Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time - Matthew 20:17-19
Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time
17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Reflection: In these verses above, Jesus for the third time foretells of his death. But each time he adds different details, as he gets closer to his ultimate destination.
NT commentator Matthew Henry has some unique insights into this when he states, "He is more particular here in foretelling his sufferings than any time before. He had said (Matt. 16:21), that he should suffer many things, and be killed; and (Matt. 17:22), that he should be betrayed into the hands of men, and they should kill him; but here he adds; that he shall be condemned, and delivered to the Gentiles, that they shall mock him, and scourge him, and crucify him. These are frightful things, and the certain foresight of them was enough to damp an ordinary resolution, yet (as was foretold concerning him, Isa. 42:4) he did not fail, nor was discouraged; but the more clearly he foresaw his sufferings, the more cheerfully he went forth to meet them."
Notice too this time Jesus is walking along the road, a common place he teaches and share things with the disciples. As I mentioned in a sermon recently, taking walks with people is a great time to talk about important things in life. It also can be a time to observe and enjoy God's creation. Most of us spend so much time behind a computer, that we often don't get that breath of fresh air and enjoy what God has created! Notice too in this passage, Jesus is delivered over to the chief priests and teachers of the Law, but ultimately he is tried and crucified by the Gentiles. Crucifixion was not done in the Jewish community, but Gentiles did it as a punishment for the most heinous crimes, and as a deterrent to others who might think of engaging in such behavior. The significance of this was that Jesus was condemned by the Jews and crucified by the Gentiles, to show that He died for all people Jews and Gentiles. Thus fulfilling the prophecy that He would provide salvation for all nations.
Finally, Jesus adds the final note that on the third day he will be raised to life. This served three purposes. It helped encourage Jesus himself, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. We call this Jesus' glorification and every Sunday we confess it in the Creed that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. But He got there via the cross. Before the glory was the cross. And he said this to encourage the disciples that they too would be picking up their cross, but remembering that they too would be in God's presence and glorified with Jesus, as the saints of God. And finally, this encourages us when we are faced with trials, persecution and suffering. Just yesterday someone asked me, "How could God allow this to happen to me at this time?" I agreed with them and said that I didn't know why? The best thing we can do when someone is suffering is not to give them simple often cliche explanations, but to walk through the valley with them. Jesus never promised that we would not have troubles in this world, in fact he predicted the exact opposite. But yet, we know that God is with us, and God will never give us something we can't handle with the encouragement of other believers and Jesus himself as our strength and guide. As we carry our crosses we don't carry them alone!
Where are you facing suffering, or situations where you ask God, "Why?" I hope it helpful to be reminded of these things today and also remember what Paul said, "The sufferings of this world are not worth comparing to the glory that one day will be revealed to us in Christ!"Romans 8:18
Jesus you called us to a life of following you. It is an abundant life, but not without trials and temptations. As we pick up our cross daily, give us the strength and the power of the Holy Spirit to endure suffering patiently, knowing what awaits us beyond the grave. Amen.
17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Reflection: In these verses above, Jesus for the third time foretells of his death. But each time he adds different details, as he gets closer to his ultimate destination.
NT commentator Matthew Henry has some unique insights into this when he states, "He is more particular here in foretelling his sufferings than any time before. He had said (Matt. 16:21), that he should suffer many things, and be killed; and (Matt. 17:22), that he should be betrayed into the hands of men, and they should kill him; but here he adds; that he shall be condemned, and delivered to the Gentiles, that they shall mock him, and scourge him, and crucify him. These are frightful things, and the certain foresight of them was enough to damp an ordinary resolution, yet (as was foretold concerning him, Isa. 42:4) he did not fail, nor was discouraged; but the more clearly he foresaw his sufferings, the more cheerfully he went forth to meet them."
Notice too this time Jesus is walking along the road, a common place he teaches and share things with the disciples. As I mentioned in a sermon recently, taking walks with people is a great time to talk about important things in life. It also can be a time to observe and enjoy God's creation. Most of us spend so much time behind a computer, that we often don't get that breath of fresh air and enjoy what God has created! Notice too in this passage, Jesus is delivered over to the chief priests and teachers of the Law, but ultimately he is tried and crucified by the Gentiles. Crucifixion was not done in the Jewish community, but Gentiles did it as a punishment for the most heinous crimes, and as a deterrent to others who might think of engaging in such behavior. The significance of this was that Jesus was condemned by the Jews and crucified by the Gentiles, to show that He died for all people Jews and Gentiles. Thus fulfilling the prophecy that He would provide salvation for all nations.
Finally, Jesus adds the final note that on the third day he will be raised to life. This served three purposes. It helped encourage Jesus himself, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. We call this Jesus' glorification and every Sunday we confess it in the Creed that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. But He got there via the cross. Before the glory was the cross. And he said this to encourage the disciples that they too would be picking up their cross, but remembering that they too would be in God's presence and glorified with Jesus, as the saints of God. And finally, this encourages us when we are faced with trials, persecution and suffering. Just yesterday someone asked me, "How could God allow this to happen to me at this time?" I agreed with them and said that I didn't know why? The best thing we can do when someone is suffering is not to give them simple often cliche explanations, but to walk through the valley with them. Jesus never promised that we would not have troubles in this world, in fact he predicted the exact opposite. But yet, we know that God is with us, and God will never give us something we can't handle with the encouragement of other believers and Jesus himself as our strength and guide. As we carry our crosses we don't carry them alone!
Where are you facing suffering, or situations where you ask God, "Why?" I hope it helpful to be reminded of these things today and also remember what Paul said, "The sufferings of this world are not worth comparing to the glory that one day will be revealed to us in Christ!"Romans 8:18
Jesus you called us to a life of following you. It is an abundant life, but not without trials and temptations. As we pick up our cross daily, give us the strength and the power of the Holy Spirit to endure suffering patiently, knowing what awaits us beyond the grave. Amen.
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