(Mark 10:32-34 NKJV) 32 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed, they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 “and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
V32 “Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed, they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him…” Going up to Jerusalem is correct because it is a higher elevation. The disciples are amazed that Jesus is intent on reaching Jerusalem. Jesus knows the time of His ministry of the Passover Lamb is drawing near. They were afraid since they knew that the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem would do anything to kill Jesus. When evil people have a problem, their first choice of dealing with it or the person is to kill. This attitude is sadly more prevalent today, too. Jesus again teaches them of His upcoming betrayal, condemnation, and death by the Gentiles who were manipulated by the Jewish leaders.
Life has fear. Christians have fears too. We are not exempt from them. And yet our Lord Jesus teaches: John 14:27 (EHV) “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid.”
This peace begins with faith in Jesus alone for forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. Matthew 11:29 (EHV) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
V33 “…Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles…” Son of Man is frequently a term for the Messiah. Three things will happen (all did): 1) betrayal, 2) condemnation, and 3) deliverance to the Gentiles for crucifixion.
This is the third time Jesus predicted these things. See Mark 8:31 and Mark 9:31 for the other two times.
Barclay (beware) makes an interesting statement: “There are two kinds of courage. There is the courage which is a kind of instinctive reaction, almost a reflex action, the courage of the man confronted out of the blue with a crisis to which he instinctively reacts with gallantry, scarcely having time to think. Many a man has become a hero in the heat of the moment. There is also the courage of the man who sees the grim thing approaching far ahead, who has plenty of time to turn back, who could, if he chose, evade the issue, and who yet goes on. There is no doubt which is the higher courage–this known deliberate facing of the future. That is the courage Jesus showed. If no higher verdict was possible, it would still be true to say of Jesus that he ranks with the heroes of the world.”
V34 “…and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” Jesus again shows that He is a voluntary Messiah and Passover Lamb for the sins of the world. He does this voluntarily—John 10:17-18 and Ephesians 5:2. Jesus is the voluntary Passover Lamb as the sacrifice for sins. See 1 Corinthians 5:7 and 1 John 2:2.
We learn:
- Jesus knew the purpose for coming to Earth.
- Jesus, knowing these things, went forward to do God’s will.
- Jesus does know the future, not just decree it.
- Jesus gave 3 specific things that would happen.
Questions:
- Are we willing to do God’s will?
- Do we interpret prophecy in its plain, normal sense?