Mark 10:32-34
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
32They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33"We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."
Jesus knows in a short time He will be betrayed...His upcoming death is known to Him...This prediction is close to His last triumphal entry to Jerusalem...It is only a few days from the Passover...We are told that Jesus is leading the way...There is a sense that in going to Jerusalem, He and his followers would confront their opposition...The Twelve disciples are astonished, on there way...While the crowd following Him are afraid...Neither group, the Twelve disciples or the crown, knew what would happen, but their thoughts were not positive ones...They had a sense something was going to happen...The Twelve were astonished, the crowd was afraid is how they felt on the road...Not knowing what is going to happen, there are two separate feelings from the two groups following Him, amazement and fear...
Jesus takes His disciples aside and tells them that the Son of Man will be betrayed by the chief priests and the teachers of the law...The chief priests and the teachers of the law will condemn Him to death...Then these groups will turn Him over the the Roman Gentiles, to be mocked, spit on, flogged, and killed...But three days later He will rise...
In Jesus telling His disciples, they would know what was going to happen in the next few days...Jesus is trying to prepare them for the next few days...They may not have understood what was about to happen...As far as preparing for His death, this would also be very difficult, even though He told them about His upcoming death...They would remember these things after His death...But when the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26)...So after His death and when they receive the Holy Spirit, they would remember these things and all things that He has said to them...Then, those things they were confused about or did not understand, would be clearer...The things He had said, may not have been completely understood even after His death, but since they would remember these things He said, they could discuss or study His sayings...They would then make more sense, after they have received the Holy Spirit...He tells them it is good for them that He goes away...Unless, I go away, the Holy Spirit will not come; but if I go I will send Him to you (John16:7)...The Holy Spirit will come and (then) guide you into all truth (John 16:13)...
Jesus is a controversial figure...The disciples were amazed that Jesus with all the opposition and possible danger would lead the way to Jerusalem...The crowd continued to follow Him even though they were afraid what was to happen...Jesus had to be happy that He had this following with all the unknown and uncertainty that would come to pass...
Today, Jesus is still a controversial figure...People who follow Jesus and do all, most, or many of His teachings are looked upon a little bit differently...I am sure today, He is happy about those who follow Him, and have faith in Him, yet knowing that uncertainty awaits...
Jesus had to leave, before the Holy Spirit would come...He prays for all believers, that we believers may be one as the Father and Son are One...He prays that He may be in us, as the Father is in Him... May we be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You, the Father, have sent Me, and have loved them, even as You have loved Me (John 17-21-23)...