Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Matthew

Matthew 
Day 
Day 259

Undaunted at the Prospect of Suffering!

Text: Matthew 20 : 17 - 34

When Jesus first spoke about His suffering and death in Jerusalem, Peter over-reacted. He could not bear the thought of Jesus suffering and tried to dissuade Him (Cf. Matthew 16:21-23). The second time Jesus mentioned His suffering and death, all the disciples felt a great sense of sorrow (Matthew 17:22-23). In order to prepare His disciples further, Jesus mentioned His suffering and death in Jerusalem.

“Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside
on the road and said to them, ‘Behold, we are going up to
Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the
chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him
to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge
and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.'”
MATTHEW 20:17-19

It is interesting to note the reaction of the disciples at this stage in contrast. The synoptist Mark noted how the disciples felt.

“Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem,
and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.
And as they followed they were afraid.”
MARK 10:32

The disciples were amazed at Jesus! How could He be so cool and composed as He faced the prospects of great suffering? On their part they had to battle their fears!

A LIST OF THE THREE PREDICTIONS

We may now compare the three predictions that Jesus made concerning His suffering and death. Let us first list the predictions as they appeared in the Gospel of Matthew.

1. The First Prediction

“From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples
that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things
from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed,
and be raised the third day.”
MATTHEW 16:21

2. The Second Prediction

“Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them,
‘The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men,
and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.'”
MATTHEW 17:22-23

3. The Third Prediction

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man
will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes;
and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him
to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify.
and the third day He will rise again.”
Matthew 20:18-19

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE THREE PREDICTIONS

The following things may be noted about the way Jesus spoke to His disciples to prepare them for His suffering.

1. Revealing things progressively

The first thing that strikes us is how Jesus gently released more and more information about His suffering. With each mention, Jesus added more details. On the third mention, Jesus mentioned that Gentiles, that is, the Romans would be involved. He even noted that He would be scourged and crucified! No wonder the disciples were afraid!

2. The Certainty of the Resurrection

Though the suffering would be terrible, Jesus taught the disciples on all three occasions that He would be raised from the dead! The certainty of His resurrection was so real that this knowledge kept Jesus from unwarranted fear!

3. Clear Details

Jesus made sure that the disciples understood what He had predicted was not misunderstood! Thus He made sure that all the necessary details were included. At no time must the disciples think that His suffering and death came about as an accident!

At this point of time, the disciples had their hands full, struggling with the thought of Jesus’ suffering and death. In time to come, when they had fully comprehended everything, they would be able to draw the deep spiritual and theological lessons they were meant to learn.

For the moment, it was enough that the disciples fought and overcame their emotions! They would have to exercise their faith and trust in Jesus to the utmost! They must believe that Jesus knew exactly what He was doing as they drew nearer to Jerusalem. The hour was at hand! They were just on the outskirts of the great city!

WITHOUT FAITH

It must have been tremendously difficult for the disciples to contemplate and accept that Jesus’ glorious ministry would meet a tragic end! That was so unthinkable! The most brilliant of teachers, the most powerful of miracle workers, the gentlest and most compassionate Servant of God would die in Jerusalem at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders? Without faith, it would be impossible to comprehend these thoughts!