Knowing The Word in Luke 18:31-34

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

18:31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Comments

The ESV (English Standard Version) translation of the Bible captions this section “Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time.” Well, actually it is the seventh in Luke! Apparently, Jesus had been teaching his disciples from the Old Testament prophets, making the point that God’s purposes would be accomplished in Jerusalem, not man’s. From this teaching, we can conclude that the crucifixion was always what God had in mind. The Jewish leaders of the Sanhedrin would hand Jesus over to the Roman authorities. The passion would not be a defeat but a victory of hidden accomplishment and riches for humanity. However, Jesus’ teaching proved too difficult before the passion itself for the disciples to understand. Or, perhaps, God kept them in the dark for his greater purposes.

Application

What would God’s greater purposes be in keeping the disciples from understanding? If the disciples knew everything, they may have acted to prevent Jesus from going to his crucifixion. As we go through the last half of Luke, notice how secretive Jesus can be at times.

Prayer

When I focus upon your cross, Lord Jesus, help me to comprehend the riches you have given me and all humanity.