Jesus Knew! Matthew 20:17-19

 Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time

It is clear Jesus knows he is going to die, and has now told his disciples three times.  He wants them to know as well, though they still not get the reason of purpose of his death.  

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 

This was not a surprise to the disciples. Even if Jesus had not specifically told them, their movement south from Galilee at about the time of the Passover feast made it easy to figure out that Jesus and the disciples would be in Jerusalem for Passover. (Guzik)

When it says "going up", Jerusalem was on at a higher elevation than the area around it.  This is why some of the psalms are called "songs of ascent", as the Jewish believers went up to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. 

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 

Notice also the specificity of the details  Jesus knew EXACTLY what was going to happen.  He knew he was going to die, who would be those sentencing him to death.  Another word for "delivered" is "betrayed".  

“When our Lord told the twelve that he would die, they imagined that it was a parable, concealing some deep mystery. They looked at one another, and they tried to fathom where there was no depth, but where the truth lay on the surface.” (Spurgeon)

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!”'

Though the Jewish leaders were responsible for his trial and sentencing, the Gentiles played a part in Jesus' death as well.  

"Jesus knew that the religious leaders of the Jews did not have authority to carry out capital punishment themselves; yet sometimes they executed men despite this prohibition (Acts 7:54-60). Yet Jesus was confident that He would be delivered to the Gentiles." (Guzik)

Jesus even knew the nature of how he would be put to death.  I.e. mocking, flogging then crucifixion.  The punishment and death would not only be physical but also emotional.  

"Jesus predicted these specific aspects of His coming agony – which on a human level He could not arrange. “They plucked his hair, they smote his cheeks, they spat in his face. Mockery could go no farther. It was cruel, cutting, cursed scorn.” (Spurgeon)

Most importantly, Jesus told them that on the third day, he would be raised to life.  Jesus knew of the promise of the resurrection.  One would think this fact would give the disciples some hope, but is again unlikely they knew the gravity of this statement.  

"Most importantly, this was something that Jesus had no apparent control over. Yet He confidently announced to His disciples that this would happen." Guzik

How do you think we misunderstand the gravity of what really happened to Jesus?  How would you have reacted to all of this if you were one of Jesus' disciples back then?  How does the fact that Jesus knew what was going to happen to him affect the meaning of this text for you?  How often do you think of Jesus' death and what it means for us and our salvation?  Do you think this would or should affect our discipleship and commitment to him?