31 Jul 2015
Matthew 20:17-19
Matthew 20:17: “And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”
Jesus repeatedly told His disciples what was going to happen, but they did not understand him. They just did not understand that the Messiah had to die. They had no comprehension of the gospel. (That didn’t come until after the Resurrection.)
Note, though, that Jesus is fully aware of what is going to happen, but yet He did it anyway. He is a willing sacrifice. He plainly told His disciples in advance, so that when these things took place they would remember what He told them and believe. The Resurrection was foretold – repeatedly.
Also, notice how Jesus divides the responsibility (if you want to call it that) for His death. He was “betrayed unto the chief priests”, who condemned Him to death. He was then delivered to the Gentiles, who actually executed Him. Both groups – Jews and Gentiles – were responsible. Some people like to put all the blame on the Jews, but Jesus did not do that. Jesus Himself said that both the Jews and the Gentiles were responsible.