well drained. They require cool or cold winters and hot summers, and are drought tolerant because their roots grow very deep. The trees grow slowly, and live for centuries (even thousands of years). They are difficult to date because they do not have rings. They can be grown from seed, but yield more fruit if grafted onto sturdy root stock or budded. The olive branch is a symbol of peace.
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| Young olive tree growing wild in the Oakland Hills |
Learn More:
Neot Kedumim, The Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel (plant list):
http://www.n-k.org.il/public/english/what/trails/plantlist.htm
Old Dominion University (plant list):
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