{"id":25701,"date":"2022-09-24T11:14:48","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T16:14:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-luke-1831\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T11:14:48","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T16:14:48","slug":"exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-luke-1831","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-luke-1831\/","title":{"rendered":"Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 18:31"},"content":{"rendered":"

Then he took [unto him] the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. <\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n

31<\/strong>. Then he took unto him the twelve<\/em> ] apart, and on the road, as we learn from Mat 20:17<\/span>. St Mark, with one of his graphic touches of detail, describes Jesus walking before them, and (as we infer from the expression of the Evangelist) in such awful majesty of sorrow that those nearest Him were filled with deep amazement, and those who were following at a greater distance felt a hush of fear (Mar 10:32<\/span>). Then it was that He beckoned them to Him, and revealed the crowning circumstances of horror respecting His death.<\/p>\n

all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished<\/em> ] Rather, all the things that have been written through the prophets for the Son of Man shall be accomplished;<\/strong> or, perhaps, shall be accomplished to the Son of Man.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

31<\/strong> – 34<\/strong>. Jesus prophesies that He should be crucified.<\/p>\n

Between these verses and the last should probably be inserted the journey from the Peraean Bethany to the Judaean Bethany, and the Raising of Lazarus (Joh 11:1-46<\/span>). This signal miracle was omitted by the Synoptists for the same reasons as those which led them to a marked reticence about the family of Lazarus (see on Luk 10:38<\/span> and my Life of Christ, <\/em> ii. 173). This miracle led to a meeting of the Sanhedrin, at which it was decided mainly on the authority of Caiaphas that Jesus must be put to death though not during the ensuing Passover, with such precautions as were possible. The terrible decision became known. Indeed, it led to attempts to murder Lazarus and seize Jesus, which compelled Him to retire secretly to the obscure village of Ephraim (Joh 11:54<\/span>) probably Et-Taiyibeh, not far from Bethel (Beitin), and about 20 miles from Jerusalem. Here our Lord spent, in undisturbed and unrecorded calm, the last few weeks of His life, occupied in training the Apostles who were to convert the world. Towards the close of the time He would see, from the hill of Ephraim, the crowds of Galilaean pilgrims streaming down the Jordan valley to keep the Passover at Jerusalem.; and, secure under their protection till His brief days of destined work were done, He left His place of retreat to join their caravans for His last solemn progress to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

See the notes at Mat 20:17-19<\/span>.<\/P>

By the prophets – <\/B>Those who foretold the coming of the Messiah, and whose predictions are recorded in the Old Testament.<\/P>

Son of man – <\/B>The Messiah. They predicted that certain things would take place respecting the Messiah that was to come. See the Dan 9:25-27<\/span> notes; Isa. 53<\/span> notes. These things, Jesus said, would be accomplished in him, he being the Son of man, or the Messiah.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31-34<\/span><\/p>\n

Behold we go up to Jerusalem<\/em><\/p>\n

The entrance into the Passion season<\/strong><\/p>\n


I.<\/strong><\/p>\n

WE GAZE AT THE LORD, AND INQUIRE HOW HE ENTERED THE SEASON OF PASSION. <\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> Not unprepared, but with a full, clear consciousness–<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> not only of His sufferings in general, but also in all their particulars; and <\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> of the relation between His sufferings and the Divine Word and will. <\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> His consciousness afforded Him the peace, courage, and decision to endure the sufferings willingly and patiently. <\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>WE GAZE AT OURSELVES, AND INQUIRE HOW WE SHOULD ENTER THIS SEASON OF THE CHURCH YEAR. <\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> Not like the world, whose custom is to celebrate it with all kinds of amusement and folly; but, as the followers of Christ, let us get ready to accompany the Lord in His season of suffering. <\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> Yet not like the twelve, of whom we read that they understood none of these things. We must know why and for whom the Lord suffered and died. <\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> The blind man of Jericho is a good example to show how we should enter in with the Lord as He approaches His sufferings. <\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> He appeals again and again for mercy. <\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> He concentrates all his desires into one plea–that he might see. And the Lord opens his eyes. (Schaffer.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

A study for a doctrine of the atonement<\/strong><\/p>\n

I shall proceed, accordingly, to indicate some personal ways in which it seems to me we may learn to enter, in some degree, into Jesus consciousness that He must needs suffer. Yet only in some degree, and in no full measure, can we hope to comprehend in our human experience the mind that was in Jesus. The open and most natural way of thought for us to take, in our desire to understand this most sacred truth, seems to me to be in general as follows: Study what forgiveness of injuries involves to the most Christian man or woman, learn what forgiveness of wrong may cost the most Christlike heart, and from such knowledge gain the means of understanding why the Christ from God must needs suffer on the Cross. If we have not been compelled by some bitter experience of our own to learn the moral necessities of suffering in forgiving sin, let us search with reverent sympathies the depth of the trouble into which others have been plunged by some erring one to whom they were bound by vital ties; learn how father, mother, wife, must needs suffer in the continued charity, and shielding love, and ever open forgiveness of the home towards one who has gone forth from it, unworthy of it, and been lost in the world. Such in general is the vital method, the personal way, in which we may study the doctrine of the atonement of Christ for the sin of the world. Let me briefly indicate several more definite truths which we may find in such study of the Cross. First, In our experience of forgiveness, and its moral necessities, we find that there must be penitence or confession on the part of the person who has done wrong. The sense of justice and right which demands confession of wrong and restitution is as human and as Divine as the love which would forgive an offence, and accept anothers willingness to make restitution. Secondly, Human forgiveness involves a painful knowledge of the wrong which has been inflicted. Forgiveness is always born of suffering. You surely cannot forgive a friend if you have never known and felt the hurt of his unkindness. Some suffering for the injury received is an indispensable condition, or antecedent, of the exercise of forgiveness. Thirdly, We approach now another element in the history of human forgiveness, which is of deep moral significance; viz., the suffering of the injured person must be so discovered to the wrong-doer that he can know it, and have some appreciation of it, in order that forgiveness may be granted and received, and its perfect work accomplished. But you will ask, Is it not the glory of the forgiving spirit to hide its sense of hurt? And the human forgiveness is never more than a polite fiction, if there is not in the hour of reconciliation this frank declaration and acknowledgment of the wrong done, and the suffering received from it. One thing in it seems to me clear as conscience.
That wronged man cannot forgive his repentant enemy by treating his sin as though it had been nothing, by making light of it as though it had not cost him days of trouble, by hiding it in his good nature as though it were not an evil thing. Somehow that sense of injustice in his soul must find vent and burn itself out. Somehow that sense of wrong must manifest itself, and in some pure revelation of itself pass away. It cannot pass forever away except through revelation, as the fire expires through the flame. Yet in forgiveness justice must be a self-revealing flame, and not a consuming fire. Something like this has been the process of all genuine human reconciliations which I have observed. As an essential element of the reconciliation there was some revelation of pure justice. There was no hiding of the wrong. On either side there was no belittling the injury. There was no trifling with it as though a sin were nothing. It was no thoughtless forgiveness out of mere good nature, in which the hearts deeper sense of righteousness was not satisfied. I have left myself time only to point to the way by which we may ascend from this our human experience of forgiveness to the Cross of Christ, and the necessity for it in the love of God. It is a part of the penalty of sin that in every human transgression some just one must needs suffer with the guilty. This is a natural necessity of our human, or organic, relationship. And because we are so bound up together in good and in evil, we can bear one anothers burdens, suffer helpfully for another, and to a certain extent save one another from the evil of the world. Now, according to these Gospels, God in Christ puts himself into this human relationship, and, as one with man, bears his burden and suffers under the sin of the world. The Father of spirits in His own eternal blessedness may not suffer with men; but in Christ God has humbled Himself to our consciousness of sin and death. In Christ the eternal love comes under the moral law of suffering, under which forgiveness may work its perfect work. More particularly, in the life and death of Christ these several elements which we have found belonging essentially to our experience of reconciliation with one another, have full exercise and scope. For Christ, identifying Himself with our sinful consciousness, makes a perfect repentance for sin and confession of it unto the Father. Christ experiences our sin as sinful, and confesses it. And again, Christ realizes the cost of the sin of the world. His loneliness of spirit, the cruel misunderstandings of Him by all men, His Gethsemane, His Cross–all realize the cost and suffering of sin, and in view of such sufferings of the Son of Man sin never can be regarded as a light and trifling thing. And still further, Christ reveals to the world what its sin has cost, and enables man who would be forgiven to appreciate it, and to acknowledge it. (N. Smyth, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

They understood none of these things<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

Misunderstanding Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n

The disciples failure to understand the Master suggests an always timely question for the followers of Jesus: What misunderstandings of Christ may still be lingering in Christianity? The question is the more pertinent and the more necessary because one reason for the disciples failure to perceive the things that were said by Jesus on His way to the Cross, was the knowledge of Him which they already possessed. Two truths in particular which they had learned better than any one else concerning Jesus, they allowed to stand in the way of their further understanding of Him. They had been taught His wonderful power. They had been eye-witnesses of His mighty works. They began to believe that Jesus could do anything. This truth of the power of the Son of Man they were ready to receive, and they stopped with the knowledge of it. He who had power from God could not be taken and killed by the Pharisees. So they grasped with eager hope the truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah of Israel, and missed the deeper truth of His character, that God so loved the world. Then again the truth which they had learned better than any others of Jesus wonderful kindness, and justice, and humanity, in their partial view of it, may have hidden from their eyes the full revelation which He would have them perceive of His Divine life. How could He who had power over death, and who had so pitied two sisters that He had restored their brother to them, and who had enveloped their lives in a friendship of wonderful daily thoughtfulness–how could He, having all power, go away from them, leave them comfortless, throw them back again upon the world, and disappoint their high hopes of Him? No wonder Peter thought it was impossible, and even said impulsively, Be it far from Thee, Lord! The truth of Christs friendship which they did know prevented them from understanding the diviner secret of Gods sacrificial love for the world, which they might have learned. So they who knew the Lord best, misunderstood Him the most; and Jesus went before His disciples in a deeper purpose and a diviner thought than they perceived. Our text reads like a devout apology of the disciples for their singular misunderstanding of Jesus Christ. The providence of God had taught them their mistake. And very instructive for us is the method by which God corrected the false perception of the disciples, and opened their eyes to true and larger knowledge of the Lord. They overcame their misunderstanding, and were brought to better understanding of Jesus Christ, through the trial and the task of their faith. These two, trials and tasks, are Gods ways of correcting mens imperfect faiths. For you will recall how those disciples, at the time of the crucifixion, and while they were waiting in Jerusalem, learned in their disenchantment, and were taught through that fearful strain and trial of their faith, as they had never been before, of what Spirit Jesus was, and what His real mission to this world was; and thus they were prepared to see and to become apostles of the risen Lord. That trial of their faith, while Jesus was mocked, and scourged, and delivered to death, and crucified between two thieves, and buried–all the light blotted from their skies, all the proud ambition broken in their souls–yet in His death a new, strange expectancy awakened in their hearts, and on the third day a vision seen which made all things a new world to them–that trial of their faith was the Lords method of teaching the disciples what before had remained hidden from them even in the plainest words of Jesus. And then this knowledge of the new, larger truth of Christs work was rounded out, and filled full of a steady, clear light to them, by the task immediately given them to do in the name of the crucified and risen Lord. They learned at Pentecost what Christianity was to be. (N. Smyth, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Verse 31. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem<\/B><\/I>] See the notes on this discourse, Mt 20:17-19<\/span>, and Mr 10:32<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

We shall afterward, in the history of our Saviours passion, see all these things exactly fulfilled, and our Lord here assures his disciples, that it was but in accomplishment of all that was prophesied concerning the Messiah; nor was it any more than he had told them, Luk 9:22<\/span>, and again, Luk 9:44<\/span>; Mat 20:17-19<\/span>, Mar 10:32-34<\/span>. Yet it is said, that they understood none of<\/I> these things.<\/I> The words were easy enough to be understood, but they could not reconcile them to the notion of the Messiah which they had drank in, they could not conceive how the Messiah, that should redeem Israel, should die, or be thus barbarously used by those whom he came to redeem, or save. We have great need to consider well what notions we entertain concerning the things of God. All this blindness and unbelief of the disciples was bottomed in the false notion of the Messiah which they had taken up. However, our Saviour thought fit to inculcate them, to prepare them against the offence they might take at them when the providence of God brought them forth. It is good for us to hear, though it be only for the time to come. <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

31. all written by the prophetsconcerning the Son of man . . . be accomplished<\/B>showing howChrist Himself read, and would have us to read, the Old Testament, inwhich some otherwise evangelical interpreters find no prophecies, orvirtually<\/I> none, of the sufferings of the Son of man.<\/P><\/p>\n

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Then he took unto him the twelve<\/strong>,…. His twelve disciples, as the Ethiopic version expresses it; he took them aside from the rest of the company, as they were travelling on the road, and privately delivered to them, what follows; see Mt 20:17<\/span><\/p>\n

and said unto them, behold, we go up to Jerusalem<\/strong>; to the feast of the passover, which was drawing near, and the last Christ was to eat with his disciples, the time of his sufferings, and death, being now at hand; and of which he thought fit to give his disciples notice: and therefore he called them aside, and in a private manner, told them,<\/p>\n

that all things that are written by the prophets, concerning the son of man, shall be accomplished<\/strong>; particularly, Ps 2:1<\/span><\/p>\n

Ps 22:6<\/span> for to these the following things have respect.<\/p>\n

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Christ’s Suffering Foretold.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR>


<\/P>


<\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE>

      31 Then he took unto him<\/I> the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.   32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:   33 And they shall scourge him,<\/I> and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.   34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.<\/P>

      Here is, I. The notice Christ gave to his disciples of his sufferings and death approaching, and of the glorious issue of them, which he himself had a perfect sight and foreknowledge of, and thought it necessary to give them warning of, that it might be the less surprise and terror to them. Two things here are which we had not in the other evangelists:– 1. The sufferings<\/I> of Christ are here spoken of as the fulfilling of the scriptures,<\/I> with which consideration Christ reconciled himself to them, and would reconcile them: All things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man,<\/I> especially the hardships he should undergo, shall be accomplished.<\/I> Note, The Spirit of Christ, in the Old-Testament prophets, testified beforehand his sufferings,<\/I> and the glory that should follow,<\/I> 1 Pet. i. 11<\/I><\/span>. This proves that the scriptures are the word<\/I> of God,<\/I> for they had their exact and full accomplishment; and that Jesus Christ was sent of God,<\/I> for they had their accomplishment in him;<\/I> this was he that should come,<\/I> for whatever was foretold<\/I> concerning the Messiah was verified in him; and he would submit to any thing for the fulfilling of scripture, that not one jot or tittle of that should fall to the ground. This makes the offence of the cross to cease,<\/I> and puts an honour upon it. Thus it was written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer,<\/I> thus it became him. 2. The ignominy and disgrace done to Christ in his sufferings are here most insisted upon. The other evangelists had said that he should be mocked;<\/I> but here it is added, He shall be spitefully treated,<\/I> hybristhesetai<\/B><\/I>—he shall be loaded with contumely and contempt,<\/I> shall have all possible reproach put upon him. This was that part of his sufferings by which in a spiritual manner he satisfied God’s justice for the injury we had done him in his honour by sin. Here is one particular instance of disgrace done him, that he was spit upon,<\/I> which had been particularly foretold, Isa. l. 6<\/span>. But here, as always, when Christ spoke of his sufferings and death, he foretold his resurrection as that which took off both the terror and reproach of his sufferings: The third day he shall rise again.<\/I><\/P>

      II. The confusion that the disciples were hereby put into. This was so contrary to the notions they had had of the Messiah and his kingdom, such a balk to their expectations from their Master, and such a breaking of all their measures, that they understood none of these things,<\/I> v.<\/span> 34<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Their prejudices were so strong that they would not<\/I> understand them literally, and they could not<\/I> understand them otherwise, so that they did not understand them at all. It was a mystery, it was a riddle to them, it must be so; but they think it impossible to be reconciled with the glory and honour of the Messiah, and the design of setting up his kingdom. This saying was hidden from them,<\/I> kekrymmenon ap auton<\/B><\/I>, it was apocrypha to them, they could not receive it: for their parts, they had read the Old Testament many a time, but they could never see any thing in it that would be accomplished<\/I> in the disgrace and death of this Messiah. They were so intent upon those prophecies that spoke of his glory that they overlooked those that spoke of his sufferings,<\/I> which the scribes and doctors of the law should have directed them to take notice of, and should have brought into their creeds and catechisms, as well as the other; but they did not suit their scheme, and therefore were laid aside. Note, Therefore<\/I> it is that people run into mistakes, because they read their Bibles by the halves,<\/I> and are as partial in the prophets as they are in the law.<\/I> They are only for the smooth things,<\/I> Isa. xxx. 10<\/I><\/span>. Thus now we are too apt, in reading the prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled, to have our expectations raised of the glorious state of the church in the latter days. But we overlook its wilderness sackcloth state, and are willing to fancy that is over, and nothing is reserved for us but the halcyon days; and then, when tribulation and persecution arise, we do not understand<\/I> it, neither know we the things that are done,<\/I> though we are told as plainly as can be that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.<\/I><\/P>

<\/p>\n

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Took unto him <\/B> (<\/SPAN><\/span>). Second aorist active participle of <\/SPAN><\/span>. Taking along with himself. So Mr 10:32<\/span>. Mt 20:17<\/span> adds ‘ <\/SPAN><\/span> (apart). Jesus is making a special point of explaining his death to the Twelve.<\/P>

We go up <\/B> (<\/SPAN><\/span>). Present active indicative, we are going up.<\/P>

Unto the Son of man <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Dative case of personal interest. The position is amphibolous and the construction makes sense either with “shall be accomplished” (<\/SPAN><\/span>) or “that are written” ( <\/SPAN><\/span>), probably the former. Compare these minute details of the prophecy here (verses 32f.<\/span>) with the words in Mark 10:33<\/span>; Matt 20:18<\/span>, which see. <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

By the prophets [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. Lit., through; the preposition expressing secondary agency.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

JESUS AGAIN FORETELLS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION <\/p>\n

V. 31-34<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

1) “Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them,” <\/strong>(paralabon de tous dodeka eipen pros autous) “Then he took to himself (in counsel) the twelve (apostles) of the church company of disciples, and said directly to them,” confided to them, as on previous occasions, Mat 16:21<\/span>; Mat 20:17-19<\/span>; Mar 10:32-34<\/span>.<\/p>\n

2) “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem,” <\/strong>(idou anabainomen eis lerousalem) “Behold (take note) we are going up into Jerusalem,” for His last journey there, Mat 17:22-23<\/span>.<\/p>\n

3) “And all things that are written by the prophets,” <\/strong>(kai panta ta gegrammena dia ton propheton) “And all things that have been written through the prophets,” through the instrument of the prophets, especially regarding His betrayal, suffering and death, Psa 22:1-31<\/span>; Isa 53:1-12<\/span>.<\/p>\n

4) “Concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.” <\/strong>(to huio tou anthropou telesthesetai) “With reference to the Son of man (heir of-humanity) will be accomplished,” or fulfilled. They were to be fulfilled “concerning Him,” but not “by Him,” for some of the prophecies were to be fulfilled by Judas Iscariot, the rejecting Jews, and His Gentile, Roman executors.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

CRITICAL NOTES<\/em><\/p>\n

Luk. 18:31<\/span>. Then took He unto Him<\/strong>.I.e.<\/em>, took the twelve apart. The parallel passage in St. Matthews Gospel says that this disclosure was made on the last journey up to Jerusalem. Between Luk. 18:30<\/span> and Luk. 18:31<\/span> should probably come the journey from Bethany in Pera to Bethany in Juda, the raising of Lazarus, and Christs retirement to Ephraim (Joh. 11:54<\/span>). From this retreat He now comes to keep His last Passover in Jerusalem. On more than one former occasion Christ had foretold His rejection and sufferings (see Mat. 16:21<\/span>; Mat. 17:22-23<\/span>). Each prediction is more full of details than the last. All things<\/strong>, etc.The passage is a peculiar one, and is thus given in the R.V: All the things that are written by the prophets shall be accomplished unto the Son of Man.<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:32<\/span>. Unto the Gentiles<\/strong>.This circumstance had not yet been foretold. It implies His crucifixion, that being a Roman and not a Jewish form of capital punishment. All the details of His passion here foretold found fulfilment.<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:34<\/span>. And they understood none<\/strong>, etc.Peculiar to St. Luke, though the other two Synoptists record the request proffered by James and John and their mother, which indicated a state of mind like that described here. The prophecy ran so completely counter to the fixed ideas of the disciples concerning the nature of Christs kingdom that they could not understand it in the least.<\/p>\n

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.<\/em>Luk. 18:31-34<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The Third Announcement of The Passion<\/em>.Jesus and the twelve were now on their way up to Jerusalem to be present at the celebration of the feast of the Passover. But though He was surrounded by disciples, and accompanied by crowds of pilgrims, He was isolated in thought from all who journeyed with Him. The multitude anticipated the coming of the kingdom of God in connection with His arrival in the holy city (chap. Luk. 19:11<\/span>); the disciples were intent upon ambitious schemes for securing places of honour in that kingdom (Mat. 20:20-28<\/span>); while He mused upon the sufferings and death which were now so near Him.<\/p>\n

I. The prediction<\/strong>.Special solemnity marked the manner in which Jesus communicated His thoughts to the disciples. He took them apart, probably in order to isolate them from the multitude, whose ignorant enthusiasm might have been set on fire by the announcement of the dangers which threatened Him, and to impress upon His disciples the deep significance of the communication He was now making to them. The minuteness and accuracy of the prediction are very remarkable. Vague forebodings of disaster are all that any mere man, placed in similar circumstances to those in which Jesus now was, would experience. But Jesus has special knowledge of all that awaits Him. His enemies are the chief priests and scribes and elders; but with them will be allied the Gentiles, as the actual inflictors of death. He foresees the mocking, and scourging, and all the brutal ill-treatment of which He will be the victim. And as plainly as the details of His suffering are foreseen by Him is the certainty of His resurrection from the dead after three days present to His thoughts. No less remarkable is the calmness with which He makes this announcement. He utters no lamentation or complaint, He manifests no reluctance, but, with unfaltering resolution, journeys up to the city where sufferings and death awaited Him. He names some of His enemies, but He is silent about His betrayer, who now, with the other apostles, stood by His side and listened to His words.<\/p>\n

II. The purpose for which the prediction was given<\/strong>.The primary object Jesus had in view was, doubtless, to prepare His disciples for the events which would so sorely try their faith in Him. Their belief in His Messiahship and Divine commission would be subjected to a severe strain by seeing Him apparently a helpless victim in the hands of His enemies. And when the time of trial came, it should have strengthened the disciples to remember that he had foreseen the sufferings which were inflicted upon Him, and had voluntarily accepted them. But we can easily believe that He desired also to find some relief for His own feelings by unburdening His mind to those who were His dearest and most trusted friends. Sorrow is lightened by the sympathy of those we love. And as Jesus afterwards, in the garden of Gethsemane, sought to have the advantage of the presence and sympathy of the three apostles who were in most intimate communion with Him, so now, doubtless, a similar feeling moved Him to take the twelve into His confidence.<\/p>\n

III. The effect of this communication<\/strong>.So far as we know the only impression the words of Christ made upon those that heard them was that of mere bewilderment. No words of sorrow or sympathy seem to have been spoken by them in reply. Their minds were still possessed by expectations of earthly sovereignty to be exercised by the Messiah, and the announcement of an ignominious death perplexed and stupified them. The allusion to the resurrection from the dead fell upon deaf earsit was unintelligible; and any suggestion of superhuman dignity and power which might be latent in it was overborne by the disastrous character of the rest of His communication. No words could convey more vividly the utter loneliness of Christ than those which describe the effect upon the disciples of His sorrowful prediction; those who were most firmly attached to Him, and knew Him best, could not understand Him, and stood silent and perplexed as they listened to His disclosure of the sufferings He was so shortly to undergo.<\/p>\n

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON <\/em>Luk. 18:31-34<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Luk. 18:31-33<\/span>.Christ Strengthens the Faith of His Disciples<\/em> <\/p>\n

(1) by preparing them for His humiliation, and sufferings, and death; and
(2) by assuring them of His victory over death.<\/p>\n

Two Grounds of Comfort<\/em>:<\/p>\n

I. The sufferings of Christ belonged to the Divine purpose in sending Him, as indicated by the prophets.
II. His ignominious death would be followed by a glorious resurrection.<\/p>\n

Sufferings Willingly Met<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I. Our Lord clearly foresaw and foretold all the sufferings which lay before Him.
II. He willingly and eagerly went forward to meet them.
III. Our hope for acceptance with God should rest upon that obedience unto death to which Christ was now going forward.<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:31<\/span>. Written by the prophets<\/em>.I.e.<\/em>, their predictions of the sufferings of the Christ (cf. Psalms 22<\/span>; Isaiah 53<\/span>; Zechariah 11<\/span>; Zec. 12:10<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:32<\/span>. Delivered unto the Gentiles<\/em>.The prophecy grows clearer as the event approaches. At first it had been, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (Joh. 2:19<\/span>); The days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken (Mat. 9:15<\/span>). These words of Christ have rather the air of historic record than of prophetic anticipation.<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:33<\/span>. The third day<\/em>.His death and His rising show His two natures, human and DivineHis human nature and weakness in dying; His Divine nature and power, in rising again. These show His two officesHis priesthood and His kingdom: His priesthood in the sacrifice of His death; His kingdom in the glory of His resurrection. They set before us His two main benefitsHis death, the death of death; His rising, the reviving of life again: the one, what He had ransomed us from; the other, what He had purchased for us.Andrewes<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:34<\/span>. Understood none<\/em>.One must know human things in order to love them, but one must love Divine things if he would rightly know them.Pascal<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Butlers Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n

SECTION 5<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mania Mania (<\/strong>Luk. 18:31-34<\/span><\/strong>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon, 33they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise. 34But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:31-33<\/span><\/strong> Confrontation: <\/strong>The Lord could see where this whole discussion of leaving all to follow Him and rewards was focusing. In the minds of the disciples it was being turned into a fantasy of position and power, Especially the statement Jesus made about judging the twelve tribes of Israel and sitting on twelve thrones, (Mat. 19:28<\/span>). So Jesus predicted (for the third time, see Mat. 16:21-23<\/span>; Mat. 17:22-23<\/span>) plainly that he was going to Jerusalem and there would be crucified (see Mat. 20:17-19<\/span>; Mar. 10:32-34<\/span>) and on the third day raised from the dead. He knew He must repeat and repeat this concept of the Messiahs mission and the nature of His kingdom or these worldly-minded disciples would never survive the shock. They must be confronted honestly and plainly so that when it comes to pass they will remember Jesus did not mislead them.<\/p>\n

Jesus prophecy about His death and resurrection clearly demonstrates His supernatural knowledge. He knew ahead of time where He would die (Jerusalem). Had He been only a man He could never have been so specific. He knew ahead of His death how He would die (crucifixion, Mat. 20:19<\/span>). Being a Jew and really having committed no crime against Rome, one would expect Jesus to meet death normally or, if executed by the Jews, by stoning. He knew prior to His death who would be involved (Jewish and Gentile rulers, Mat. 20:18-19<\/span>). All His enemies would have to do to prove Him a false prophet was to not fulfill His predictionsbut they were fulfilled to the letter. Not only were Jesus predictions of His death fulfilled but the prophecies of the Old Testament made centuries and millenniums before were also fulfilled. The student should read in this connection Isa. 52:13-15<\/span>; Isa. 53:1-12<\/span>; Isa. 50:4-9<\/span>; Isa. 49:1-7<\/span>; Dan. 9:24-27<\/span>; Psa. 22:1-31<\/span>. When Jesus said to the disciples, . . . everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. . . . He was trying to emphasize to them that the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah were not to be interpreted according to the popular Jewish rabbinical traditions. The tragedy was the apostles understood none of what He said. There was a reason for this.<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:34<\/span><\/strong> Caprice: <\/strong>It wasnt because they could not understand. Jesus made His prediction plainly enough. There was nothing symbolic or figurative in His language. The Greek word sunekan is translated understood and means literally, bring or set together. They could not bring together what Jesus said and their own earthly concepts of the Messiah. They would not get it all together! The Greek word kekrummenon is translated hid and is the word from which we get the English word cryptic. It means concealed, hidden, secret. The word in Greek is in the perfect tense which means this crucified-Messiah concept had been misunderstood in the past and was continuing to be misunderstood. And why had they misunderstood it? Because they deliberately refused to accept the concept. Peter rebuked Jesus for stating this concept the first time He made the prediction (Mat. 16:22<\/span>; Mar. 8:33<\/span>). The word grasp is the Greek word eginoskon and means to be taking in knowledge, to come to know. They did not understand Jesus because they were not taking in what He was saying. They deliberately refused to listen to what He was saying.<\/p>\n

Why, now after the third plain prediction of His death, do they still refuse to accept it? The student must here turn to Mat. 20:20-28<\/span> and Mar. 10:35-45<\/span>. There the underlying reason for their refusal to grasp the true Messianic concept (even though it was predicted centuries before in the Prophets) is revealed. They were striving among themselves for political positions in what they thought was going to be an earthly kingdom. Two of them, James and John, sent their mother to request promotion to favored positions. Jesus sternly warned the disciples they were acting like heathen and it must not be so among them. Luke omits this incident but at the same time he is the only one who records the disciples arguing about the same thing in the Upper Room at the time of the Last Supper (cf. Luk. 22:24-30<\/span>).<\/p>\n

The fact that the Messiah was to be crucified and suffer a humiliating death was perhaps the most crucial issue Jesus faced in His incarnation (other than His claim to be God in the flesh). We notice His own disciples, after more than three years of learning from Him, still conceived of His kingdom as an earthly one that would ultimately manifest itself in a human political structure. Furthermore, even after His death, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus had to be rebuked by Jesus and instructed again that their own Prophets had predicted the Messiahs humiliation. Paul wrote that the crucifixion of Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles (1Co. 1:23<\/span>). The unregenerated mind of man will not believe that he can be saved by a crucified Savior, because human pride refuses to accept the idea of vicarious atonement. For that reason God raised Jesus from the dead and verified historically and empirically that Jesus death was a vicarious atonement. The Jews never thought of their Messiah as one who would atone for their sins but one who would deliver them from their earthly bondage. They wanted political and economic deliverance, but they were really not interested in spiritual freedom (cf. Joh. 8:31-39<\/span>). And after two thousand years of gospel history the majority of the world is still interested only in political and economic deliverance.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Appleburys Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n

What Awaited Jesus at Jerusalem
Scripture<\/p>\n

Luk. 18:31-34<\/span> And he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets shall be accomplished unto the Son of man. 32 For he shall be delivered up unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shamefully treated, and spit upon: 33 and they shall scourge and kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, and they perceived not the things that were said.<\/p>\n

Comments<\/p>\n

Behold we go up to Jerusalem.Jesus had already warned the apostles that He had to die at Jerusalem, but they were unable to fit the cross into their own views of His kingdom. As they neared the city, He again attempted to get them to understand what awaited Him there.<\/p>\n

all the things that are written through the prophets.He was (1) to be delivered to the Gentiles, (2) mocked, (3) shamefully treated, (4) spit upon, (5) scourged, and (6) killed. On the third day, He would rise again.<\/p>\n

they understood none of these things.They didnt understand because their view of the kingdom required Him to be on an earthly throne. Actually, it was not until the Day of Pentecost that they understood His death and resurrection. When they knew that He had sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, they understood what He had tried to tell them about His kingdom.<\/p>\n

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

(31-34) Then he took unto him the twelve.<\/strong>See Notes on Mat. 20:17-19<\/span>; Mar. 10:32-34<\/span>. St. Luke, like St. Mark, passes over the parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard. The insertion of the reference to the prophecies of the Passion is, on the other hand, peculiar to him, and is, perhaps, connected with the prominence given to those prophecies in Luk. 24:27<\/span>; Luk. 24:44-45<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

106. JESUS, vv. GOING UP TO JERUSALEM, vv. FORETELLS HIS PASSION TO THE TWELVE APART, Luk 18:31-34<\/em><\/span><\/em> .<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

See notes on Mat 20:17-19<\/span>; Mar 10:32-34<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

‘And he took to him the twelve, and said to them, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets will be accomplished to the Son of man.” ’<\/p>\n

Jesus now recognised more clearly than ever that His time was approaching. For quite some time He had lived with His eyes ever fixed on His final end in Jerusalem. But now that end was rapidly approaching. And He took the twelve to one side and informed them of His expectations. This was a secret reserved for them. They were approaching Jerusalem, and as far as He was concerned it would be for the last time, for now the things clearly written about Him in the Scriptures must come to fulfilment. The Shepherd must be smitten and the sheep scattered (Zec 13:7<\/span>). The Servant must be arraigned and condemned and suffer for the sins of others (Isa 50:3-8<\/span>; Isa 52:13<\/span> to Isa 53:12<\/span>). The Son of David must be pierced and made mock of (Psa 22:12-18<\/span>). The Son of Man must suffer under the beasts (where the suffering of the ‘son of man’ is depicted in terms of the suffering of the people of the Most High) (Daniel 7<\/span>). And this had been even more reinforced by the fact that a prophet could not die outside Jerusalem (Luk 13:33<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Jesus’ Disciples Must Recognise That Shortly Their Lives Also Would be Shaken By What Was Soon To Happen To Him. They Too Would Be At A Crossroads (18:31-34).<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

So Luke now draws attention to the fact that the rich ruler was not the only one unwilling to face up to the truth. Indeed without the grace of God all the disciples would have become lost to Him. For their comprehension too was dim and they had still not been prepared to face up to the realities of the future. They too therefore had nothing to boast about. They would only survive their folly by the grace of God. For they were blind and would need their eyes opened, a fact which is then illustrated by the opening of the eyes of a blind man who presses his way to Jesus and refuses to be silenced until he has come face to face with Him. In the chiasmus of the Section these passages parallel where the Pharisees, who are blind to the truth about Jesus, cavil at His teaching, while all whose eyes are opened and who come to see the truth press into the Kingly Rule of God (Luk 16:14-18<\/span>).<\/p>\n

This is the fourth time in Luke that Jesus has warned them of His coming sufferings (Luk 9:22<\/span>; Luk 9:44<\/span>; Luk 13:33<\/span>, but see also Luk 5:35<\/span>; Luk 12:50<\/span>; Luk 17:25<\/span>), but there are none as blind as those who do not want to see. What was to happen was so outside their conception of what they thought ought to happen that they probably thought that by the words He used He was being mysteriously descriptive of the life of discipleship. He had constantly told them that they must take up their crosses and follow Him, and they were used to Him speaking parabolically. Perhaps what He meant was that He too must be seen as taking up His cross and following God. As in Hosea 6<\/span> He would suffer some humiliation and would then come through it triumphantly. But the thought that it would happen to Him literally seemed so impossible and unlikely that it was probably not even considered. They would see His words as simply a very vivid parable.<\/p>\n

Analysis.<\/p>\n

a <\/strong> He took to him the twelve, and said to them (Luk 18:31<\/span> a).<\/p>\n

b <\/strong> “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets will be accomplished to the Son of man” (Luk 18:31<\/span> b).<\/p>\n

c <\/strong> “For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, and shamefully treated, and spat on, and they will scourge and kill him, and the third day he will rise again” (Luk 18:32-33<\/span>).<\/p>\n

b <\/strong> And they understood none of these things, and this saying was hid from them (Luk 18:34<\/span> a).<\/p>\n

a <\/strong> And they perceived not the things that were said (Luk 18:34<\/span> b).<\/p>\n

Note that in ‘a’ we have what He said, and in the parallel they understood nought of what He said. How often we do not listen to God. In ‘b’ they had the prophetic word through the Spirit, and in the parallel such words were hidden from them. Until the Spirit opened their hearts they were blind. And centrally in ‘c’ we have the description of what was hidden from them, God’s whole plan of redemption. They probably actually thought that they were getting on quite well. In truth as yet they could not even pass the initial test.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection for the Third Time ( Mat 20:17-19<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> , Mar 10:32-34<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ) <\/strong> In Luk 18:31-34<\/span> Jesus tells His twelve apostles about His pending death and resurrection for the third time. Jesus first reveals His death and resurrection on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luk 9:21-22<\/span>). The second time is found in Luk 9:43-45<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:31<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> While the Gospel of Matthew refers to the fulfillment of Old Testament Scriptures, the Gospel of Luke places emphasis upon prophecy and reflects Jesus in the office of a Prophet. Since the books of the Old Testament were written by those in the office of the prophet, Jesus speaks of the prophets when referring to the Old Testament Scriptures. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

The Lord’s Third Prediction of His Passion.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> v. 31<\/strong>. Then He took unto Him the Twelve and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished.<\/strong><\/p>\n

v. 32<\/strong>. For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on;<\/strong><\/p>\n

v. 33<\/strong>. and they shall scourge Him, and put Him to death; and the third day He shall rise again.<\/strong><\/p>\n

v. 34<\/strong>. And they understood none of these things, and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> Twice the Lord had spoken very explicitly of His coming Passion, but the disciples had not understood the reference: Here He took the Twelve aside and placed Himself at their head as their Champion and intrepid Leader. Then He gave them a full prophecy concerning His Passion, enumerating the several outstanding features. To Jerusalem they were going, there the great tragedy was to take place. All the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the suffering and death of the Servant of the Lord, of the Messiah, would there be fulfilled; all things would happen to the Son of Man as written in the prophets: Delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, derided and mocked, treated with contempt, spat upon. But always, in the end, the definite assurance of His resurrection on the third day. In spite of the detailed account, however, the disciples understood none of these things, the entire matter being hidden from them, they had not the faintest idea what it was all really about. They merely huddled about Him, while amazement and an indefinable dread took hold of them, as of an impending disaster. “Notwithstanding all the information which Christ had given them concerning this awful subject, they could not as yet fully comprehend how the Messiah should suffer; or how their Master, whose power they knew was unlimited, should permit the Jews and Gentiles to torment and slay Him as He here intimates they would.”<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31-34<\/span> . See on Mat 20:17-19<\/span> ; Mar 10:32-34<\/span> . Luke, it is true, abridges Mark’s narrative, yet he also expands it by the reference to the fulfilment of Scripture, Luk 18:31<\/span> , and by the observation in Luk 18:34<\/span> .<\/p>\n

. . .] A continuation of the journey, on which at Luk 18:35<\/span> ff. the narrative then again lingers at Jericho.<\/p>\n

. .] belongs to ., next to which it stands: everything shall be completed, i.e.<\/em> shall come to its complete actual fulfilment (comp. Luk 22:37<\/span> ), which is written by the prophets with reference to the Son of man<\/em> (with the destination<\/em> for Him, in order to become actual in Him). On the dative of reference with , comp. 3Ma 6:41 . The reading . . . (D, Vulg. al<\/em> .) is an inaccurate gloss on the correct construction. Others (Castalio and many more, including Kuinoel, Bornemann, Schegg, comp. Buttmann, Neut. Gr<\/em> . p. 154 [E. T. 178], who refers it to both . and .) connect it with ., and explain either: upon<\/em> the Son of man, as Mat 13:14<\/span> (so the majority), or of<\/em> Him (Bornemann, following Beza). But even apart from the fact that the position of the words rather suggests the connection given above, the unlimited . is opposed to the latter, since the prophets have written much, which was neither to be fulfilled upon<\/em> nor of<\/em> the Messiah. Besides, the following Luk 18:32<\/span> f. is opposed to Bornemann, seeing it is not there said what the Messiah should do<\/em> , but what He should suffer<\/em> .<\/p>\n

Luk 18:34<\/span> . An emphatic prolixity, even more than at Luk 9:45<\/span> . The failure to understand has reference not to the meaning of the words<\/em> , but to the fact<\/em> as the Messianic destiny.<\/p>\n

] comp. Luk 9:45<\/span> , Luk 10:21<\/span> , Luk 19:42<\/span> , frequently in the LXX.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

3. Jesus and the Blind Man (Luk 18:31-43<\/span>)<\/p>\n

(Parallel to Mat 20:17-19<\/span>; Mat 20:29-34<\/span>; Mar 10:32-34<\/span>; Mar 10:46-52<\/span>.)<\/p>\n

31Then [And] he took unto him<\/em> the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning [lit., for, . …] the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated [outrageously handled], and spittedon: 33And they shall scourge him<\/em>, and put him to death; and the third day he shall riseagain. 34And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew [comprehended] they the things which were spoken.<\/p>\n

35And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind mansat by the way side begging: 36And hearing the multitude pass by [a multitude passingby], he asked what it meant. 37And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou<\/em> Son of David, have mercy on me. 39And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so muchthe more, Thou<\/em> Son of David, have mercy on me. 40And Jesus stood, and commanded41him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying,9<\/span> What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord [or, Sir], that I mayreceive my sight. 42And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath savedthee [or, caused thy recovery]. 43And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it<\/em>, gave praise unto God.<\/p>\n

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luk 18:31<\/span>. And He took<\/strong>.Comp. Lange on the parallels in Matthew and Mark. The parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, which in Mat 20:1-16<\/span> precedes the repeated announcement of the Passion, and the request of the sons of Zebedee which follows it, and which is given by Matthew as well as Mark, Luke passes over. According to the Synoptics, the journey to the Passover is now continued steadily in the direction of Jericho. That, however, the Twelve were not the Saviours only companions in travel appears from the fact that He calls them to Himself, , Mat 20:17-19<\/span>, in order to impart to them a weighty utterance. Perhaps the women, Luk 8:2-3<\/span>, were also with him, and Salome comes forth from their circle with her petition. The visible distinction between the temper of our Lord and that of the disciples is brought into view by Mark in particular, Luk 10:32<\/span>, with much graphic force. It is as if the feeling of Thomas, which he so strongly uttered, Joh 11:16<\/span>, had now possessed itself of all the disciples. Perhaps Jesus considers just this discouraged state of theirs best fitted for the communication to them for the third time of a prophecy which He had already delivered twice to almost deaf ears. The greater the vividness which had been given by the just-reported conversation to the prospect of hundredfold reward, the more necessary does it appear to our Lord to obviate the earthly-minded expectation with which they follow Him, even on the fatal way; and of set purpose He severs them from the circle of the others, in order, by the very mystery in the manner of His communication, to prepare them the better for the weightiness of its matter.<\/p>\n

, …The reference to the prophetic declarations on this occasion is peculiar to Luke. The Saviour speaks with emphasis of ., comp. Luk 22:37<\/span>. The Messianic prophecies of suffering stand before His eyes as a great whole put in writing . . for the Son of Man, a dativus commodi<\/em> by which the proper destination of the word of Scripture, that of being realized in Him, is intimated; an indirect proof that for every detail of the picture of His Passion which is now sketched, Luk 18:32-33<\/span>, there must also be at least an intimation to be found in the prophetic record.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:32<\/span>. Delivered unto the Gentiles<\/strong>.Luke in his more summary report passes over the first delivery to the high-priests and scribes, and the condemnation to death by the Sanhedrim. On the other hand he, like Matthew and Mark, mentions the prediction of the mocking, scourging, and maltreatment of our Lord, and has, in common with Mark, the special mention of the spitting on Him. The more than usual agreement of the Synoptics in the communication of these details is a strong proof for the credibility of this prediction, which can be weakened in no manner by any dogmatic doubt (De Wette and others). According to the Synoptics, the Saviour on this occasion speaks of His resurrection on the third day expressly. The gradual climax , , , disappears therefore at once in an overwhelming antithesis.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:34<\/span>. And they understood none of these things<\/strong>, &c.An emphatic diffuseness. Meyer. It is, of course, understood that this ignorance of the apostles was no wanton, but was yet in a certain sense a self-caused, ignorance; and that it had not reference to the sound of the words, but to the thing itself. Comp. Luk 9:45<\/span>. How little, moreover, they understood our Lord, appeared immediately from the petition of the sons of Zebedee. Strikingly does Luke bring into view the totality of the misunderstanding, , and its ground, ., …, and the natural consequence, . Because their heart stubbornly repels the only intelligible sense of the words, their understanding seeks in vain for a more endurable sense which, perhaps, might be given to these words. They are spiritually as blind as the Bartimus who now comes into view is in body<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:35<\/span>. As He was come nigh unto Jericho<\/strong>.Respecting the locality of the City of Palms, and respecting the difference among the Synoptics in reference to the number of the blind men, and the question whether the miracle took place at the entrance or the leaving of the city, see<\/em> Lange, ad loc.<\/em> For the various attempts to remove this difficulty, and their advocates, see<\/em> Meyer, De Wette, and others. If one believes that the accounts must tout prix<\/em> be brought into agreement with one another, then without doubt the conjecture of Lange that the Saviour went in and out at the same gate of the city, and that the miracle falls into two parts, seems to deserve the preference before the view that a second blind man associated himself with Bartimus, and, at all events, deserves the preference above the unlucky harmonistic expedient which makes this miracle take place twice<\/em>. We believe, however, that a spiritually free view of the Evangelical reports must frankly allow such little discrepancies, and, no doubt, institute attempts to reconcile them, but by no means force them. Comp. the admirable remark of Olshausen, Comm.<\/em> 1. p. 28, and that of Chrysostom, Prf. in Matt.<\/em>, in respect to the difference of the Evangelists in minor matters: , , , , … [This itself is the greatest evidence of truth, for if all things had accurately agreed, no one of our enemies would have believed that they had not come together by a human agreement and written what they have written, &c.] Taking all together, we account it probable: 1. That here only one<\/em> blind man was healed, and that when Matthew uses the plural, he, as is more his way, is less intent on giving the number than the description of the healed; and, 2. that the miracle did not take place before (Luke) but after the entrance of Jesus into Jericho (Matthew and Mark). Two narrators, of whom the one is an apostolic eye-witness, stand here over against one another, and it is not probable that the perverse temper of the people, Luk 19:7<\/span>, would so soon and publicly have found expression if only a few moments before enthusiasm had been so powerfully awakened by the healing of the blind man, as we read Luk 18:43<\/span>. Far more probable is it that the Saviour performed this miracle on His departure from Jericho, with the design also of leaving behind there an abiding impression. Only on the platform of a mechanical theory of inspiration can offence be taken at this want of diplomatic exactness in the statement of Luke. Whoever, on the other hand, regards his gospel with impartial view, will hardly be able to deny that, especially in the last period of the public life of our Saviour and in the history of the Passion, the exact chronological arrangement of the events is not to be expected, particularly from Luke, and that he in this respect often remains behind Matthew and Mark. The investigation of the cause of this phenomenon does not belong here.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:37<\/span>. That Jesus of Nazareth passeth by<\/strong>.The people name our Lord according to the customary style. The blind man, who greets Him as Son of David, however, shows even by this that his faith has reached a higher grade.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:40<\/span>. Commanded him to be brought unto Him<\/strong>.Luke relates, it is true, that the Saviour gave this command, but not that the blind man, upon this command being given, was led by others to Him. His account does not, therefore, conflict with that of Mark, who mentions Bartimus throwing away his garment and coming to Jesus. Apparently we have to conceive the matter thus: that the blind man left none of the standers-by time to carry out the exact command of our Lord. As little do the accounts of the manner of the healing contradict one another, for the circumstance that Matthew alone mentions that Jesus here also, as often before, touched his eyes, is by Mark as well as by Luke neither directly nor indirectly controverted.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:41<\/span>. What wilt thou<\/strong>.Interrogat Christus, non tam cci privatim causa, quam totius populi. Scimus enim, ut mundus Dei beneficia sine sensu devoret, nisi stimulis excitetur. Ergo Christus voce sua turbam adstantem ad observandum miraculum erigit<\/em>. Calvin.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:43<\/span>. All the people<\/strong>.This statement of the impression which the miracle produced upon the whole people has been preserved to us by Luke alone. It is as if he would cause us to hear at the gate of Jericho the prelude to the Hosannas which were soon to resound far more mightily at the gates of Jerusalem, comp. Luk 19:37<\/span>. That the Saviour Himself no longer desires to check this triumphant praise, appears even from the fact that He no longer imposes on the blind man any silence about what had been done, nor yet requires that he, like the demoniac, Mar 5:19<\/span>, shall go home, but willingly allows Bartimus to swell the enthusiastic throng and go before it. As to the rest, the mention of the doxology, to which the miracles of the Saviour several times give occasion, is peculiar to Luke, comp. Luk 5:26<\/span>; Luk 7:16<\/span>; Luk 9:43<\/span>; Luk 13:17<\/span>, and is wholly in the Pauline spirit. Comp. Rom 11:33-36<\/span>.<\/p>\n

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. The Saviours third prediction to His disciples of His Passion is richer in details than the two former ones. We may conclude from this that His own consciousness of His approaching fate gained continually in clearness, and that even the so-called Contingentia<\/em> of the futuree.g.<\/em>, the spitting on Himstood before His soul already as present. This can the less surprise us if we consider that even these here-mentioned particulars were not foreign to the prophetic image of the Messiah and His Passion, see, e.g.<\/em>, Isa 50:6<\/span>; Psa 22:8<\/span>. Phenomena of this kind create difficulty for those who know no higher basis for the prophetic viewing of the future than human presentiment alone, and will explain all phenomena in this sphere exclusively from within outward, instead of from above downward. On the other hand, we have simply to remind the reader, After all human mediation and substratum is provided for, still the proper innermost nature of prophecy remains an every-time-renewed discovery of hidden things through the omniscient Spirit, an anticipating of the future beyond the preformations and germs of the present; in short, a speaking of God, out of which in its turn the prophesying history can alone form and comprehend itself. We have, therefore, no right to forbid every prediction, and although it stands there to explain it away out of principle, merely for the reason that we do not know how to make way for it in our understanding of history, because it appears to stand forth to us as a soothsaying prediction. Stier. If this principle holds good even of predictions of the Old Testament, in how much higher measure must it then hold good of Him who is conscious of Himself being the end of the law and the centre of all prophecy, and whose capacity certainly no one will in any case be able successfully to dispute of knowing all, even to the minute details, which He had to know, in order, as the Founder of the kingdom of God, to accomplish His mission on earth.<\/p>\n

2. Attention cannot be too often directed to the closeness with which the Saviours consciousness of His Passion attaches itself to the prophetical Scripture. He, the Son of the House, sees in the law and the prophets the Magna Charta of the kingdom of God, to which He, not less than its least subject, is bound. As if He had foreseen that hereafter the days would come in which it should be denied, in the name of science, that Israels prophets have ever decisively pointed to a suffering and dying Messiah, He points us to their testimony as to the clear mirror of His suffering as well as of His glory. For him who will really penetrate deeply into the sanctuary of the history of the Passion, it is of the greatest importance that he do not let the key of the prophetic Scripture be taken from Him. Here also plainly appears the truth of the maxim: titubante scriptura, simul titubat fides.<\/em><\/p>\n

3. In the inquiry, what gave the Saviour courage and energy to go forward with so unterrified a step towards the way of suffering, we undoubtedly must not overlook the truth that He continually beyond His Passion foresaw the Resurrection on the third day. For him who really believes in the Humanity of our Lord, even His lofty courage unto death is a proof that the prediction of the resurrection in the gospel was by no means a bare vaticinium post eventum<\/em>. On the other hand, it is entirely natural that in the degree in which the Passion pressed more vehemently in upon Him, the heart-exalting prospect of the Resurrection was not, it is true, in any wise shaken, but yet temporarily in His consciousness thrown into the background.<\/p>\n

4. The incapacity of the disciples to understand our Lords announcement of His suffering, is a new proof of the truth that in the Christian sphere true spiritual understanding comes to pass through the organ of the heart. If the soul turns itself from a clearly uttered truth, then is also the understanding incapable of recognizing its substance and importance. Here also the well-known saying of Pascal holds good, that one must know human things in order to love them, but, on the other hand, must love Divine things if he would rightly understand them. Comp. the beautiful essay of Vinet, Lvangile compris par le cur<\/em>.At the same time, however, this incapacity of the disciples is an unequivocal proof of the indispensable necessity, as well as of the salutary influence, of their enlightenment through the Holy Spirit, in consequence of which they afterwards learned to regard that same Passion as absolutely necessary and worthy of God, which at first was so offensive to them, and for that very reason so incomprehensible.<\/p>\n

5. Every healing of the blind related to us in the gospel shows in a striking symbol how the Saviour opens the eye of the soul also for the heavenly light; but in particular may the history of Bartimus, in its beautiful gradualness of development, be called a type of this spiritual benefit pregnant with instruction. First there makes its way to him merely the report of Jesus, awakening slumbering remembrances, longings, and presagings; then it becomes evident to the people following Jesus that he has a longing for higher benefit than the multitude which only outwardly encircles the Saviour. As commonly, so here also, they do not want the sufferer to enjoy anything from Jesus apart from them, and seek to suppress his tone of lamentation, as a discord in the jubilant acclaim of joy. But this very reaction excites his longing faith to higher courage, and soon the sufferer cannot any longer rest till every hindrance yet separating him from Jesus is overcome; faith triumphs, and the first thing that he now sees is Christ Himself, before whose face he stands, and in whose light he now beholds the whole creation surrounding him as in the glory of the resurrection, the image of the truth that in spiritual enlightenment Christ is the first, loveliest, and best of everything that one learns to recognize, upon whom, moreover, the simple eye of the spirit with good reason remains through the whole of life directed. In conclusion, the following of Jesus, the preceding others, the united praise of God, the whole order of salvation, as well on the side of God as on that of man, lies here in nuce<\/em> visibly before us, that is, if our eyes are opened.<\/p>\n

6. O, what power has the prayer of believers! There prayed Joshua<\/em>, and the sun in the heaven stood still that he might fully beat down the enemies Now Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, which in mi[illigibel words found] course was soon to descend, also stood here still. Bogatzky.<\/p>\n

7. The last miracle againthe last performed on a man which is made known to us from the public life of our Lord (Mat 21:14<\/span> contains only a general notice)presents before our eyes the high end of His manifestation in a striking manner, comp. Isa 35:5<\/span>; Psa 146:8<\/span>; and the homage which is here brought to Him at Jerichos gate is a prophecy of the universal homage of the redeemed which hereafter shall be brought to Him, especially in His exalted character as the Light of the world.<\/p>\n

8. It is an element of the pdagogic wisdom of our Lord, that He, the more His public life hastens to its end, rather seeks than avoids the opportunity to do miracles, and unconditionally accepts the homage of the healed. This also was soon to serve His weakly believing disciples as a counterpoise against the crucis<\/em>.<\/p>\n

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus the Light of the world, as well for the spiritually (the Twelve) as for the corporeally blind (Bartimus): 1. He creates the light for the eye (Luk 18:31-34<\/span>); 2. He opens the eye to the light (Luk 18:35-42<\/span>).How the Saviour labors to make His servants friends and intimate companions, Joh 15:15<\/span>.Jesus contrasted with His disciples: 1. His clear knowledge in contrast with their ignorance; 2. His lofty courage in contrast with their faint-hearted fear; 3. His willing precedence on the way of humiliation in contrast with their constrained following [He longs to be baptized with blood, He pants to reach the cross. Cowper.].The Passion of our Lord the fulfilment of a Divine prophecy.The relation of suffering to glory.The courage of Christ unto death, and the shrinking from suffering of so many Christians.Sluggishness of heart the deepest ground of the not understanding so many a word of the Lord.Jesus and Joshua before the gates of Jericho: 1. What both find; 2. what both bring.Whoever feels that he is spiritually blind can do nothing better than to beg.Where the eye of the soul is yet closed, there must the ear of the body become so much more keenly alive to the report which ever flies before our Lord where He comes with His salvation: 1. Into a land; 2. into a home; 3. into a heart.Happy for him who does not keep from the blind the knowledge that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.How differently the Lord appears to diverse eyes: 1. To the superficial multitude He is Jesus of Nazareth; 2. to the eagerly longing Bartimus He is the Son of David; 3. to the believing disciples He is the Son of the living God.The Kyrie Eleison of the soul, which precedes its Hosanna. [, Miserere mei Domine<\/em>. In some of the German litanies, as well as in the Latin mass, this formula of supplication remains in the original Greek, being afterwards interpreted in the Latin or German.C. C. S.]On His way to death the Saviour permits Himself to be detained not a moment by the dissuasions of His friends, but gladly by the cry of a blind mans distress.What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? One must earnestly wish to be made whole by Jesus.What a faith is it, that really heals the spiritually blind?In order to be able to follow Jesus one must see Him; in order to follow Him aright, one must praise God.The good example of a sinner healed finds imitation on the part of others.Blind Bartimus a guide to a truly Christian celebration of the communion; his history shows us: 1. The right temper<\/em> for the communion, a<\/em>. steady sense of wretchedness, b<\/em>. eager longing for deliverance, c<\/em>. courageous coming to Jesus; 2. the highest comfort<\/em> of the communion, that the Saviour, a<\/em>. knows us, b<\/em>. calls us, c<\/em>. hears us; 3. the fruit<\/em> of the communion most to be desired: a<\/em>. that our eyes may see Him, b.<\/em> our feet follow Him, c<\/em>. our tongues praise Him.<\/p>\n

Starke:Quesnel:We know not, like Jesus Christ, the time of our sacrifice and death, but we know well that we are ever coming nearer to the moment, and we therefore greatly need to think thereon and prepare ourselves therefor, 2Ti 4:6<\/span>.Jews and Gentiles have alike shamefully laid hands on Jesus, why then blame we each the other?Nova Bibl. Tub.<\/em>:As God dealt with His child Jesus, so does He deal with all believers: suffering must precede, afterwards follows joy.Bibl. Wirt.<\/em>:To judge with fleshly thoughts concerning the kingdom of Christ is not well.Nova Bibl. Tub.<\/em>:The blind man a poor man.Hedinger:Would God we were blind, then should we see.The Lord is in time of distress nearer to us than we think.Canstein:Is there indeed anything pleasanter for a sinner to hear than when he learns that the Fount of Light, the Chief Physician, Jesus, is coming towards Him?Whoever lets Jesus pass by and detains Him not with his prayer is left helpless.Many times do we experience from those that go before and have a guise of piety, the greatest temptation and the most numerous hindrances in our Christian life.Faith cannot hold its peace; whoever believes, he speaksCanstein:How often does a God-fearing soul dwell in a wretched body.God leads one man not like another.The friendliness of Jesus in converse with all manner of men, especially the poor and needy, calls us to imitation.Osiander:We will rejoice from our hearts when to our neighbors also salvation is brought from God.J. Mller:The history of the blind man at Jericho a mirror of the spiritual recovery of man. [John Newtons Mercy, O thou Son of David, gives the very soul of this scene.C. C. S.]Lisco:Pray, and it shall be given you.<\/p>\n

On the Pericope<\/em>.Scheffer:The last journey of the Redeemer to Jerusalem.F. W. Krummacher:The stages on the journey to the cross.Fuchs:The Saviour on His last sorrowful journey to Jerusalem: 1. Submissive as to His own suffering; 2. compassionate towards the sorrow of others.Ahlfeld:The true evangelical fast-keeping: 1. Concerning the fasting mood; 2. concerning the fasting prayers.Couard:How we may celebrate the approaching Passion-week to the blessing of our heart and life.Stier:The present blindness of many Christians to the right understanding of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ: 1. How it is with the blindness; 2. whereby it is healed; 3. what we then see and experience.Braune:The light that breaks forth from the Passion of Christ. In the Passion of Christ we learn to esteem aright: 1. The sin of the world; 2. the woe of the time.Burkhardt:How it comes that even to well-disposed innocent souls the word of the cross is yet hidden for a while.The happy blind beggar.Bomhardt:What the passing of Christ to His suffering says to us.Staudt:The prayer, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me: 1. Its necessity; 2. its power; 3. its nature.Steinhauser:What is it that we see when through Christ the eyes of our spirit are opened?<\/p>\n

Van Oosterzee (from a missionary sermon):The sighing creation shows itself to our eyes like Bartimus at Jerichos gate. Not yet were his eyes unclosed, but already from afar the footsteps of the coming Saviour sound in his ears; already it is told him who approaches; already does he throw the mantle off that hinders him from making haste towards the Deliverer. Yet a little while and he has received his sight and follows the Lord, and heaven and earth sing praises at the sight to God and His Only-begotten.<\/p>\n

Footnotes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

[9]<\/span>Luk 18:41<\/span>. (Origen: ) at the beginning of this verse is omitted by Tischendorf, [Meyer, Alford,] according to B., D., [Cod. Sin.,] L., X. It is at least doubtful.<\/p>\n

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

DISCOURSE: 1559
CHRIST FORETELLS HIS OWN SUFFERINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luk 18:31-34<\/span>. Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken<\/em>.<\/p>\n

WE are informed respecting some of the heathen philosophers, that they had a doctrine for the vulgar, and a different doctrine for their own immediate disciples. Not so our blessed Lord; he had the same doctrine for all: but he communicated some things more plainly to his select followers, because they had, by reason of their constant attendance upon him, a clearer conception of his meaning, and because they were afterwards to become the instructors of the world. Hence we find that he explained to them in private what he had spoken to the public in parables: and in these private, no less than in his public, instructions, he was indefatigable; embracing every opportunity, whether when sitting in the house, or when walking by the way. He was now walking with his Disciples towards Jerusalem; and, as his death was speedily approaching, he judged it right to apprise them what they were to expect. He knew how great a stumbling-block his sufferings were likely to prove to those who did not understand the reason and necessity of them; and therefore he determined once more to inform them, that the sufferings were not unexpected casualties, but events foreseen by him and fore-ordained by God.
In this passage there are two things to be noticed;<\/p>\n

I.<\/p>\n

The minuteness of our Lords prophecy<\/p>\n

We can scarcely conceive a prophecy to be more circumstantial than that before us: and in this view it reflects peculiar light on,<\/p>\n

1.<\/p>\n

His character as a man<\/p>\n

[The particular sufferings here specified are most terrible to flesh and blood: yet behold, he speaks of them with as much composure as if they were light and insignificant. But in regarding them with such indifference, he shewed how undaunted was his fortitude<\/em>, how ardent his zeal<\/em>, how unquenchable his love<\/em>. Previous to his specifying these things, when he did but manifest a readiness to go up to Jerusalem, where the Jews of late had sought to stone him, his Disciples were amazed at his intrepidity, and trembled for themselves lest they also should be involved in difficulties through him [Note: Compare Joh 11:7-8<\/span>; Joh 11:16<\/span>; Joh 11:37<\/span>. with Mar 10:32<\/span>. He went before: they amazed, and afraid.]: and, if they were so agitated with a confused<\/em> apprehension of probable<\/em> evils, how great must his resolution have been, who saw every trouble distinct<\/em> and certain<\/em>, and yet went forward boldly to meet it all! But he had undertaken to glorify his Father upon earth, and to open a way for the display of all his perfections in the salvation of fallen man; and he would not go back: yea, foreseeing what a bloody baptism he had to be baptized with, he was quite straitened till it should be accomplished. The only alternative was, to bear the sins of men in his own body, or to leave them to perish under the wrath of God: and though he knew how dreadful that wrath was, and that, if not borne by him as their surety, they must bear it for ever, he went forward a willing sacrifice, and gave himself up for us an offering to God of a sweet-smelling savour. These heavenly virtues, I say, are all heightened by the consideration, that he had a distinct view of the indignities that were to be offered to him, and the miseries that he was to endure; and his prophetic enumeration of them discovers and illustrates the unrivalled excellencies of his character.]<\/p>\n

2.<\/p>\n

His office as the Messiah<\/p>\n

[What clearer proof could be given of his Messiahship? Two questions I would put to any one that doubts the Messiahship of Jesus; and I will defy all the infidels upon earth to answer them: Could any impostor foresee such events?<\/em> or, Would any impostor rest his pretensions on the accomplishment of them?<\/em> We may conceive an impostor to foresee, that he shall be treated with much indignity, and that he shall be put to death: I say, he may see so great a probability of these things, as that he shall venture to predict them: but the circumstances foretold by our Lord are beyond the sphere of probability. Compare the account of this prophecy as it is related in the text, and by St. Matthew [Note: Mat 20:18-19<\/span>.]: Jesus foretells that he was to be betrayed, and delivered up into the hands of the Chief Priests and Scribes; that he was to undergo the formality of a trial, and be condemned by a judicial sentence: that he should then not be put to death by them, but be delivered unto the Gentiles, and by them be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spit on: that by them also he should be scourged; and after that should be crucified as a slave. Now the probability was, that he would be tumultuously stoned to death by the Jews; because that was the punishment annexed to the crime of which they accused him, namely, blasphemy; and because they had repeatedly attempted to stone him before. As for the Jews delivering him up to the Romans, particularly after the Roman Governor had given them leave to take and judge him according to their law, it was highly improbable, considering how jealous the Jews were of the Roman power, and how much they hated it. But supposing him delivered up to the Romans, what reason was there to think that he should he insulted by them<\/em>, and in the precise manner<\/em> which he described? But why should they scourge him? or, if he must be scourged, why must he be put to death, and that<\/em> too the death of a slave? No other persons were scourged and crucified too: and the fact is, that Pilate ordered him to be scourged in order to prevent<\/em> his crucifixion: he hoped, that the Jews, when they saw how severely he had been scourged, would have been satisfied to let him go: and it was nothing but a most singular concurrence of most implacable enmity on their part, and most shameful cowardice on his, that produced the accomplishment of the whole prophecy. I ask then again, Could any impostor foresee such events? or rather, must not he who did foresee them be endued with a divine prescience, that proved him incontestably to have been sent from God?<\/p>\n

But supposing for argument sake that an impostor might guess at these things, and venture to predict them; would any impostor rest his pretensions on the accomplishment of such events as these? Though he might foretell many indignities to be offered him, would he predict his death, and so cruel a death as that of the cross, when he would thereby be precluded from reaping any benefit from his imposture, and be hurried into the eternal world to answer for his deceit at the tribunal of his God? Would any man in his senses act such a part as this? But if we could suppose it possible that a man should be so under the influence of vanity, as to sacrifice his present and eternal welfare for the purpose of leaving a name behind him, and being followed by survivors as a founder of a sect, would he be mad enough to give out, as our Lord did, that he would rise again the third day? Would he fix on a test which in so short a time should prove his imposture, and expose him to the scorn and derision of the whole world? They who can believe that any impostor would do this, have no cause to complain of any thing incredible in the sacred oracles; for all the difficulties that can be found in the whole scheme of Christianity, are nothing in comparison of this, no, not worthy of a thought.
Besides, our blessed Lord speaks of all these things as written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man; so that they<\/em> also, living at the distance of many hundred years from him, and from each other, must have been confederate with him, if he was an impostor: but, if this could not be, then does this circumstantial prediction of his sufferings and resurrection, accomplished as it was in every minute particular, prove beyond a doubt, that he was the true Messiah.]<\/p>\n

Let us now proceed to notice,<\/p>\n

II.<\/p>\n

The dulness of his Disciples in comprehending it<\/p>\n

Nothing could be plainer than his words: there are no figures, no metaphors, no parabolical expressions; all is clear, plain, literal, explicit. Whence then was it that the Disciples could not understand these things; that this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken? The truth is, they were blinded,<\/p>\n

1.<\/p>\n

By their prejudice<\/p>\n

[They had, in common with their nation at large, formed a notion that the Messiah was to be a temporal Prince, and not only to liberate them from the Roman yoke, but to establish an universal empire upon earth: and as the things which Jesus predicted were altogether irreconcileable with those ideas, they could not at all receive his word, or comprehend his meaning. He had often repeated the same truths to them: but still they could not understand him. Now it is owing to this cause that the Gospel is so little understood at this day. Men have formed pre-conceived notions of religion; and, because they do not find them confirmed by the sacred writers, they cannot receive even the plainest declarations of God himself. The current idea of religion is, that we are imperfect creatures, needing some amendment; yet, provided we are not grossly immoral, we have nothing to fear: if we are sober and honest, and just and charitable, and approve ourselves good members of society, God will readily pardon our little imperfections; and whatever is wanting to recommend us to his favour, Jesus Christ will supply. These are the views almost universally adopted, and the sentiments that are maintained, wherever religion is made the subject of conversation. Now when persons, possessed of these ideas, hear that we are altogether corrupt and abominable, and justly exposed to the curse and wrath of God for our innumerable violations of his law, they cannot tell what we mean: we appear to them to be misrepresenting and libelling human nature. When they hear that we must be created anew in Christ Jesus, and be renewed in the spirit of our minds, that old things must pass away, and all things must become new, and that except we be born again, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, they have no idea what it is that we mean; but without much inquiry they take for granted that these are some gloomy or extravagant notions of wild enthusiasts. When they hear that we must flee to Christ for refuge, just as the man who had accidentally slain a person fled to the city of refuge from the pursuer of blood; and that, if we do not actually get our souls washed in his blood, we must eternally perish; we seem to them to be alarming men without necessity, and to be discouraging the practice of good works. So also, when they hear that we are to devote ourselves altogether unto God, living not to ourselves but unto him, and walking in all things as Christ walked, we appear to them to be requiring a degree of sanctity that is not to be attained, and that is incompatible with the common offices of life. Their own notions are so deeply rooted in their minds, and they pay so little attention to any thing spoken in the Scriptures, that they cannot conceive how sentiments so different from those which they have imbibed, can possibly be true.
To counteract this fatal evil, I would earnestly entreat all to lay aside their pre-conceived notions, and to come to the sacred volume, not as critics to sit in judgment upon God, but as little children to be instructed by him: on opening that blessed book, we should lift up our hearts to God, and pray with David, Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.]<\/p>\n

2.<\/p>\n

By their worldliness<\/p>\n

[It is surprising to what an extent the love of this world yet predominated in the hearts of the Apostles. One would have supposed, that now at least for a few moments they should lose sight of their ambitious projects, and turn their minds to higher objects of pursuit: but not all that our Lord had said respecting his own sufferings, had in the least damped their expectations of worldly good: for St. Matthew tells us, that then came James and John, with their Mother Salome, uniting their requests, that these two might be the chief ministers in his kingdom: and the other ten Apostles, instead of pitying them for their folly, were filled with indignation against them, for endeavouring to secure posts of honour, which they were equally entitled to, and equally ambitious to attain [Note: Mat 20:19-21<\/span>; Mat 20:24<\/span>.]. Can we wonder that, in such a state of mind as this, they could not comprehend what our Lord spoke about his sufferings and death?<\/p>\n

Here again we see whence it is that men are so slow of heart to receive the self-denying truths of the Gospel. We call men to renounce the world, to come out from it, to be crucified to it, to consider themselves altogether as pilgrims and sojourners in it, and to have their conversation in heaven: but how can they comply with such exhortations as these? We tell them, that if they will be Christs disciples, they must deny themselves, and take up their cross and follow him: we tell them, that they must be conformed to him in sufferings, if ever they will be partakers with him in glory: but how can they endure such doctrines who are looking for wealth and honour and ease as the great sources of their happiness in life? How can they believe who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh of God only? We have a remarkable illustration of this truth in the conduct of the Pharisees: our Lord had told them that they could not serve God and Mammon: and immediately it is recorded of them, that being covetous<\/em>, they derided him [Note: Luk 16:14<\/span>.]. What! was there any thing absurd in our Lords declarations? No: but the Pharisees were reduced to the necessity of condemning either themselves or him: themselves they would not condemn, because they were determined not to renounce their covetous desires; and therefore they condemned him as a weak, foolish enthusiast. Thus it is with worldlings in every age and place. Not but that they see more than they are willing to confess; but that, being averse to receive the truth, God gives them over to their own delusions, till at last they believe their own lie [Note: 2Th 2:10-12<\/span>.].<\/p>\n

How then shall this evil be counteracted? Let us be aware that there is a bias within us, and that Satan makes use of our corruptions to blind our eyes and to harden our hearts. Let us beg of God to take the veil from our hearts, and so to irradiate our minds with divine knowledge, that we shall be constrained to receive the truth in the love thereof.]<\/p>\n

From hence arise two obvious and important questions:
1.<\/p>\n

What know I of Christ?<\/p>\n

[We have certainly in some respects the advantage of the Apostles during the time of Christs continuance on earth; because we have clearer light given us, and fewer prejudices to contend with. We therefore, as far as respects our speculative views of Christianity, are better instructed than they. But wherein do we differ from them in their practical<\/em> views? Are we not as blind to the spiritual nature of the Gospel as they? We see indeed that Christ has suffered; but do we see the necessity<\/em> of those sufferings for our<\/em> salvation, and the sufficiency<\/em> of them for the salvation of the whole world?<\/em> Or, if we do see these truths nationally<\/em>, do we view them as the life, the soul, the essence of all religion? Do we live upon them, and glory in them, from day to day? Before we can know them thus<\/em>, we must be taught of God: the Lord Jesus himself must open our understandings, as he did those of his Disciples: and the Holy Ghost must shine into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We must receive the Spirit which is of God, before we can know the things that are freely given to us of God [Note: 1Co 2:10-11<\/span>; 1Co 2:14<\/span><\/u> and 2Co 4:6<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n

2.<\/p>\n

What am I doing for Christ?<\/p>\n

[Surely, if he so willingly gave himself up to sufferings for me<\/em>, I am not afraid of sufferings for him;<\/em> I am ready to follow him without the camp, bearing his reproach. He has told me, that, if I will be faithful to him, the world will hate me as it hated him, and persecute me as it persecuted him. Do these predictions alarm me? and, when I see them fulfilled in others, do I study how I may avoid the accomplishment of them in my own case? Surely, if my heart were right with him, I should be willing to receive him on his own terms, and to follow him in his own way; and, if called to suffer for him, I should rejoice that I am counted worthy to do so. Is this then my spirit? and is it my one wish, desire, and labour, that Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by life or death? O! that we all might be able to appeal to God, that this is indeed our daily experience! Let us remember, that Christ not only died, but rose again<\/em>, according to his predictions; and then the shame of his cross was for ever rolled away. So shall it be with us; we may be persecuted for his sake even unto death; but in the resurrection, our crown of glory shall be proportionably bright: let us be contented therefore to suffer with him, that we may reign with him; and, in spite of men and devils, let us endeavour to glorify him here, that we may hereafter be glorified with him in a better world.]<\/p>\n<\/p>\n


<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

(31) Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. (32) For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully intreated, and spitted on: (33) And they shall scourge him, and put him to death; and the third day he shall rise again. (34) And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

I request the Reader to remark with me how graciously the Lord Jesus, by little and little, as they were able to bear it, prepared the minds of his disciples for the great events which were now coming on, and very shortly to be accomplished at Jerusalem. The Passover, which was now at hand, the Lord Jesus well knew would be his last. And I beg the Reader to observe yet further, how sweetly Jesus directed their minds to the study of those scriptures which referred to him on the subject, that when the great events foretold should be accomplished, they might the better be enabled to compare the prediction with the event. And let me add, that the Reader will do well to be occupied in the same. For this purpose, let him consult those scriptures to which in the prophets we may suppose Christ here referred, Isa 53<\/span> ; Psa 2<\/span> ; Psa 22<\/span> ; Psa 69<\/span> ; Isa 50<\/span> ; Dan 9:24-26<\/span> ; Zec 11:12-13<\/span> . These holy records will be truly blessed, when opened to us by God the Holy Ghost; if we take them with us in our hands, and feel their power in our hearts, when by and by we come on to that part of Luke’s Gospel, where we follow the Lord Jesus Christ from the garden to the hall of Pilate, until we take our stand at the foot of the cross. Oh! the preciousness of entering into an heartfelt participation of those momentous truths, when with the eye of faith we behold the Lord Jesus as Paul describes him, witnessing before Pontius Pilate a good confession. 1Ti 6:13<\/span> .<\/p>\n

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

31 Then he took unto him<\/em> the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ver. 31. See Mat 20:17<\/span> ; Mar 10:32<\/span> . <\/p>\n

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

31 34.<\/strong> ] FULLER DECLARATION OF HIS SUFFERINGS AND DEATH. Mat 20:17-19<\/span> . Mar 10:32-34<\/span> . The narrative of the journey now passes to the last section of it<\/em> , the going up to Jerusalem, properly so called; that which in Matt. and Mark forms the whole journey<\/em> . We know from Joh 11:54 that this journey took place from Ephraim, a city near the desert.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

31.<\/strong> ] The dative (commodi) <\/strong> belongs to <\/strong> as in E. V.: see Winer in reff.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31-34<\/span> . Third prediction of the Passion<\/em> (Mat 20:17-19<\/span> , Mar 10:32-34<\/span> ). Vide<\/em> notes on the account in Mk., which is exceptionally realistic.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31<\/span> . , shall be fulfilled. With this verb is to be connected . . (not with ). The sense is not “shall be fulfilled by the Son of Man”. So Bornemann ( Scholia<\/em> ), “a dei filio perficientur, i.e.<\/em> , satisfiet prophetarum vaticiniis a dei filio”. Nor is it necessary to insert before . . . . The meaning is: all things shall happen to<\/em> the Son of Man as written in the prophets. stands for , being used because of the prophetic reference (in Lk. only). So Pricaeus: “ hic esse quod Marc. Luk 11:23-24<\/span> , quod 1Co 4:5<\/span> , quod 1Pe 5:9<\/span> ”. In all these places the verb is followed by the dative.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk 18:31-34<\/p>\n

31Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, 33and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.” 34But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:31 “Then He took the twelve aside and said to them” This is another of the predictions of Jesus’ death (cf. Luk 9:22; Luk 9:44; Luk 17:25). There are allusions to Jesus’ death in Jerusalem mentioned in Luk 5:35; Luk 12:50; and Luk 13:32-33.<\/p>\n

“and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished” This refers to OT prophecies about the suffering, betrayal, death, and resurrection of the Messiah.(cf. Gen 3:15; Psalms 22; Psa 41:9; Psalms 118; Isaiah 53; Zec 9:9; Zec 11:12-13). For “Son of Man” see Special Topic at Luk 17:22.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:32 This prophecy is fulfilled in Luk 22:63; Luk 22:65; Luk 23:11.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:33 “the third day” In Jewish reckoning of time any part of a day was counted as a full day. Jesus died before 6 p.m. on Friday, therefore, that was one day. He was in the grave all of the Sabbath; that was day two. He arose sometime before sunrise on Sunday (remember Jews start their day at 6 p.m. ); that was day three.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:34 Notice the three parallel phrases. It is so encouraging to me to know the disciples also did not fully understand Jesus’ teachings and their meanings even though they lived with Him and saw His miracles (cf. Luk 2:50; Luk 9:45; Luk 18:34).<\/p>\n

“the meaning of this statement was hidden from them” This is a periphrastic perfect passive. Many of Jesus’ teachings did not make sense to the Apostles until after the resurrection (cf. Joh 12:16) and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost (cf. Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26; Joh 16:13-15). They could not yet see the fullness of the gospel message because it was so different from what they had been taught and were expecting.<\/p>\n

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Then, &c. For verses: Luk 18:31-34, compare Mat 20:17-19, and Mar 10:32-34. The fourth announcement of His rejection (see the Structure G A, p. 1461), containing additional particulars. <\/p>\n

Then = And. No note of time. <\/p>\n

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos (App-6). Same word as “Lo”, Luk 18:28. <\/p>\n

are written = have been and stand written. <\/p>\n

by = by means of, or through. Greek. dia. App-104. Luk 18:1. <\/p>\n

concerning = for: i.e. for Him to accomplish. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

31-34.] FULLER DECLARATION OF HIS SUFFERINGS AND DEATH. Mat 20:17-19. Mar 10:32-34. The narrative of the journey now passes to the last section of it,-the going up to Jerusalem, properly so called; that which in Matt. and Mark forms the whole journey. We know from Joh 11:54 that this journey took place from Ephraim, a city near the desert.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31-34. Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall he accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spirited on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.<\/p>\n

It would be hard to imagine our Lord speaking more plainly. He tells them of his sufferings in detail describes exactly what happened. But their thoughts did not run that way; and when you are not expecting a thing, it little matters how very plainly you may be told of it. You are doating upon something else, and, therefore, you do not readily perceive the meaning. You know how; when you are expecting to hear a thing said, you can hear it even at a great distance, or think you hear it, from the very motion of the mans lips. But if he should say something clean contrary to what you expect, then you do not so readily hear. And these disciples of our Lord were looking to see him made a king, and they could not comprehend that the only crown he was to have would be one of thorns, and that the homage paid to him would be to be scourged and to be spat upon. They did not understand. And do not you think that the run of our thoughts sometimes may be so contrary to divine truth that we may not be able to understand some very plain things in the Bible, which are only difficult to us because our thoughts are not yet running that way? And when one day we shall be more completely cleansed from the grossness of this world, many a riddle will become plain enough to us.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:35-39. And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace; but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.<\/p>\n

Only to think that there should be some who think that when results are to be seen they can ever be regarded as hindrances. For is it not a result of ministry a result of Jesus passing by that men cry out, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me? And yet, when the wave-sheaf is before them, they seem to put it aside as though it were an impediment in the Saviours way. Let him go on sowing. Well, but, sir, it will not hinder him to let him also reap a little, for evidently there has been good seed shown in this heart, and here is the outcome of it, for the man is crying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. We do not get our sermons interrupted in this way, but what a mercy it will be when they are! And I suppose that in some better times when Gods Spirit more mightily blesses the word, we shall bare to stop in our sermons every now and then to deal with anxious souls, or get them to step aside where those that are skillful in heavens surgery may bind up their wounds. They will be crying ever and anon, Sirs, what must we do to be saved? Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:40-41. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? <\/p>\n

If Christ were to come near to every unconverted person here, and say to him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? do you know what it is you want? No. The unhappy circumstance is that the mass of mankind do not know what mercy they should ask for, even if they believed that they had only to ask and have. But, dear friend, you want deliverance from the power of sin. You want a new heart and a right spirit. You want to give up the sins you love, and to follow after the virtues which now you despise. May God give you grace to know that you want this. But this blind man knew what he wanted.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:41-43. And he said, Lord that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith have saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31. , having taken to Him) in private: Mat 20:17.- , all things that are written) Jesus made of the utmost consequence those things which had been written. The Word of God, which is in Scripture, is the rule of all the things which shall come to pass, even of the things which shall come to pass in the life eternal.-) The Dative expresses the force of prefixed, i.e. as concerns the Son of man: and there is included the notion of the Dativus commodi. See the end of Luk 18:33.[203]<\/p>\n

[203] He shall rise again. This was written for the Son of man-for His glory.-E. and T.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31-34<\/p>\n

30. FORETELLING HIS DEATH AGAIN<\/p>\n

Luk 18:31-34<\/p>\n

31 And he took unto him the twelve,-Matthew and Mark record Jesus’ prediction of his sufferings and death repeatedly; the first instance we have is in the regions of Caesarea Philippi (Mat 16:13-21), and then again while they abode in Galilee (Mat 17:22-23). Matthew and Mark give records of this prediction. (Mat 20:17-19; Mar 10:32-34.) Jesus and his disciples were still in Perea on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus said: “We go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets shall he accompoished unto the Son of man.” It seems that Jesus took the “twelve” apart from the other followers. We should note that Jesus said “We go up to Jerusalem.” Jerusalem is about four thousand feet higher than the Jordan valley. (Psa 122:3-4.) The prophets had testified beforehand of the crucifixion of Jesus. (Read Isaiah 53.) Everything that was spoken by the prophets must be fulfilled in Jesus.<\/p>\n

32, 33 For he shall be delivered up unto the Gentiles,-Jesus, by the treachery of Judas and by the Sanhedrin, should be delivered to the Gentiles. “Gentiles,” the Greek word, here means “nations”; that is, “all nations” except the Jews, hence it is equivalent to our use of the word “heathen.” In particular it refers here to the Romans, to Pilate, and to the Roman soldiers. He should “he mocked and shamefully treated, and spit upon.” The Romans, who bore rule in Judea, executed Jesus; he was delivered by the Jews into the hands of the Romans. The Jews would have executed him if they could have done so; their mode of punishment to death was stoning, while the Roman mode of execution was crucifixion. Jesus knew that they would mock him, treat him with insolence, and spit upon him; this was considered the grossest insult. They would “scourge and kill him.” After whipping him and punishing him severely, they would put him to death. “Scourging” usually preceded crucifixion. On “the third day he shall rise again.” On the third day after his death he would he raised from the dead.<\/p>\n

34 And they understood none of these things;-It seems strange that his disciples would not understand him. His language is plain and simple; it is not adorned with figures of speech; yet they fail to understand him. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus did not fit into their scheme of the establishment of his kingdom; they would not understand that which did not fit into their conception. It may be that they did not attempt to understand him; they did not desire to understand him here. Under such circumstances we are slow to understand that which we do not want to understand. It seems that they received the facts into their minds, but did not understand them.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

the Reward of Faith <\/p>\n

Luk 18:31-43<\/p>\n

Our Lord knew what was awaiting Him. He laid down His life of Himself. But all the significance of His life and death was concealed from the Apostles and others. Their eyes were blinded, till the glory of the Resurrection morning had dawned and the day of Pentecost had fully come.<\/p>\n

Our Lords mind must have been filled with the anticipation of the momentous issues to be decided; but He was sufficiently at leisure from Himself to hear the cry of distress from this blind beggar. How absolutely He placed Himself at the disposal of those who needed His help! Human need and sorrow always commanded Him. Each comer was able to draw all the grace he required, according to the measure of the bucket of his faith when let down into that infinite well. There is no reason why each of us should not be made whole and follow Christ, glorifying Him. But we are blind!<\/p>\n

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Christ’s Answer To Faith’s Plea — Luk 18:31-43<\/p>\n

Then He took unto Him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge Him, and put Him to death: and the third day He shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. And it came to pass, that as He was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him: and when he was come near, He asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God- Luk 18:31-43.<\/p>\n

This portion divides into two parts: Luk 18:31-34 stand together, and Luk 18:35-43 go together. In the first section we read that Jesus and the disciples turned their faces toward Jerusalem. This was for the last time. Our Saviour had visited Jerusalem on other occasions- though after leaving Nazareth He made His earthly-home in Capernaum of Galilee–but now He was going to Jerusalem in order to fulfil the purpose for which He came from the Fathers glory into this poor world: He was going to Jerusalem to lay down His life as a sacrifice for sin. He understood perfectly what would happen. People have often spoken as though our Lord was overtaken by surprise, as though He had ventured too much in going to Jerusalem where so many were opposed to Him, and that He might have lived longer and accomplished more if He had been more cautious and remained in Galilee where many were learning to know and love Him, but this is contrary to the Word of God. Such reasoning makes manifest how people misunderstand the mystery of His Person. He came from heaven to give His life a ransom for many, but until the set time appointed of the Father when that great sacrifice was to be made, He could not die. No man could take His life from Him. But when the hour to which all eternity past had been looking forward, and to which all eternity future will ever be looking backward- when that hour came, then He laid down His own life. So with full knowledge of what was before Him, He said to His disciples, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. Notice that everything that had been declared of Him before by inspired men was now about to be fulfilled. All Scripture is God breathed. There is no word in it that is void of power. And so our Lord told His disciples that everything the prophets had written was about to be fulfilled: that is, everything in connection with His first coming. The Son of Man was going to Jerusalem that He might die for the sin of the world.<\/p>\n

Every prophecy that had reference to His first coming was fulfilled literally while He was here on earth, or when He hung upon the cross. Because of that we may be very sure that every scripture that has to do with His second coming-that glorious advent which many feel is to take place very soon-will be fulfilled just as definitely. Patrick Henry said to the Assembly of Virginia, I have no way of judging the future but by the past. So we too have no way of judging the future but by the past. Judging by the past we see that everything that had to do with the first advent was literally fulfilled; therefore, everything that has been predicted concerning the second advent will be fulfilled in the same way. Many attempt to spiritualize the prophecies and try to apply promises to the Church of God that refer primarily to Israel and to the land of Palestine. All will be fulfilled as written, for so it has been throughout the past centuries. The Lord Jesus told His disciples that He would be delivered unto the Gentiles, and He was; that He would be mocked, and He was; that He would be spitefully entreated, and He was; that He would be spat upon, and, yes, He was. The holy Son of God, they spat in His lovely face, and they mistreated Him in every way that the satanic influence could suggest; yet He gave His life as a ransom for their sins. He saw it all as though it had already been accomplished, but He went on unflinchingly to accomplish the work of redemption. He looked beyond the cross and told His disciples that on the third day He would rise again. One would suppose that those listening to Him as He spoke these words would have understood exactly what He was talking about; but the disciples were expecting Him to go down to Jerusalem and declare Himself the promised King, overthrowing at once the Roman power, and restoring Israel to the first and preeminent place among the nations of the earth. They were so obsessed with these ideas that they could not understand even the plainest words concerning His rejection, His crucifixion, and His coming resurrection. We read that they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. It is significant enough that after these words were fulfilled concerning His rejection and death, His enemies remembered what His disciples had forgotten, for we read that they came to Pilate and said, We remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, after three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead. And Pilate said, Ye have a watch: go your way, and make it as sure as ye can. And so they went and made it as sure as they could; but they could not overthrow the purpose of God. When the third day dawned Jesus rose in triumph from the grave. But His disciples had not understood; their minds were blinded. They were so occupied with the idea of His setting up immediately His kingdom and with the restoration of Israel, that they could not comprehend what His words really meant.<\/p>\n

In the second section we have the story of blind Bartimaeus. In it we see the wonderful way in which God responds to faith. Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re-warder of them that diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6). Here we have a beautiful picture, historically exact, but a lovely picture nevertheless, of the reward of faith. On His way to Jerusalem, going down through Perea, on the eastern side of the Jordan, our Lord made His way across the ford, into the land of Judaea. As He was drawing near to the city of Jericho (not the Jericho of Joshuas day; that was destroyed, but another Jericho that had grown up near the site of that ancient city), we are told, A certain blind man sat by the way side begging. Matthews Gospel tells us there were two blind men, and that Jesus healed them both. Those who like to find fault with the Bible and try to discredit the truth of its inspiration, point to these two different accounts and say, Can both be inspired? One writer says there are two blind men, and another says there is only one. But notice that Luke does not say there was only one; he does not say there was no other. Matthew went farther than Luke and said there were two, and he was correct. But Luke fastens our attention on the one man who had the greater faith. There may have been a measure of faith in the other man, but that of Bartimaeus was outstanding. There is no contradiction here; it is simply that Matthew gives added information which the Holy Spirit was pleased to withhold when Luke wrote his account. Every incident in the four Gospels where there seem at times to be discrepancies could be easily explained if only we knew more of the facts. Gods Word is perfect; it is our understanding that is limited. Here we are told, And it came to pass, that as He was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. What a picture of hopelessness and distress. I suppose this man had been without sight for many years, and there was no one to care for him, and so he earned a precarious living by begging, sitting day by day on the side of the highway leading to Jericho, in order to receive gifts from the passing multitude. Those who have visited Palestine, as some .of us have, find it easy to visualize that sight. One will see the same thing today: there are sick people, those who are blind and maimed, sitting along the highway, crying, Backsheesh! Backsheesh! It seemed to me we heard that word more than any other all the time we were in Palestine. It means a gift! a gift! Sometimes there will be thirty or forty crying, Backsheesh. Ones heart aches as he gazes upon them and realizes how miserable and wretched many of them are. So there was this blind man, Bartimseus. And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Oh, what a message that was! Jesus of Nazareth passeth by! Jesus, the Friend of sinners; the One whose voice has power; the One who had healed the lepers, and who, on many other occasions, had opened the eyes of the blind. Bartimaeus had heard that name. He said in his heart, He is the One who can do something for me! Bartimaeus felt his need. The trouble with many today is that they do not feel their need; they are contented and self-satisfied just as they are. They have no sense of their true condition before God. Bartimaeus felt his need: he had suffered for years. He was in earnest as he cried, saying, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. He expressed himself intelligently. He recognized the fact that Jesus was truly the promised Messiah of Israel. That is what was involved in using the expression, Thou Son of David. For many centuries the people had waited for the coming of the promised Son of David, who was to bring everlasting blessing to them, and Bartimaeus had heard enough about Jesus to be convinced in his own soul that He was the promised One. That is real faith based on the Word of God. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. The more they tried to quiet him, the more he cried, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. There are some people who think it is a terrible thing when folk become a little effervescent about religion. They do not like emotion in religion, but they get excited about everything else. They go to a ball-game, and yell themselves hoarse as they watch someone chasing after a little globe as though it were the most wonderful thing in the world; but when they go to a gospel meeting and find people who are anxious about their souls, they say, Oh, there is too much excitement about this! If one is out of Christ and he becomes excited about his soul, it is something worth getting excited about. Many are like the sluggard in the Book of Proverbs (Pro 6:10), who cried, Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. A little more sleep and many will awake in hell to sleep no more! It is time to waken and become excited, as this man Bartimseus was. You have a soul to be saved; you have a soul to be lost if it is not saved, and you should be in earnest about your salvation. Bartimaeus would not be put to one side; he must reach Jesus, and so he continued crying. And no one ever cried to Him in vain: Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom 10:13). You lift up your heart to Him; you cry out, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me! and He will hear. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him: and when he was come near, He asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? This is a question that He is asking today. Do you want something from Him? Be .definite about it. If you are unsaved, look up to Him as He asks this question and say, Lord, I would that Thou wilt save my soul, that Thou wilt give me eternal life, and the assurance that I have peace with God. He is waiting to grant your request. If you are in any trouble or distress, He is ready to give you peace and to hear your supplication. But be sure you ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed (Jam 1:5). Bartimseus had genuine faith. He had a real need and he wanted that need met. And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. That was Gods answer to faiths plea. Thy faith hath saved thee! The Lord discerned the faith that was in the heart of this man. And so Bartimseus was not only healed, but he was also saved. Christ will do the same for you if you will come to Him as Bartimaeus did, in simple faith and put in your plea.<\/p>\n

He received the answer, and we read, And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. When we are saved, when we ourselves have received spiritual sight, when we have been delivered, we are interested in Christ; we want to follow Him and to be in His presence; we want to keep company with Him; we enjoy fellowship with Him, and the heart goes out in worship, praise and thanksgiving. So we read that Bartimaeus glorified God. He was not like many who receive Gods good gifts and never think to lift their hearts to Him in a word of acknowledgement. This mans deliverance was a testimony to the multitude when they saw him giving praise unto God, and thus witnessing for the Lord Jesus. You who have had your eyes opened, you who can say, One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see, do you seek to witness for Him that others too may be attracted to Christ and led to trust and praise Him?<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Son of man <\/p>\n

(See Scofield “Mat 8:20”). <\/p>\n

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Behold: Luk 9:22, Luk 24:6, Luk 24:7, Mat 16:21, Mat 17:22, Mat 17:23, Mat 20:17-19, Mar 8:31, Mar 8:9, Mar 8:30, Mar 8:31, Mar 10:32-34 <\/p>\n

and: Luk 24:44-46, Psa 22:1-31, Psa 69:1-36, Isa 53:1-12, Dan 9:26, Zec 13:7 <\/p>\n

Reciprocal: Mar 1:2 – written Mar 9:31 – The Son Mar 10:33 – and the Son Luk 9:44 – for Luk 17:25 – must Luk 19:28 – he went Luk 22:37 – this Joh 3:14 – even Joh 6:45 – written Joh 18:4 – knowing Joh 19:28 – Jesus Act 4:27 – Pontius Pilate Act 13:29 – when Act 20:22 – not Act 26:23 – Christ Rom 1:4 – according 2Co 3:14 – which veil<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

THE CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE TOWARDS SUFFERING<\/p>\n

Then He took unto Him the twelve and they understood none of these things.<\/p>\n

Luk 18:31-34<\/p>\n

To us the point that is astonishing about that is, no doubt, the want of understanding on the part of the Apostles. But does it not represent, in point of fact, a broad feature of Christian experiencenamely this, that spiritual truths cannot be grasped by people, however clearly and definitely they are presented to them, unless they have at that time those faculties, those conditions prevailing in their own life and soul, which enable them to assimilate the truth that is put before them? What was there lacking in the condition of the Apostles at this point? It was not mere dullness, nor was it lack of sympathy, but something else. And as we look forward, it occurs to us at once that these very truths and this very simple section of creed, so to speak, which our Lord puts so succinctly before them, and they refused, was precisely the dogmatic point which they had reached a few weeks later, when St. Peter stood up, at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles. It was precisely these things that he had then, with full conviction, and full grasp, to proclaim. A few weeks made the whole difference. What had taken place in the interval to give him this new power to grasp the spiritual truth which at this moment they had entirely failed to grasp? Well, the events are well enough known to us, and there is one thing that stands out plainly in that record of the fortnight, and which may be summed up in the one word suffering.<\/p>\n

Let me state the four stages in which a man goes through a progressive education in this very matter of suffering, so that you will see that as a man grows in the knowledge of suffering, he grows also in the power to apprehend and grasp spiritual truths.<\/p>\n

I. Ignorance of suffering.First in life comes what I may call the stage of ignorance of suffering, the stage of innocence of suffering, that untroubled serenity of the life which has as yet not been brought in contact with trouble, or sorrow, or loss, or any of those things which rend the heart of man. There, then, is the first stage, but for the most part we do not stay long in it. Lives are rare which go on for a considerable course in this untroubled serenity.<\/p>\n

II. Rebellion against suffering.Trouble comes quickly, and then begins the difficulty. When it comes, what is our instinctive attitude of mind towards it? I think I may say that it is an instinctive rebellion against it, either for myself or those whom I love. The instinctive attitude of men is rebellion against suffering, trouble, sorrow, against all the different forms of pain and anguish which disfigure the world. We are inclined to say in our homely language, It is a shame. And even that phrase has something about it of rebellion against suffering.<\/p>\n

III. Trust in suffering.The Apostles had passed on from that second stage and come to a third. They had come to a stage of trust. They could look at it, they could listen to what He said. They could not understand, but at least they said nothing; they trusted. This trust is not yet capable of grasping hard lessons, but wait, wait, it is on the way to something better. And so the endurance of sorrow leads men to understand sorrow, and understanding suffering to understand more spiritual things, linked together as they are with the great supreme fact of suffering.<\/p>\n

IV. Wisdom from suffering.By the right endurance of suffering, man becomes intelligent, spiritual, capable of grasping things, not only of grasping them for himself, not only of seeing the meaning for himself of the mysterious dealings of God with him which we call suffering, but of seeing all that for the sake of other people, and of feeling able not merely to bear his own but to help others also to bear theirs, not mutely, like the dog, but intelligently, like a man who feels Gods hand upon him, and is able to say, not in blind trust, but in full conviction, It is good for me that I have been troubled. He reaches the stage then of wisdom, when he really knows what suffering means and has had a whole faculty given him of spiritual understanding.<\/p>\n

V. What are the results?There are two of great importance. Having come to the knowledge of the meaning of suffering,<\/p>\n

(a) Man has a reasonable theory of the world and of Gods relation towards him.<\/p>\n

(b) Man will seek out suffering for its redemptive and educative qualities. So far from not understanding it himself, he will wish to expound it to others. And that practical attitude towards suffering ought to be at the bottom of the methods of all Christian life.<\/p>\n

Rev. W. H. Frere.<\/p>\n

Illustration<\/p>\n

Have you ever, I wonder, had to do something to a pet dog which hurt it very much, so as to get it well: to pull a thorn out of its foot, or wash out a wound, or something of that sort? You may remember the sort of dumb eloquence there was in the eye of the dog as he looked at you. It hurt tremendously, and yet there seemed to speak from his eyes trust of you. It looked as if he meant to say, I do not in the least understand what you are doing, but go on. And that is the picture of the stage of trust. It is a very necessary stage, into which we have to be brought in our experience of suffering; perhaps when we are more acutely torn by it, in the case of those whom we love, we have to look mutely up to God and say to Him, I do not understand it at all, but go on. It is a real state of trust in God, and a step towards something further.<\/p>\n

(SECOND OUTLINE)<\/p>\n

THE FUTURE<\/p>\n

I. Christs contemplation of His future.Our future is wisely and mercifully hidden from us; Christs ever lay open before Him. He had a veritable book of fate in the prophets and his own clear consciousness and knowledge.<\/p>\n

(a) There was terrible suffering in it. But He was ready to endure the Cross and despise the shame. Take up the cross and follow Me, He says to us.<\/p>\n

(b) There was satisfaction in it. What rest and satisfaction in that word accomplished! If we feel that our life is, in some degree at least, accomplished, the sufferings will have been a small price to pay for the rest and gratitude at the close.<\/p>\n

(c) There was triumph in it. He was to rise again and conquer, and heavens everlasting doors were to open that the King of Glory might enter. Let us think of the well done, the crown and the palm, when we would shrink from suffering in the path of duty, or are like to faint by the way.<\/p>\n

II. Christs going to Jerusalem to meet His future.This was His last and tragic, yet triumphant journey thither. Let our last days be our best. As we approach Jerusalem, let our lives be more earnest, hopeful, Christlike.<\/p>\n

III. Christs telling His disciples of the future that lay before Him.Their future was bound up with His. Christ makes revelations to His followers as they are able to bear them. The very knowledge that would destroy our confidence at one stage increases our faith at another. Let us thank God for the veil, and for the partial and timely lifting of the veil.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

1<\/p>\n

The prophetic writings referred to are in Psalms 22 and Isaiah 53.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. <\/p>\n

[He took unto him the twelve.] This falls in with that of Joh 11:7; “Let us go into Judea.” What! say they, into Judea again, where thou wast lately in so much danger? However, he comes out and goes on, his disciples following him wondering, and fearing the effects of it, Mar 10:32. He mentioned only at present his journey into Judea, to see Lazarus: but, as they were going, he foretells his progress to Jerusalem, and what was to be done with him there. It is probable he was at Bethabarah when the message came to him that Lazarus was sick; and from thence, his way lying conveniently over the Scythopolitan bridge, and so through part of Samaria, he chooseth the transjordanine way to the fords of Jericho.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

REJECTION<\/p>\n

At this point we enter the period of Christs formal rejection by His nation with which we have been made acquainted in the other synoptics, and hence we pass on to that which is peculiar to Luke, the conversion of Zaccheus (Luk 19:1-10) Jesus never declined an invitation to hospitality, but this is the first instance in which He ever invited himself (Luk 19:5). Murmured at for lodging with a winner, He justified the act (Luk 19:9-10) and then spake the parable of the pounds (Luk 19:11-17) to dispel the mistaken supposition that the Kingdom of God would immediately appear.<\/p>\n

In this parable Christ is the nobleman. The pound represents the opportunity for service given each of His disciples, and on that disciples use of it will be determined his place in the Kingdom, which the nobleman returns to set it up. This parable differs from that of the talents (Mat 25:14-30), though the two resemble each other. This speaks of opportunity, that of ability; and yet they agree in this, that the character of the service in the age to come will be that of ruling. But notice the reference to the citizens as distinguished from the servants. When Christ went away these two classes were left on the earth, and when He comes back the same two classes will meet Him, friends and enemies. Hence there can be no millennium before He comes. Notice also where this parable was spoken Jericho. There is still to be seen there a palace of Archelaus, who had gone to Rome to get Kingly power confirmed upon him. His citizens did send after him to frustrate his object, but he returned to reign in spite of all their efforts to influence Caesar against Him. As their attempt failed in the one case, so will it in the other. <\/p>\n

The triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luk 19:28-48) we pass over as sufficiently treated in Matthew 21, dwelling a moment however, on verses 41-44 which are original with Luke. Compare here Luk 13:34-35. Christs was the only sad heart in that rejoicing multitude, and sad not for Himself but the city that was soon to finally reject Him. <\/p>\n

QUESTIONS <\/p>\n

1. What three things in this lesson are original with Luke? <\/p>\n

2. Why was the parable of the pounds spoken? <\/p>\n

3. How does this parable differ from the talents? <\/p>\n

4. Wherein do they agree? <\/p>\n

5. What rendered the speaking of this parable in Jericho especially fitting and appropriate? <\/p>\n

Fuente: James Gray’s Concise Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

We find our blessed Saviour very frequently acquainting his disciples with his approaching sufferings, to prevent the offence that they might take at them, when the providence of God brought them on: this design was to arm them with expectation of his sufferings; and to quicken them to preparation for their own; yet, it is here said, That the disciples understood none of these sayings: Why so? Were not the words easy enough to be understood? Yes, but they could not reconcile them to the notion of the Messiah which they had drank in: they concluded he should be a temporal prince, and subdue their temporal enemies: but could not conceive how he, that should redeem Israel, should die, and be thus barbarously used. We have great need to consider will what notions we have concerning the things of God, before we entertain them; for false notions once taken up, are not without great difficulty laid down. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31-34. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, &c. See notes on Mat 22:17-19; Mar 10:32-34. They understood none of these things They could not but understand the literal meaning of what our Lord said. But as they could not reconcile this to their preconceived opinion of the Messiahs kingdom, they were utterly at a loss in what parabolical, or figurative sense to take what he said concerning his sufferings; having their thoughts still taken up with the temporal kingdom.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

6. The Third Announcement of the Passion: Luk 18:31-34.<\/p>\n

Vers. 31-34. Twice already Jesus had announced to His disciples His approaching sufferings (Luk 9:18 et seq., 43 et seq.); yet, as proved by the request of the two sons of Zebedee (Mat 20:20; Mar 10:35), their hopes constantly turned towards an earthly kingdom. In renewing the announcement of His Passion, Jesus labours to abate the offence which this event will occasion, and even to convert it into a support for their faith, when at a later date they shall compare this catastrophe with the sayings by which He prepared them for it (Joh 13:19). Mark prefaces this third announcement by a remarkable introduction (Luk 10:32). Jesus walks before them on the road; they follow, astonished and alarmed. This picture reminds us of the expression, He set His face stedfastly (Luk 9:51), as well as of the sayings of the disciples and of Thomas (Joh 11:8; Joh 11:16). What substantial harmony under this diversity of form! In general, Luke does not quote prophecies; he does so here once for all, and, as it were, in the mass. The dative may be made dependent on , written for the Son of man, as the sketch of His course; or , shall be accomplished in respect to the Son of man, in His person. The first construction is simpler. The form of the fut. passive used by Luke denotes passive abandonment to suffering more forcibly than the active futures used by Matthew and Mark. The kind of death is not indicated in Luke and Mark so positively as in Matthew (); nevertheless the details in this third announcement are more precise and more dramatic than in the preceding. See at Luk 9:45. On Luk 18:34 Riggenbach justly observes: Toward everything which is contrary to natural desire, there is produced in the heart a blindness which nothing but a miracle can heal. <\/p>\n

As Luk 18:34 has no parallel in the other two Syn., Holtzmann thinks that Luke makes this reflection a substitute for the account of the request preferred by Zebedee’s sons, which is found here in the narratives of Matthew and Mark. But does not a perfectly similar reflection occur in the sequel of the second announcement of the Passion (Luk 9:45), where no such intention is admissible? It is difficult for those who regard Luke’s Gospel as systematically hostile to the Twelve, to explain the omission of a fact so unfavourable to two of the leading apostles. Volkmar (Die Evangel. p. 501) has found the solution: Luke wishes to avoid offending the Judeo-Christian party, which he desires to gain over to Paulinism! So, artful in what he says, more artful in his silence,such is Luke in the estimate of this school of criticism! <\/p>\n

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

CI. <\/p>\n

FORETELLING HIS PASSION. REBUKING AMBITION. <\/p>\n

(Pera, or Juda, near the Jordan.) <\/p>\n

aMATT. XX. 17-28; bMARK X. 32-45; cLUKE XVIII. 31-34. <\/p>\n

b32 And they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem [Dean Mansel sees in these words an evidence that Jesus had just crossed the Jordan and was beginning the actual ascent up to Jerusalem. If so, he was in Juda. But such a construction strains the language. Jesus had been going up to Jerusalem ever since he started in Galilee, and he may now have still be in Pera. The parable of the vineyard which [553] closed the preceding section was likely to have been spoken before he crossed the Jordan, for Pera abounded in vineyards]; and Jesus was going before them: and they were amazed; and they that followed were afraid. [When Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem, his disciples dropped behind and hung back. The outer circle of his disciples knew enough not to be fearful of the consequences, and the inner circle, fully acquainted with the dangers, were amazed that he should dare to go thither. A short while before this they had despaired of his life when he had proposed to go even into Juda ( Joh 11:7-16), and his going at that time had not bettered the situation, but had, on the contrary, greatly increased the enmity and danger ( Joh 11:47-57). Notwithstanding all this, Jesus was now on his way to Jerusalem itself, and was speaking no reassuring word as he formerly had done– Joh 11:9, Joh 11:10.] a17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took bagain cunto him athe twelve disciples apart [He separated them from the throng of pilgrims on the way to the Passover, and from the outer circle of the disciples, for it was not expedient that these should hear what he was about to reveal concerning his death. Such a revelation might have spurred his Galilan friends to resist his arrest, and might have resulted in riot and bloodshed], band began to tell them the things that were to happen unto him, aand on the way he said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and bthe ascribes; and they shall condemn him to death, 19 and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify: b34 and they shall mock him, and shall spit upon, and shall scourge him, and shall kill him; and three days he shall rise again. {aand the third day he shall be raised up.} cand all the things that are written through the prophets shall be accomplished unto the Son of man. 32 For he shall be delivered up unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shamefully treated, and spit upon: 33 and they shall scourge and kill him: [554] and the third day he shall rise again. [This was the third and by far the clearest and most circumstantial prophecy concerning his death. For the other two see Mat 26:66) and forced Pilate to confirm the sentence ( Luk 23:24). Since the evangelists honestly record an actual prediction, we may well pause to note how remarkable it is in that it gives seven details as follows: 1. Delivery or betrayal by Judas. 2. Condemnation. 3. Delivery to the Gentiles. 4. Mocking and the manner of it. 5. Scourging. 6. Death by crucifixion. 7. Resurrection on the third day. The announcement of these sufferings was made for the purpose of checking any materialistic hopes which the apostles might entertain as to the glories, honors, and offices of the Messianic reign. That such hopes were present is shown by the ambitious request which immediately follows. Moreover, to prepare them that they might not be crushed either by the announcement or the accomplishment of his death he gives them the clear promise of his resurrection.] 34 And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, and they perceived not the things that were said. [So fixed and ineradicable was their false conception of the Messianic reign that they could not believe that what Jesus said could be literally true ( Mat 16:22). Only later did the full significance of his saying dawn upon them– Joh_16-14:26.] b35 And there a20 Then came {bcome} near unto him athe mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, bJames and John, aworshipping him, [giving him homage as a coming ruler, not worshiping him as a divine being], and asking a certain thing of him. bsaying unto him, Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. [Zebedee’s wife was named was Salome. See note on 1Ki 2:19, 1Ki 2:20. They asked [555] through their mother, thinking that Jesus would be more likely to favor her than themselves.] a21 And he said unto her, {bthem,} aWhat wouldest thou? bWhat would ye that I should do for you? [Though Jesus knew what they wished, he required them to state it plainly and specifically, that their self-seeking might be clearly exposed and properly rebuked.] aShe saith unto him, Command that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and on on thy left hand, in thy kingdom. b37 And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory. [In the previous section Jesus had spoken about the thrones to be occupied by the apostles. The sons of Zebedee, presuming on their high standing among the apostles, and their near relationship to Jesus, were emboldened to ask for special seats of honor among the promised thrones–the seats to the right and left of the sovereign being next to his in dignity and consideration; thus Josephus represents Saul as seated with Jonathan on his right hand and Abner on his left. The terms “kingdom” and “glory” are here used synonymously. Despite the fact that Jesus was now telling them plainly of his death, these apostles could not rid their minds of the delusion that he was about to ascend the earthly throne of David.] a22 But Jesus answered and said, bunto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I drink? {athat I am about to drink?} bor to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? [The word “cup” among the Hebrews meant a portion assigned ( Psa 16:5, Psa 23:5), whether of pleasure or of sorrow. But the idea of sorrow usually predominated ( Mat 26:39, Mat 26:42, Rev 14:10, Rev 16:19, Rev 18:6, Psa 75:8, Isa 51:17, Jer 25:15). To be baptized with suffering means to be overwhelmed with it, a metaphorical use of the word arising from the fact that it means an immersion. This metaphorical use of baptism aids us to understand the meaning of that word, for neither sprinkling nor pouring could have suggested the overpowering force which the metaphor implies. Alford distinguishes [556] between cup and baptism, making the former refer to inward spiritual suffering, and the latter to outer persecution and trial.] 39 And they said {asay} unto him, We are able. bAnd Jesus said {asaith} unto them, My {bThe} cup that I drink aindeed ye shall drink: band with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized [They probably thought that Jesus referred to some battle or conflict which would attend the ushering in of the kingdom, and as they were not wanting in physical courage, they were ready enough to pledge themselves to endure it. They spoke with unwarranted self-confidence, but Jesus rebuked them very gently, as he foreknew what suffering they would indeed endure. James was the first apostolic martyr ( Act 12:2), and John’s spirit was sorely troubled with the conflict of error, as his epistles show, and his last days were darkened by the shadow of persecution– Rev 1:9]: 40 but to sit on my right hand or {aand} on my left hand, is not mine to give; bbut it is for them for whom it hath been prepared. aof my Father. [Future rewards are indeed meted out by the hand of Christ ( 2Ti 4:8, Rev 2:10, Rev 2:17, Rev 2:26, Rev 2:28, Rev 3:12, Rev 3:21, et al.), but they are not distributed according to caprice or favoritism, but according to the will of the Father and the rules which he has established. Jesus proceeds to set forth the principles by which places of honor are obtained in his kingdom.] 24 And when the ten heard it, they were {bbegan to be} amoved with indignation concerning the two brethren. bJames and John 42 And {abut} Jesus called them unto him, and said {bsaith} unto them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over {athe rulers of} the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 26 Not so shall it be {b43 But it is not so} among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister; 44 and whosoever would be first among you, ashall be your servant: bshall be servant of all. [The ten, sharing the same ambition as the two, jealously resented their efforts to take unfair advantage of [557] the Lord’s known affection for them. To restore peace among them, and to correct their false views, he draws the distinction between the worldly greatness to which they aspired, and the spiritual greatness which they ought to have sought. In an earthly kingdom honor and authority measure greatness, but in Christ’s kingdom it is measured by humility and service. Jesus added power to his rebuke by showing them that their spirit was not even Jewish, but altogether heathenish.] 45 For {a28 even as} bthe Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. [He enforces this lesson by his own example in that he came to serve men and not to have them serve him. Jesus could ever refer to himself as the best example of the virtues which he taught. Since honor consists in being like the King, the highest honor consists in being most like him. The closing words state the vicarious nature of Christ’s suffering as plainly as language can express it. The ransom is offered for all ( 1Ti 2:6), and will be efficacious for as many as accept it. The words are nearly a reproduction of the words of Isaiah– Isa 53:12.]<\/p>\n

[FFG 553-558]<\/p>\n

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

JESUS FORETELLS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION<\/p>\n

Mat 20:17-19; Luk 18:31-34; Mar 1:32-34. And they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was leading them, and they continued to be excited, and following, they were afraid. Our Lord is still over in Perea, east of the Jordan, walking along toward Jerusalem, accompanied by the vast multitudes. The disciples know that if He goes back to Jerusalem, something decisive will take place, as only a dozen days previously He had fled away from there for His life. As the Passover is now at hand, and the metropolis will be thronged with the people of Israel, not only from Judea and Galilee, but from their dispersions in all heathen lands, they know that His enemies are determined to do everything they can against Him. As it is said here that they were much excited and afraid, doubtless they were apprehensive that the thousands from Galilee, where He had spent by far the greater part of His ministerial life, would be at the Passover, and as His enemies were so hostile against Him, in all probability a bloody civil war would break out, in which they were all likely to lose their lives. Meanwhile the hopeful side of the matter was, that He would be crowned King there in Jerusalem, in the presence of the vast multitudes from all parts of the earth, who might fall in line and propagate His kingdom, and permanently establish Him on the throne of David.<\/p>\n

And again taking the twelve, He began to speak to them the things which were about to happen to Him, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will deliver Him to the Gentiles, and they will mock Him, and will scourge Him, and spit upon Him, and will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise. Luke says: And they understood nothing of these things; and this word was hidden from them, and they knew not the things spoken. This is the third time our Savior has told them plainly that He is going to be arrested, arraigned, condemned, scourged, crucified, and will rise the third day. Now you see that Luke here says that they understood none of those things, and we see in the subsequent history that they were utterly ignorant of His impending fate till it took place. Now why did Jesus tell them three times, and the Holy Spirit withhold it from them? N. B. The Holy Spirit is not only the Author of the Word, but the Revelator of that Word to every person who ever understands it. It was really important that Jesus should tell them all about it, as He did three times, distinctly, by way of emphasis. The importance of this revelation is seen in the fact that it was a most important item in the prophetical curriculum, which constitutes the basis of Christian faith in all ages.<\/p>\n

Therefore it must be revealed. Now why must it be withheld from them till after His resurrection? Do you not know that if they had understood it, they would have mustered the countless hosts to whom He had preached during the three years of His ministry and have prepared for war, in order to defend their beloved Leader and preserve His life? Thus a terrible civil war would have broken out in Jerusalem while the city was thronged with the myriads from all parts of the earth attending the Passover, and a grand army would have rallied to prevent them from killing Him, thus defeating the great end for which He came into the world; i.e., to suffer and die to redeem the lost millions of Adams fallen race. Hence you see the pertinency on the part of the Divine administration, that the Holy Spirit should withhold these tragic, sublime, and wonderful events appertaining to their Master, so that they should not understand them till after they had all transpired. The same fact is true in all ages, despite all the efforts of human learning to fathom and comprehend the Bible. While these are not to be depreciated, it is an incontestable fact that we only know the Word as it is revealed to us by the Holy Ghost. After the Constantinian apostasy, during the Dark Ages, when the Church was monopolized by Romanism, and retrogressed into semi-paganism, every great, cardinal, spiritual truth having evanesced, and the Holy Spirit apparently retreating away and leaving her in the dismal midnight of ignorance and superstition, even collapsing so egregiously into human infatuation and folly as to become a secret society, like Freemasonry, her mystic rites only known to her muttering priests, and locked up in a dead language, incomprehensible by the laity, amid this dismal night of ignorance, superstition, and idolatry, she remained a thousand years, till the light again broke in, God raising up Wyclif, a Roman Catholic priest, justly denominated the Morning Star of the Reformation; followed by John Huss, of Bohemia, whom the Roman Catholics burned, and threw his ashes into the Rhine, on whose waters they floated down, impinging on many lands, germinating quite a crop of martyrs, who sprang up spontaneously, like mushrooms in the night; and like the armed men who sprang up from the dragons teeth which Cadmus sowed in Greece, so a magnificent crop of martyrs were soon testifying amid the flaming fagots in different European countries; finally, Luther comes to the front, the hero of the Reformation, the multitudes falling in line, getting their eyes open to the glorious truth of justification by the free grace of God in Christ, received and appropriated by faith alone, independently of Church rites, priestly manipulations, and clerical absolutions, presenting a rank and file too formidable for the papistical power to overawe by thundering anathemas, bulls of excommunication, or the fires of Inquisition. We may here observe that during this long period of a thousand years, while the dismal Pagan night darkened the escutcheon of the historic Church, ignorance, superstition, priestcraft, prelacy, and popery, with their human institutions, autocracy, and tyranny having supplanted, and, to all human observation, obliterated every vestige of experimental godliness from the historic Church, yet God had a people in the world who knew Him experimentally, and walked with Him in the beauty of holiness, despite the terrible persecutions waged against them by the Catholic Church, A. D. 251. The Novatians, the holiness people of their day and time, withdrew from the Catholic Church on account of her corruptions. The same people in later centuries were denominated the Waldenses and Albigenses, and despite all efforts to exterminate them in blood, survived several centuries; and finally the movement received a new impetus under the leadership of the Moravians, who were instrumental in the sanctification of John Wesley, who, in the providence of God, became exceedingly prominent in the great holiness movement of his day. While Luther was evidently a sanctified man, yet he never gave the doctrine or the experience any especial attention, having all he could possibly do to rescue the primary truths of justification, regeneration, and adoption from the black grip of Satanic oblivion, long fastened on them by the tyrannical intrigues of Romanism. I am satisfied that God had His way with Luther and his compeers, using them, pursuant to His own will and purpose, in the restoration of these grand fundamental doctrines of experimental salvation. As Wycli was the morning star and Luther the rising sun of the great justification revival, in a similar manner George Fox, the founder of Quakerism; John Bunyan, the Baptist; and John Knox, the Presbyterian, were the morning stars of the great sanctification revival, whose sun arose with Wesley and his compeers. As the great doctrine of entire sanctification, so prominent in the apostolic age, had gone into eclipse with oncoming Romanism, and had slumbered in oblivion more than a thousand years, God raised up these mighty men to rescue from oblivion, formulate, and elucidate the profound and majestic-truth of Christian perfection. These heroic saints of bygone ages have faithfully and courageously done their work, and are now resting in glory. While experience is substantially identical in all ages, not so with exegesis. The Bible is our text-book, and the Holy Ghost our Teacher; but some of us are very slow scholars. The Holy Ghost is leading us on, and teaching us as we are able to receive it. Wesley and his coadjutors profited by the work of Luther, as Wesley was actually converted while listening to the reading of Luthers preface to the Pauline Epistles; but the labor of their lives was not on justification, but Christian perfection.<\/p>\n

Our holiness brethren who would confine our investigations and elucidations to sanctification, make a great mistake. The Holy Spirit is still opening the Scriptures, and revealing them more and more, to the saints of God. If we should stop with sanctification, we would make no progress beyond our predecessors, whereas the school of Christ is the most progressive institution in all the world. The notable fact that the Holy Spirit is so wonderful opening the Scriptures revelatory of the Lords second coming, is to me an auspicious omen that the time is at hand. We are now living in the last century of the worlds six thousand years, the millennium being the seventh thousand. As the popular chronology is believed by the ablest critics to be too long, many authorities expiring the six thousand years already, we have many reasons to open our eyes to the incoming light shed by the blessed Holy Spirit on those numerous Scriptures revealing the return of Jesus to this world. During the last year I have traveled twenty thousand miles in America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. In all lands, and upon all seas, I met the Lords dear people, looking out for His coming, and believing Him to be very nigh. The Holy Spirit is wonderfully lighting up the Scriptures on the coming of the Lord, Divine healing, and womans ministry. We so much need the ministry of the sisterhood to help us carry the gospel to the ends of the earth, and expedite the return of our glorious King. It is very pertinent that we should all sit, meek and lowly, at the feet of Jesus, perfectly appreciative and acquiescent in the teaching of the Holy Ghost. If we refuse to move forward responsive to His leadership, we will certainly grieve Him.<\/p>\n

Why did He not reveal the great doctrine of sanctification to Luther? Because he and his generation had enough to do to teach and establish justification. Why did He not lead out Wesley to elaborate the coming of the Lord? Because he had all he could do, in his long, laborious, and useful life, to expound and establish the great doctrine of entire sanctification. Now, with the full benefit of the proficiency achieved by our predecessors, shall we make no decisive process in the school of Christ? Shall we stand still, or go round like the blind horse in the treadmill? Gods commandment to Israel is, Go forward. This will be true indefinitely in the department of Biblical exegesis, which, like God its Author, is absolutely illimitable. We will not only learn during this life, but on through all eternity, and more rapidly after we get to heaven than ever before. God forbid that we should command Israel to stand still when He says, Go forward!<\/p>\n

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 18:31-34. Prediction of the Passion (Mar 10:32-34*, Mat 20:17-19*).This prediction is the third in Mk. and Mt., the fourth in Lk., Luk 17:25 being added to Luk 9:22; Luk 9:44<\/p>\n

Luk 18:34 is repeated from Luk 9:45.In Luk 18:31 b there is an addition which speaks of the fulfilment of prophecy.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

18:31 {10} Then he took [unto him] the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.<\/p>\n

(10) As sure and certain as persecution is, so sure is the glory which remains for the conquerors.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

4. Jesus’ passion announcement and the disciples’ lack of perception 18:31-34 (cf. Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34)<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus’ passion announcements to His disciples constitute important structural markers in Mark’s Gospel. Luke and Matthew did not use them this way. The incident before us was the third passion announcement that Jesus gave beside other allusions to His death that He made (cf. Luk 5:35; Luk 12:50; Luk 13:32-33; Luk 17:25).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n\n

Matthew<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mark<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Luke<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

First passion announcement<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mat 16:21-23<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mar 8:31-33<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Luk 9:22<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Second passion announcement<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mat 17:22-23<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mar 9:30-32<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Luk 9:43-45<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Third passion announcement<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mat 20:17-19<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mar 10:32-34<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Luk 18:31-34<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Luke presented this announcement as part of his travelogue that records Jesus moving from Galilee to Jerusalem (Luk 9:51 to Luk 19:27). He played down the amazement and fear of the disciples that Mark stressed here. Instead he focused the reader’s attention on the disciples’ failure to understand what was going to happen in Jerusalem. There is a continuation of the theme of responding to Jesus’ words that precedes. The rich young ruler failed to respond to the good news that Jesus proclaimed. Similarly the disciples, though believing the gospel, failed to respond to the bad news He told them. There is also a continuation of the theme of entering the kingdom. The disciples would enter because they believed in Jesus, but they would have to go through trials and tribulations, as Jesus would, before they did. The death of Jesus provided the basis for God’s gracious dealings with believers through His Son (Luk 18:26-27).<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luke alone recorded that the things that would happen to Jesus in Jerusalem would be a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies (cf. Luk 12:50; Luk 22:37; Act 13:29). Luke apparently stressed the fact that Jesus’ ministry fulfilled prophecy so his readers would have greater confidence in Him (cf. Luk 2:25-38; Luk 22:37).<\/p>\n

The Hellenistic mind resisted the idea that a God-man could be truly human. The ancient Greek concept of the gods visiting human beings lay behind this difficulty. Consequently Luke presented much evidence for his Greek readers throughout his Gospel that Jesus was a real man. The Jews on the other hand had difficulty accepting the fact that Jesus was truly God. This accounts for Matthew’s stress on Jesus’ deity. Throughout church history there have been those who, like the Greeks, had trouble accepting Jesus’ full humanity and others, like the Jews, who have resisted His full deity.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Then he took [unto him] the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 31. Then he took unto him the twelve ] apart, and on the road, as we learn from Mat 20:17. St … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 18:31”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25701"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25701\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}