#thedisciples — Lent — Founded on the Bible

Mark 10:32-34 NLT

They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “We’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

Mark 14:28 NLT

“But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

These verses are filled with information, none of it symbolic. Jesus spoke plainly to the disciples because the facts were so hard for them to bear. Let's study this information for today's reflection.

Recorded attempts on Jesus’ life

We have several recorded incidences where the Pharisees and/or Jews attempted to kill Jesus:

Luke 4:29-30

On a Sabbath in Nazareth, the people in His hometown expelled Him from the synagogue and tried to push Jesus over a cliff.

John 5:18

The Jewish leaders conspired to kill Jesus for breaking Sabbath rules and claiming He was equal with God.

John 8:37 and 8:40

Records that Jesus disclosed the intentions of the Jewish leaders who plotted to kill Him.

John 10:31 and 10:39

The people first tried to stone Jesus but when that didn’t work, tried to arrest Him but He slipped away.

John 11:8

The disciples warned Jesus not to go back to Bethany to heal Lazarus because just a few days prior the people there tried to kill Him.

Miraculously, for three and a half years, Jesus escaped every wicked attempt on His life. The disciples were kept very safe under His care and had full confidence that He would shelter Himself and them from harm.

Jesus’ warnings to the disciples

Jesus warned the disciples ahead of time on three separate occasions that He would die and rise again.

The first warning is recorded in Matthew 16:21-28; Mark 8:31-37; and Luke 9:22-27.

The second warning is recorded in Matthew 17:22, 23; Mark 9:32-34; and Luke 9:43b-45.

The last warning is recorded in Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; and Luke 18: 31-34.

In these conversations, Jesus gave them the sequence of events that would occur in the near future. But, that information did not sink in; it went right over their heads. The realization that Jesus would die was so unfathomable that the disciples were in shock even in the midst of the crucifixion.

Jesus gives hope

The disciples assumed that life would continue with Jesus always evading danger, but He repeatedly prepared them for the heartbreak ahead. Although the men were almost overcome with grief during those dark hours, Jesus gave them a piece of information that gave them a bright hope. Jesus told them when He rose from the dead He would meet them in Galilee. He always spoke the truth and the men knew that He was as good as His Word.

Let’s pray:

Father, how good You are to prepare me for what lies ahead. Help me to discern Your warnings and to obey the warnings already written in Your word. Help me to heed Your warnings even if its hard to bear. Thank you for always giving me hope. In Jesus name, Amen.