Bible Study series: Luke 9:43b-45. Jesus knew what his mission was. He’s about to set his face like flint to go into Jerusalem. He told his disciples what would happen, so they would expect it and not be shocked.
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In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
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Scripture: Luke 9:43b-45
43b While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, he said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to these words, for the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this statement, and it was being hidden from them, so that they might not discern it. And they were afraid to ask him about this statement. (Luke 9:43b-45)
Comments:
43b:
Recall the first half of v. 43. He had just set a boy free of a demon. Jesus heard all the praise and admiration from the crowds. But they were about to hand him over to the authorities—if not those very people, then other crowds would do this. He knew they were fickle. Don’t listen to the crowds.
44:
“listen carefully”: Literally it reads, “Put these words into your ears.” What Jesus is about to say is very important.
“Son of Man”: see v. 22 for more comments.
4. Titles of Jesus: The Son of Man
“hands”: they stand in for or symbolize power, because hands do things like make an object, throw a spear or hit someone else. Power and force reside in the hands. They were about to arrest or “nab” him with their bare hands.
45:
“discern”: the verb appears only here in the New Testament. In the larger Greek world, it means (1) “to perceive, apprehend by the senses, to see, hear, feel”; (2) “to perceive by the mind, understand, hear, learn” (Liddell and Scott).
“statement”: The Greek noun means a “spoken word” (though it does not always mean that in every context). Jesus spoke out his foretelling of his death. So this word became a “saying.”
The disciples did not understand the statement that he would be arrested, because they believed in their deepest hearts that he was going to parade into Jerusalem, overpower the Romans, throw them out, and hold Jerusalem either by peace or force, forever. And he would bring peace to their whole world. Their deepest (false) beliefs blinded them. It is possible to be so blinded by your deepest convictions. Please be sure your convictions are right. Know Scripture.
“hidden”: who was doing the hiding? God hid it from them, or their own blind spots? Maybe a little of both.
Jesus had just rebuked them and the crowds for being unbelieving and twisted. They were nervous because they believed that they should understand and grasp his words, but they did not. And they knew that they did not understand. Maybe they thought that after he was arrested, he would shine forth with his glory and destroy the Romans. “See! I allowed myself to be arrested! But I have broken free by a mighty angel! And now I will call on God to destroy our enemies!” They didn’t understand that he came as the servant-king.
GrowApp for Luke 9:43b-45
1. The disciples did not understand because their expectations were different from Jesus’s mission to die. What are your blind spots? How have you or how can you get rid of them?
RELATED
11. Eyewitness Testimony in Luke’s Gospel
3. Church Fathers and Luke’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
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