Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal

Verses 31-33

Mark 8:31-33. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer The disciples being now convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, and having made confession of him as such, they were prepared to receive this further and equally important discovery, which they could not have borne before, without being so offended as to forsake him; and which, perhaps, they could hardly have borne now, had they thoroughly understood, and fully believed, Christ’s words; for they certainly still expected that he would assume external pomp and power, and restore the kingdom of Israel, an expectation which they held fast, even till the day of his ascension into heaven. And he spake that saying openly Παρρησια , plainly, namely to the apostles. Our Lord frequently after this repeated the prediction of his sufferings; for instance, Matthew 17:22; Matthew 20:18; Matthew 26:2; Luke 22:15. But it is remarkable that on none of those occasions was the prophecy delivered to any but the twelve, and a few select women, one instance excepted, namely, Luke 17:25, when it was expressed in terms somewhat obscure. The multitude of the disciples were never let into the secret, because it might have made them desert Christ, as they had not, like the apostles, raised expectations of particular preferments in his kingdom, to bias their understandings, and hinder them from perceiving the meaning of the prediction. It is true, he foretold his resurrection from the dead more publicly; for oftener than once he appealed to it as the principal proof of his mission, even in the presence of the priests, as is evident from their mentioning it to Pilate, Matthew 27:63. It seems the priests had often been our Lord’s hearers. See the notes on Matthew 16:21-23.

Be the first to react on this!

Scroll to Top

Group of Brands