A Looming Crisis. Mark 10:32-34.
And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what would happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. “And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
Dear Family,
Jesus is still on the way to Jerusalem. The people around him do not seem to realise that Jesus is determined to get to Jerusalem.
Resolve (v. 32a). Something seems to have changed and the disciples and those around Jesus noticed it. The change caused amazement in some, and fear in others. Maybe Jesus was so determined to get to Jerusalem that he hurried. At other times the crowd was all around him. Now he walked ahead of them. It is not clear why some were afraid. It may be that they had got used to Jesus’ manner of doing things, but this was different and unpredictable, or that some perceived the danger he was rushing into.
Revelation (Vv. 32b-33).Jesus takes the twelve aside and for the third time tells them what is about to happen. He already told them twice before (8:31; 9:31-32), but they did not get the message. Now he tells them clearly that he will be condemned to death by the Jewish leaders, who will hand him over to the Gentiles. The Jewish rulers were not permitted to execute anyone. If they passed a sentence of death, it had to be ratified by the Roman colonisers, who would then carry out the execution. Jesus is specific. He will not be stoned to death by a mob. He will be put to death by the Gentiles at the instigation of the Jewish leaders.
Result (v. 34). Jesus gives his disciples enough hints for them to deduce that he will be crucified. Public humiliation was part of the process in the crucifixion of criminals and was quite common in Palestine. But the disciples simply cannot understand what Jesus is saying. It is so incredible that they shut their minds to the possibility. Unfortunately, they also fail to get a clear statement about the resurrection on the third day. We can be so fixated on what we have grown up with that the truth can be rubbed in our noses and we still will not smell it. Open your heart and mind to the possibility that God’s plan is different from what you know.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.