Knowing The Word in Luke 9:43-45, Jesus Again Foretells His Death

On the other side of the cross, it must have been darn near impossible to understand Jesus’ approaching death, at least that is what we surmise in the next scene. Jesus tells his disciples that he will be handed over to die, but they do not understand. The text says understanding was concealed from them. Is this the deliberate work of God?

But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Prayer:

Great God, our Father: as we call to mind the scene of Christ’s suffering in Gethsemane, our hearts are filled with penitence and shame that we foolishly waste our time in idleness and that we make no progress in the Christian life from day to day. We are ashamed that war and lust flourish and grow more rampant every day. Forgive us for our cruel indifference to the cross, and pardon us that, like the bystanders of old, we merely stand and gaze in idle curiosity upon the piteous scene. O teach us, we beseech thee, the good news of thy forgiveness. Cause humanity, degenerate as it is, to live anew, and hasten the day when the whole world shall be born again.

Toyohiko Kagawa, 1888-1960