Did the Atonement really take place in the Garden of Gethsemane – as it’s taught in Mormonism? In Matthew chapter 26, as the Jewish religious leaders are plotting Jesus’s death and bargaining with Judas Iscariot, our Lord institutes the memorial of communion with the remaining eleven apostles in the upper room.  Verse 26 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.”  And He breaks the unleavened bread to symbolize the torture His flesh was about to endure.  Verse 27-28 “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 (meaning the new covenant of grace, not the law), which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”  Then the Lord says something interesting, Verse 29 “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”  The blood of the New Covenant is not an animal’s blood, but Christ’s own blood. This is the last time the Master will partake of these elements with His disciples during His mortal life.  And, only when His Father’s kingdom is established in heaven will we partake of the wine again.  This Passover marked the end of an old era – where sacrifice looked forward to the Atonement.  And the beginning of a new era -when communion was to be in remembrance of the Atonement.  Jesus transforms the last Passover into the first observance of the Lord’s Supper.  Verse 30 “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”  Which was a short walk outside the east city wall of Jerusalem.  

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Verses 33-35 “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended (meaning they will all desert Him) because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.  But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.  Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.  Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night before the cock crow (in the early morning), thou shalt deny me trice (three times).  Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.  Likewise also said ALL the disciples.”  Even though Peter and the other disciples were sincere – without the strengthening power of the Holy Spirit – they would demonstrate the weakness of the flesh.  They were only a few hours away from fulfilling this prophecy.Verse 36-37 “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.  And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (James and John), and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.”  Sorrowful and heavy over what?  What their Master was about to endure.  This was the place and time Satan was going to return to try and get Jesus to refuse to drink from the cup – to not submit to the Father’s will – and to live according to His own mortal desires.  But I want to be clear – this is NOT the place where He would atone for the sins of the world.  He was there preparing Himself for the task at hand.  Gethsemane means “oil press.”  The Jews put olives into bags made of mesh fabric and placed them in a press to squeeze olive oil out of them.  The pure olive oil was used for healing and giving light in lanterns.  Symbolically, the Savior is going into the “oil press” to submit to the pressure that was being brought upon Him as He faced the awful work of suffering torture and death for our sins.  Verse 38 “Then saith he unto them (Peter, James and John), My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.”  Jesus was facing great