Luke 9:43-45

⁴³ And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, ⁴⁴ “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵ But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

Commentary

The crowds upon seeing Jesus heal the desperate man’s demon possessed son are all amazed at the majesty (and the mighty power) of God (vs. 43). Now while everyone was marveling at what Jesus had just done, He looks to His disciples and says to them, “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” And so, for the second time Jesus solemnly warns and foretells the disciples about His being betrayed (vs. 44). In that moment then Jesus brings a stark contrast to the amazed and jubilant crowd’s reaction who were so moved by what He had just done. For though they were then in such a state about Him, Jesus knew that when He was betrayed, they would turn on Him and on His disciples. Therefore, here He warns His disciples not to be carried away with their current reaction, for people’s memories of the goodness of God is always short lived (consider Psalm 106:21). Nonetheless as the Scripture notes the disciples did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; that is, they did not understand what Jesus was warning them about; and so, they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. 

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson