Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time
Luke 18:31-34
31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”
34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.
Observations & Reflections
Of the synoptic gospels Luke is the only one that declared that Jesus’ death and resurrection was the completion of the prophets. It’s possible that in Mark and Matthew it’s implied but Luke has a habit of clearing up thing and smoothing difficult passages over. It seems here that Luke was trying to make sure the audience knew that Jesus’ death was foretold in the prophets and was expected. It would have been mockery to the gentiles to think that the messiah could be put down by the hands of the Romans. That makes him just another man.
we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles (1 Cor 1:23)
Thus, Luke’s gospel which was going to the gentiles, does a good job of making sense of a few things that gentile thinkers would have had trouble with.
| Matthew 20:17-19 | Mark 10:32-34 | Luke 18:31-34 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up.” |
32 They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed; and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him. 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles. 34 They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” |
31 He took the twelve aside, and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed. 18:32 For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on. 18:33 They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.” |
It is remarkable, however, that all 3 synoptic gospels include this passage. The importance of this passage cannot be overstated. In the words of Paul, without the crucifixion and resurrection, there is no hope. It is possibly the most important feature of our faith.
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (1 Corinthians 15:12-18)
[Featured image is a 14th century fresco from the Collegiate Church of San Gimignano, by Lippo Memmi.]
