Luk 18:31-32 | KingComments | STEP | The kingdom of God and eternal life do not yet determine life on earth. Before this can happen, the Lord and His disciples must go to Jerusalem. There the disciples will see that what is written about Him by the prophets will also happen to Him. They will see that the Son of Man did not go to Jerusalem to establish the kingdom of peace, but to be rejected and killed. The Lord speaks again of Himself as the Son of Man, with which He says He will not only reign over Israel, but over all creation and that this will happen through the way of suffering and death. The title Son of Man speaks both of His rejection and of His glory. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He is not talking here about what the Jews will do with Him. The Gentiles will also be guilty of His death. Nothing will be spared Him. Every imaginable mockery and torture will be done to Him. Finally, He will be killed. But that is not the end. The Lord clearly declares that He will rise again on the third day. His resurrection proves His Divine power ( ) and the acceptance of His work by God on the basis of which God can justify the sinner ( ). Everything He said about His suffering, death and resurrection has not found entrance to the disciples. That is because their thoughts are only focused on a reigning King. A suffering and dying King does not fit into their thinking. Here we see how a preformed opinion has such power, that even the clearest statements in their true meaning remain hidden from the listener.

‏ Luke 18:31-32

Third Announcement of Suffering

The kingdom of God and eternal life do not yet determine life on earth. Before this can happen, the Lord and His disciples must go to Jerusalem. There the disciples will see that what is written about Him by the prophets will also happen to Him. They will see that the Son of Man did not go to Jerusalem to establish the kingdom of peace, but to be rejected and killed.

The Lord speaks again of Himself as the Son of Man, with which He says He will not only reign over Israel, but over all creation and that this will happen through the way of suffering and death. The title Son of Man speaks both of His rejection and of His glory.

He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He is not talking here about what the Jews will do with Him. The Gentiles will also be guilty of His death. Nothing will be spared Him. Every imaginable mockery and torture will be done to Him. Finally, He will be killed. But that is not the end. The Lord clearly declares that He will rise again on the third day. His resurrection proves His Divine power (Rom 1:4) and the acceptance of His work by God on the basis of which God can justify the sinner (Rom 4:25).

Everything He said about His suffering, death and resurrection has not found entrance to the disciples. That is because their thoughts are only focused on a reigning King. A suffering and dying King does not fit into their thinking. Here we see how a preformed opinion has such power, that even the clearest statements in their true meaning remain hidden from the listener.