Christ hath trodden the winepress alone. (Isaiah 63:3, D&C 76:107). As obvious as it seems to me now, I never really understood the meaning of the phrase. I think I could also put it in these words: “Christ smashed the grapes by himself.”
Quoting from “Gethsemane” by Andrew C. Skinner:
Anciently, winepresses and olive presses were sometimes used interchangeably. Several people would get into the press, and a rock-lined pit with a mosaic or plaster floor, and, holding onto one another, smash the grapes or olives with their feet until the fruit turned into a thick pulp. Unless one held onto others in the press, it was almost impossible to lift one’s feet in the thick sludge to tromp the grapes into juice. It also became very slippery, and without others in the press to hang onto for support, it was very easy to fall. Thus, when the Savior says he trod the winepress alone, he means that at a certain point in Gethsemane no one was there to help him through his ordeal. Ironically, in a place named for an activity that required several participants, one Man suffered for all men. (p.118)
Not only that, but this scripture corresponds to the one in Rev. 9:13 where it says He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. As he trod out the grapes, the bottom of his garment was stained. Try doing that without getting any on your clothing. So the grapes of course represent the very life’s blood being crushed out of him, and this he had to do all alone, with no one to bear him up. This is prophesied of in Genesis when Jacob is prophesying over his son. Genesis 49:11 says He washed his garments in wine and his clothes in the blood of grapes. What a thread of continuity runs through the entire scriptures, from Genesis to Revelations, we see that the garment dipped in blood is spoken of from the first to the last!
To add to these beutifull and educative contribution above;
The Isaiah 63 vs 3 prophesy was first fullfiled in the Agony in the garden. Jesus, three times asked his disciples to watch and pray with him. But they could not help him during his agony because their eyes were heavy with sleep.
Jesus went through that agony alone sweating blood. the sweat of blood that redeemed man from the cause of sweating before the ground will produce.It all started in the garden of Eden and ended in the garden of agony.
immidiately Jesus came out from that agony, he told his disciples ‘sleep on now. take your rest’. because the work is done. therefore we dont need to sweat or go throu a time of agony before the ground produce for us- Halleluyah. And he did it all alone. with nobody to help him out-Amen.
It’s a pleasure to find such rationality in an answer. Welcome to the debate.
Well put, sir, well put. I’ll certainly make note of that.