The Character of Jesus 64
Teaching about His Death
(Matthew 20:17 – 28, Mark 10:32 – 45, Luke 18:31 – 34
- Characteristic: Refusing to dumb it down
- Using the Mark account with these additions:
- Luke 18:31 adds to Mark 10:33, “and all the things having been written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.”
- Matthew 20:20 The mother of James and John made the request noted in Mark 10:33 – 34. Perhaps she came first, then Jesus brought James and John into the conversation. Her name was Salome (see Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40).
- (32 – 34) Jesus re-iterates the inevitable conclusion of His earthly ministry.
- The details are remarkable: betrayal rather than capture, to the chief priests rather than the Romans, involving the Gentiles rather than stoning (albeit illegally, but they could have gotten in done), scourging, and resurrection.
- He had told them before:
- Matthew 16:21, Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22. After this Peter rebuked Him.
- Matthew 17:22, Mark 9:31, Luke 9:44. But they were afraid to ask questions.
- The prophets wrote about this, so they should have known:
- Isaiah 53:3 – 12
- Daniel 9:26
- Zechariah 13:7
- What Jesus told them was not complex, just contrary to their expectations, so they had a hard time making sense of it. Nevertheless, Jesus repeated the concept several times without making it more palatable.
- (35 – 39) James and John want to hold high positions in the new kingdom
- Jesus asks if they are prepared for the hazards. They think they are.
- Jesus lets them know that such appointments are not His to make.
- Jesus reminded them of the gravity and danger because they were thinking in terms of the honor. Jesus did not shrink from talking about difficulties.
- (40 – 45) This squabble over leadership prompted Jesus to teach about the nature of leadership in the coming kingdom.
- This leadership model has not and could not work outside the kingdom of God, so their confusion is understandable.
- Jesus will repeat the concept at the last Passover (John 13).
- Using the Mark account with these additions:
- Application: Refusing to dumb it down
- Does the modern church emphasize the evidence of predictions?
- How has logic and evidence fallen from favor?
- Has predictions about Jesus been overdone among some?
- In what ways have we dumbed it down?
- Do modern church leaders think in terms of position and authority?
- What hardships should church leaders expect?
- How are leaders put in place?
- In what ways have we dumbed it down?
- Does the modern church emphasize the evidence of predictions?