Not the Messiah They Were Looking For

 Hello everyone.

Today, I will continue to look at Luke 18.  Jesus has just spoken to the rich young man, challenging him to give all of his possessions to the poor and then come and follow.  The man walked away from Jesus, prompting a discussion about how difficult it is for the wealthy to enter God's kingdom.  Jesus ends the discussion by talking about all that is gained by giving up what we have to follow Jesus.  It appears that this all took place in front of a crowd of people, because Luke makes the point that what follows is spoken only to the disciples.  He has just challenged a man to give up everything for him.  At different times he has challenged them to do the same.  Now, in verses 31-34, even though they do not understand, he is about to explain to them again, how he is willing to give up everything for them.  

Here is my translation of Luke 18:31-34: 

31 Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that the prophets have written about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles and he will be ridiculed, abused and spat upon. 33 He will be whipped, and then they will kill him, but on the third day, he will rise.” 34 None of them understood this, because the meaning of his words were hidden from them, so that they did not know what he was saying.

Jesus again explains to his disciples what is going to happen to him in Jerusalem.  This is the third and final time that Luke records Jesus predicting his death for his disciples.  Like the other times, they do not  understand what he is saying.  Twice, Luke states that the meaning of what he is saying is hidden from them.  Does that mean that they are being intentionally blocked from understanding, or just that they failed to grasp it? 

Darrell Bock says that it is likely that they were unable to understand because they could not see how Jesus’ death fit into the divine plan for Jesus.  Jesus was, after all, the Messiah.  How could the Messiah die? (Bock, 1499.) 

But, Jesus says that these are things that must happen in order for all of the prophecies about him to be fulfilled. Fulfilling the prophecy would involve being:

• Handed over to the Gentiles.
• Ridiculed.
• Abused.
• Spat upon.
• Whipped.
• And then killed. 

Jesus also mentions that in fulfillment of prophecy, on the third day, he would rise. The apostles did not seem to have any understanding of either of the two big events coming their way, Jesus’ death or his resurrection.  Jesus has told them what was going to happen to him at least three times now.  Nevertheless, while it is happening they are still taken by surprise by all of it.  

Jesus was not the Messiah that Israel had been expecting.  Even his closest followers did not understand the nature of the Messiah.  Ultimately, however, he became the Messiah that we all needed. 

     Darrell Bock, Luke: Volume 2 - 9:51-24:53, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1996.