Jesus Foretells His Death
- Dates
- 31 AD
While traveling up to Jerusalem for the Passover, Jesus takes His disciples aside and tells them of what is to come. The disciples know the rulers want to destroy Christ, but they do not comprehend what will happen and its meaning.
In detail
During these last months of His life on earth, Jesus had been in and out of Jerusalem and Judea a number of times, but devoted most of His ministry to Samaria and Peraea. It was now probably late March or early April of the year A.D. 31. Jesus arrived in Bethany on the Friday before the Passover. It was doubtless along the way, prior to the arrival in Jericho, that the incidents of Matt. 20:17—28 took place. Jesus informed the disciples that He would be betrayed and condemned to death.
The Jews had been plotting to kill Jesus ever since the healing of the invalid man at the Pool of Bethesda two years previously, and had set spies to follow Him wherever He went. The success of His Galilean mission had led them to intensify these efforts. Repeatedly thereafter they became more bold in their public attacks upon Him. More recently, during the course of the Peraean ministry, they had made repeated attempts to arrest Him and to kill Him. Their plans were now rapidly taking more definite shape, particularly since the resurrection of Lazarus a few weeks prior to this time. For the first time Jesus specifically mentions the fact that the Gentiles, the Roman authorities, will be instrumental in His death. Three years before, Jesus had told Nicodemus that He must be "lifted up," thus implying crucifixion (see on John 3:14). Now, for the first time, He clearly foretells the manner of His death.
Bible passages
- Matthew 20:17-19
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
- Mark 10:32-34
32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, 33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
- Luke 18:31-34
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 entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. …
Text of the King James Version.
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