Why couldn't they understand?

[Guest]

Luke Chapter 18, verses 31 -34. Jesus again predicts his death.

It seems clear enough. Jesus never wasted words. So what was it the disciples couldn't understand? 

 

 

[Jayne]

Verse 34 = "And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken."

God held back the full understanding until it was time.

[Who me]

51 minutes ago, Melinda12 said:

Luke Chapter 18, verses 31 -34. Jesus again predicts his death.

It seems clear enough. Jesus never wasted words. So what was it the disciples couldn't understand? 

 

 

 

Thr jews were looking for a military mesiah who would restore Israel to an indepentdant state.

They were not looking for a Spiritual Messiah.

The disciples could not comprehend this. They were very aware of the dominance of the Roman empire ruling Israel.

[missmuffet]

Jesus predicted His death three times in the Bible. The first time Peter rebuked Jesus's prediction of His death. 

The second time the disciples were confused by Jesus telling them He was going to die. 

The third time the disciples did not understand. 

Jesus gave His predictions of His death so when it did happen they would believe John 14:29.

[Riverwalker]

Jesus kind of explains this in the Gospel of Jon Chapter 16

John 16:1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do [a]to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.

“And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 

The road that lay before them was a very hard road, all of them but one would die as a martyr and before Jesus left, the POWER of the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them (as it did at Pentecost). All they knew that This was Jesus, this was the Christ...this was the promised redeemer of Israel....how could the promise die?  As Jesus said, being natural men with natural understanding they could not comprehend this, which is why they needed to wait in the upper room for the Holy Spirit to come upon them before their ministry started

Edited December 21, 2021 by Riverwalker

[LearningToLetGo]

They did not want to understand. They wanted Jesus to be theirs. It was not until his death and resurrection that they realized they were his.