The Stained Glass Windows of Saint Mark

The Agony in the Garden

“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder.” Matthew 26:36

James Marcus Dugger, 1849-1922
Sallie Harris Dugger, 1854-1927

The account of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane appears in the Synoptic Gospels and his subsequent arrest is recounted in all four Gospels (Saint Matthew 26:36-56, Saint Mark 14:32-52, Saint Luke 22:40-53, Saint John 18:1-11). The artist has chosen to portray the moment when the betrayers of Jesus are arriving at the gate of the garden. The artist has combined the divergent elements of the four Gospel accounts into one setting to provide the scene depicted here.
The Fourth Evangelist omits the prayer scene altogether because it does not fit into his conception of how a divine being would have acted. There are striking differences between the Johannine and the Synopic record having to do with (a) those who were charged with the arrest of Jesus, (b) the part played by Judas in this episode, and (c) the attempt at resistance.

Gethsemane, an Aramaic name meaning “oil press,” is the name given to the garden outside the east wall of Jerusalem; a number of olive trees still grow there. The dominant figure in the window is Jesus, clothed in the red and white colors which symbolize sovereign power and purity. He kneels in the garden and rests his hands, folded in prayer, on a large rock. It is interesting to note the close compositional resemblance of the great number of artistic representations of this subject and that most of them utilize the large rock, which is not mentioned in the text.
The three disciples asleep at the left are easily identifiable. Peter rests his hand on the sword which he soon is to use in cutting off the right ear of the high priest’s slave. John, the Beloved Disciple, traditionally portrayed with young non-masculine features, has reddish hair and rests his head on Peter’s knee. James the son of Zebedee completes the group of Jesus’ intimate associates.

Entering the gate at the right are two men, behind whom can be seen another hand and spears carried by others. One of the men, presumably Judas, holds a money bag in his left hand and uses his right hand to point toward Jesus.

The medallion at the top of the window is a lantern, used in Christian symbolism to signify betrayal. The betrayers of Jesus arrived at the garden “with lanterns and torches and weapons” (Saint John 18:3).
This window was dedicated by the Reverend Dr. John B. Tate, Pastor of Saint Mark Church, at the Morning Worship Service on Sunday, April 25, 1957.

Mr. and Mrs. James M. Dugger were married in 1875 and became members of Merritts Avenue Methodist Church in 1895. Soon afterward Mr. Dugger was elected a member of the Board of Stewards and served to the end of his life in this office. For several years he was Treasurer of the church. As a Trustee, he was elected to the Building Committee which was responsible for the construction of the present church building. He shared responsibility for the selection of the new site at Peachtree and Fifth Streets. Mrs. Dugger was active in the Woman’s Missionary Society.