Childbirth and the Atonement of Jesus Christ

My daughter-in-law recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who she named Olivia. I was thrilled with the name. If you read my original post you know what I think about the symbolism of olives! These events got me thinking about the symbolism of childbirth.

Have you ever wondered why childbirth is so difficult and painful? I believe it is a symbol of Christ's suffering for us so that we can be born again as children of Christ. Jesus said, "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world." (John 16:21) Jesus said this in connection with his upcoming atonement and crucifixion. Just as Jesus' willingness to suffer makes possible our spiritual rebirth, even so, the mother's willingness to suffer makes it possible for a child to be born into this world. Her suffering is in the similitude of Christ's suffering.

There is a further parallel in the language Jesus used in the verse, "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come" (ital. added). Do you remember how Jesus began his ministry? It was with the miracle of turning water into wine--at a marriage! Remember, Jesus is the bridegroom and the church is his bride. On that occasion, the marriage had a problem. Jesus said, "Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that will I do; for mine hour is not yet come" (JST John 2:4 ital. added). The woman, in this case, is Mary, but she stands symbolically in the place of the church (or all of us) so that when Jesus says, "What wilt thou have me to do for thee? That I will do." He is, in effect, saying it to us in reference to any concerns we may have about our marriage to Him! On that occasion, as in every occasion of our need, Jesus expressed his willingness to do whatever He could. Mary, as a righteous example, didn't prescribe a solution but rather, in faith, left it in Jesus's hands (with an admonition to the servants, "Whatsoever he [Jesus] saith unto you, do it," which is always good advice for unlocking the power of God in our lives.)

At that point, Jesus turned water into wine, but it's instructive to consider the symbolism of that miracle. The scriptures say that, "there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews..." The water became wine in vessels made for ritual purification. The wine, of course, is symbolic of the blood of Jesus and thus symbolizes how our actual purification is accomplished by His blood, or in other words, His atoning sacrifice that would take place when His hour had come.

John wrote of that hour, "Now before the feast of the passover [another type of Christ], when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end" (John 13:1 ital. added). This verse has always filled me with a strange mixture of melancholy and gratitude as I reflect on all that was comprised in the phrase, "he loved them unto the end" when Jesus was finally able to proclaim, "Father, it is finished, thy will is done" (JST Matt. 27:54).

The scriptures make additional parallels between childbirth and being born again, "Inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory; For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;" (Moses 6:59-60).

We find this trifecta of water, blood, and spirit again in the account of the crucifixion. After Jesus proclaimed, "It is finished," the record says, "He bowed his head, and gave up the ghost [or his spirit]... But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19:30,34). Surely this is symbolic of the rebirth afforded us through His atonement.

Let me finish with one more thought from John 16:21, "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world." When hard times come we can consider that we are, each of us, that "woman...in travail" whose "hour is come" for the sufferings of this life serve a purpose. They are the process by which we are reborn unto Christ. Jesus promised, "And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:22, 33). When the hard times come we can look forward with an eye of faith to that happy day when we shall see Him again and rejoice in his presence.

I honor my daughter-in-law and every woman who is willing to make the sacrifice to bring a child into the world, for it is a selfless and holy thing.

The Waters of Marah: Turning Bitter into Sweet

The exodus story is a powerful allegory for our earthly life. The story is filled with symbolic meaning. For example, Egypt represents the world, or worldliness. The enslavement of the children of Israel represents our bondage to sin. Moses frees the people and leads them into, and out of, the Red Sea. This is symbolic of Jesus freeing us from sin as we are baptized and begin a new life with Him.

The story continues with the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness for 40 years until all the current generation passes away, when they are finally able to enter the promised land. The number 40 is often used in connection with a period of probation. These 40 years in the wilderness where “all the people...which came out of Egypt were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord” (Josh 5:6) represents our earthly walk with Christ where the worldliness within us is eventually destroyed in favor of a “new creature” (2 Cor 5:17. See also Rom 6:6). This change in our nature is accomplished by the Holy Spirit as it dwells in our heart (Gal 5:22-25). With our period of probation completed, we are finally able to enter our “promised land,” which is our eternal inheritance provided by our loving Father in Heaven.

There are many more elements to the story as related in the Old Testament. One of these details that impressed me in a new way when I read it recently was the account of the “waters of Marah”, an episode that takes place three days after the parting of the Red Sea:

"So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea...and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

The word “Marah” means bitter. By repeating the name three times the author apparently wants to emphasize the bitterness of the water. The text says the water was so bitter it was undrinkable. It may have even been poisonous.

“And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?”

If the people complained a little at this point, perhaps we can understand. They must have been very thirsty. Their situation may have even been desperate. If I may put words in their mouth, they might have said to Moses, “We followed you, and you have brought us to this?”

Suddenly I imagined the waters of Marah to represent all the bitterness of life. By this, I don’t mean to say that life is only, or even mostly, bitter, but some of life’s experiences can be very difficult. And of course, the bitterest of all things is sin, which, in the course of mortal life, we all inevitably experience to some degree (Moses 6:55). Bitter herbs were a ritual part of the Passover Seder (Num 9:11) and were meant to remind the people of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt, which, as I have already noted, is a symbol for our bondage to sin.

The story continues:

“And he [Moses] cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet" (Ex. 15:22-25).

This is the part that sunk deep into my heart. The tree is Jesus Christ. He is the Tree of Life. He was crucified on a tree. Our lives, without Jesus Christ, would be like the waters of Marah. There would be no remedy for the sufferings of this life. Our mortal experience, tainted by sin, would bring only death (D&C 42:47).

But, because Jesus Christ willingly drank of the "bitter cup" (3 Nephi 11:11), even the bitterest of our experiences are made sweet (Alma 36:21). That which was poisonous becomes life-giving. Jesus said:

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

"Today I Must Abide at Thy House."The Story of Zacchaeus.

The four gospels of the New Testament are filled with little stories. The language is often so succinct that we sometimes pass over them without giving them much consideration. One of these, for me, is the story of Zacchaeus the publican (Luke 19:1-10). The other day I read it with new eyes and I believe I understood it for the first time.

“And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, which was the chief among the publicans...And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house."

These verses say that Zacchæus was “small of stature” or, in other words, he was short. This detail is symbolic of his low regard among the people. In fact, he was hated by nearly everyone, because he was a publican, a tax collector. But he was a good man, trying his best to live honorably. It must have been hard to be ostracized by neighbors in this way.

Zacchæus wanted to see Jesus, to get to know him, but couldn’t get through the crowd. Being shunted aside like that was probably familiar to him. So he did the only thing he could think of. He climbed into a tree. He wouldn’t get to interact with Jesus that way, but at least he could see him as he passed by.

His climbing into a tree was a very symbolic act. Jesus is the tree of life. Jesus was crucified on a tree. Zaccaeus being in a tree represents that his heart was in the right place, that, though disregarded by everyone around him, he was doing his best to follow Jesus. And Jesus noticed! “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said...Zaccaeus, come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.”

If you ever feel small, worthless, and overlooked, try to remember that there is one who will never overlook you. He paid too high a price to ever forget you. Jesus' great love for us is memorialized in a hymn:

Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the sheep of his fold;
Dear is the love that he gives them,
Dearer than silver or gold.
...
See, the Good Shepherd is seeking,
Seeking the lambs that are lost,
Bringing them in with rejoicing,
Saved at such infinite cost.

Jesus paid the ultimate price for each and every one of us. We matter to him. His only purpose is to bless us. He demonstrated it with infallible proofs in Gethsemane and on the cross.

Why Did Jesus Walk on Water?

In my studies of scriptures over the years I have come to see that everything Jesus did he did for more than one reason. In addition to what we can learn by taking the story at face value, there is always a deeper, spiritual meaning, or a way of applying the story from a spiritual point of view.

Let's take, for example, when Jesus heals the blind. Are we not also often blind, unable to see the truth about the things that really matter? Have you ever tried to overcome a weakness, but felt yourself to be stuck in a rut, unable to do better? When Jesus says to the man at the pool of Bethesda, lame for thirty-eight years, "take up thy bed and walk," it is a witness of his ability to heal our spiritual "lameness," or our inability to overcome our weaknesses, even though we have tried for many years and made little progress.

When I read the stories of Jesus I am always looking for that deeper spiritual meaning. Occasionally, the "second" meaning eludes me, and I can't get over the uneasy feeling that I'm missing something. Sometimes, after years of struggling, understanding will come in a moment of inspiration. I am always profoundly grateful for those times, and they build my faith in the Savior and his gospel.

Just the other day I got just such a flash of inspiration about a story that I have always loved, but that had always left me with an unanswerable question. The story is the account of Jesus walking on the water. The question was, "Why? Why did Jesus walk on water? Of all the different ways he could have chosen to manifest his power, why that one?"

The key that opened the door of my understanding was when I considered the symbolism of the sea itself. The sea is a common symbol in the scriptures for the sins of the world. For example, at the time of Noah wickedness covered the whole earth even as a flood. In the actual flood, everyone was destroyed except those who boarded the Ark. Their mortal destruction is a type for their spiritual destruction--they were symbolically drowning in their own wickedness.

Another example is Moses’ parting of the red sea. The children of Israel were saved from the sea, or the sins of the world, by following their prophet, who is a type of Christ. The scriptures say, And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. (Ex. 14:22) This emphasis on “dry ground” suggests that the children of Israel were protected from the sins of the world by the power of God. In contrast, the Egyptians who sought their destruction were destroyed themselves, unsurprisingly, in the sea.

With these symbolisms in mind, let us consider Jesus's walk upon the sea. I'll use Matthew's account for my commentary (Matt. 14: 22-33):

"And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away." 

This "journey across the sea" is another common symbol in the scriptures and it represents our journey through this life. Like other sea stories, it isn't long before the weather turns rough, impeding their progress and making them fearful for their lives:

"And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary."

At this time of distress for the disciples, it may have seemed to them that Jesus had abandoned them, and even sent them there to die. In our own hard times, we may sometimes have similar thoughts, "Where is God? Why has he abandoned me in my hour of need?" These verses teach us that difficulties in this life are to be expected, and the verses that follow show us that, despite appearances to the contrary, we have no need to fear:

"And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea."

This is the part of the story that had always perplexed me. It wasn't until I considered it in the context of what the sea represents (the sins of the world) that I felt I finally understood. Jesus' walk upon the sea is a testimony to his ability to live a life free from sin! Of all who have ever lived upon the earth, he is the only one with the ability to walk upon the sea without immediately sinking. Likewise, he is the only one who has ever lived who could live free from sin. It is another witness of him as the Messiah, who was to be the offering of "a lamb without blemish" (1 Peter 1:19).

This special ability of the Savior to live free from sin has further significance when considering Peter's later actions, but for now, I'd like to comment on Jesus coming "in the fourth watch of the night." As I understand it, the fourth watch was the last watch, and it took place between the hours of 3am and 6am. So the disciples had been struggling against the storm nearly all night.

Often, we are given circumstances that test us and try us. This is done in the infinite wisdom of God who knows what we need to grow. His purpose for us is that we should become like him. It is not reasonable to believe that this kind of growth can come without effort. When casting Adam from the garden of Eden God told Adam, "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life" (Genesis 3:17 italics added).

The sorrows and struggles of this life are designed to bless us. They are an invitation to remember God and put our trust in him. This is especially true in those times when there is no earthly help available or possible. In times like those, if we will reach out to God, he is always there for us.

"And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."

I find a touch of irony here. Along came Jesus, the answer to all their prayers, and instead of rejoicing they were afraid. But don't we sometimes do the same thing? Don't we sometimes fear the help that God offers us? Perhaps we know it will require us to change and we fear the change, or we fear what may be required of us. We need to stay open to God's offered help or we risk delaying the hour of our deliverance.

Now we come to the part of the story I alluded to earlier where Peter gets involved:

"And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" 

Taken at face value, Peter's attempt was as audacious as his failure was spectacular. I love him for it, and I'll be forever grateful for the lessons it teaches. Peter's attempt to walk on water represents his (and our) efforts to live a life without sin. Jesus says, "Come, follow me" (Luke 18:22). It is only natural that Peter would try to follow Jesus in this, as in everything else. But, considered in this way, it is also only natural that he would fail.

I remember a time many years ago when I decided to live what I called, "one perfect day." I knew it would be impossible to live a perfect life, free from sin. But, I reasoned, it might be possible to live one perfect day, one day in which I would do no wrong. Looking back now, I'm amused and embarrassed in equal measure at my own folly.

My failed efforts to live a perfect day were, if anything, even more spectacular than Peter's. My only consolation is that my story is not known and recounted across the generations by millions. For the truth is, I could scarcely go ten minutes without becoming aware of some fault I was committing, or of some omission I was making, or of some defect in my attitude toward a brother or sister. The more effort I made, the more aware I became of my shortcomings.

It was terribly discouraging, but I believe that the Lord was teaching me a valuable lesson--the same lesson taught in this story. The lesson is this: I can't live a life free from sin, or a perfect day, or even a perfect hour. None of us can.

By this time you may be objecting that Peter actually did walk on water for a short time. This is true, but Peter's ability to walk on water came to him directly from Jesus, not from any power he himself possessed. It was a gift contingent upon his faith. But faith in what? His own strength, abilities and efforts? No, his faith in Jesus Christ. When Jesus said, "wherefore didst thou doubt?" he was saying, in effect, "Why did you doubt me?"

Jesus wants us to place our trust in him. Peter was successful walking on water so long as he kept his focus on the Savior. It was when he took his eyes off of the Savior that he began to fear and, consequently, sank. Eventually, we must come to the realization that our own best efforts are insufficient, and always will be. The good news of the gospel is that we have a Savior who loves us, who has all power in heaven and earth, and with his help we can do all things (Phillippians 4:13), even something as unlikely as walking on water, or being given strength to overcome all our weaknesses.

I wrote earlier that it was inevitable that Peter, though successful for a short time, would ultimately fail in his attempt to walk on water. No matter how faithful, we all have moments where our faith is weak. Peter showed us a pattern to follow in these times. When Peter began to sink and found that, without help, he would surely drown, he did the only thing remaining that could possibly do any good. He cried, "Lord, save me!" The scripture says that "immediately, Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him."

Even in Peter's moment of weakness, Jesus was there for him. Peter only needed to ask and Jesus immediately responded. He always does. I know this is true because there have been times in my life where I was drowning like Peter and cried out to Jesus as my only hope and I found him there to lift me up. Even when I didn't deserve his help, he was there. In truth, we never really deserve his help. He helps us because he loves us. He proved in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross that he would do anything to bless us. Given such demonstrations of love, "wherefore canst we doubt?"

All that remains to our story is its beautiful denouement:

"And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God."

This last symbolism where Jesus climbs into the boat with Peter and the storm ceases suggests the peace that comes into our hearts as we take Jesus along with us on our "journey across the sea." Of course, that doesn't mean that there won’t still be storms, from time to time, but in the midst of the storms we will have what Paul called, "the peace of God which passeth all understanding" (Phillipians 4:7). Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

May we learn to put all our trust in Jesus Christ, for he is "mighty to save" (Isaiah 63:1).

What He Did for Me: A Poem

Years ago I decided to write a song to express my feelings of gratitude to Jesus. I managed to get the words on paper, but I have had very little musical training, so that's where I got stuck. Maybe someday it can become a song, but for now, it's just a poem:

What he did for me, he suffered bled and died,
That day on Calvary's cross, in agony he cried,
"Father forgive, for they know no what they do",
He did his father's will until his work was through.

For what he did for me, I'll praise him all I know.
For once I knew despair, I knew not where to go.
When all was lost, he spoke comfort to my soul,
He wrapped me in his arms. His love had made me whole. 

Though what he did for me, is more than I can 'ere repay,
I'll give him all my life, beginning with today.
I'll feed his sheep, giving comfort where I can,
I'll strive his words to keep, and love my fellow man. 

I'll love him all my life, for what he did for me.

Why "The Olive Leaf"?

Throughout my life I have always believed in Jesus Christ. As a little boy I loved hearing about the things Jesus said and did during his time walking among us. The stories filled me with wonder. What would it have been like to sit at his feet as he gave his "sermon on the mount"? Or to have been witness to the many healings he performed? To have had the honor to be one of the disciples who called him master? I'll never forget the experience I had when, one day in church, a woman stood and sang, "I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked." The words of the song filled me with a palpable longing that has remained with me to this day.

Well, the idyll of my childhood inexorably gave way to the many cares of adulthood. The years have flown and I am now a man in my late fifties. Though I gratefully acknowledge that God has abundantly blessed me, I have also had to pass through some very hard things. In all my hardest times I found that Jesus was there for me, offering help and comfort. There is a song that expresses my feelings during these times better than I ever could,

Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul? 

Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.

He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.

There are hurts so deep that they are beyond any earthly remedy. When those times come I call upon Jesus and he goes through it with me. Now, when I think of him, my heart swells with so many feelings my eyes grow wet. It's so hard for me to put these feelings into words, but I have been looking for a way to try.

I have created "theOliveLeaf.org" as a place where I can write my feelings of love and gratitude for Jesus Christ, as well as insights I get in the scriptures, particularly the stories of Jesus, and how I have come to apply them personally.

So that is my intent, but, in particular, why did I choose, "theOliveLeaf" as my domain name? Olives are strongly associated with Christ and deeply symbolic. It was upon the Mount of Olives, in a garden called Gethsemane, where Jesus began his sacrifice that atoned for the sins of all mankind. Gethsemane means, "olive press." To extract oil from olives requires great pressure. I have seen images of a couple of kinds of ancient olive presses. One method used a long lever and a heavy weight to press down upon the olives. The other, which I have pictured here, was to roll a heavy stone along a circular trough, repeatedly crushing the olives.

I have no idea which type would have been in use in Judea at the time of Christ, but either way, the symbolism of the "crushing pressure" is the same.

Jesus felt that crushing pressure as He began to take upon Himself the weight of our sins in the garden. The scripture says that He "began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy" (Mark 14:33). Luke's account adds, "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44). It is impossible for us to truly comprehend what Jesus bore to atone for our sins, but Gethsemane, or "the olive press," makes a powerful symbol for it.

Another symbol pointing us to Christ is the "olive branch," which is associated with peace. Today, we say, "He extended an olive branch" as a way of saying, "He sued for peace." Jesus Christ is the author of peace. He said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

Finally, olive oil is a symbol of healing, particularly of the healing of our wounded souls available in Christ (James 5:14).

With all these associations to Christ of everything olive-related, I chose "The Olive Leaf" as an expression of what I hope this site will become: my small way of expressing my devotion to him to whom I owe so much, and, in fact, everything.

It may be that few will ever read what I write here. If this site serves only as a private devotion, then it will still be worth it. If, in addition, it can serve to give encouragement even to one other soul who is striving to find that "peace of God, which passeth all understanding" (Philippians 4:7), if it can help point them to the source of that peace, even the Prince of Peace, then, truly, "my cup runneth over" (Psalms 23:5).