Breakdown of Luke 18:31-34

"And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and sham…" — Jesus emphasizes that everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled, not just the glorious parts, but the suffering and death too. This highlights His conscious, willing…

Luke 18:31-34 Meaning Explained

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Luke 18:31-34

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus emphasizes that everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled, not just the glorious parts, but the suffering and death too. This highlights His conscious, willing embrace of the entire prophetic plan for salvation, even the most difficult aspects.

What Luke 18:31-34 means

Jesus gathers his closest disciples apart as they journey toward Jerusalem, a city filled with danger. He explicitly tells them this journey will fulfill ancient prophecies about the "Son of Man," who will suffer and die there. This stark prediction, even though the disciples fail to grasp its full meaning, sets the stage for his imminent passion and resurrection.

The Cross Was Always Part of the Plan

Jesus is heading towards Jerusalem, but not for a celebration. He knows exactly what awaits Him there. The details are startlingly clear, but how could He be so certain?

Jesus explicitly tells His disciples that their journey to Jerusalem is not a surprise detour, but the planned culmination of ancient prophecies. He states, 'everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.' This wasn't a vague premonition; it was the fulfillment of Scripture.

Foreknowledge and Fulfillment

Jesus knew His path because it was foretold. The prophets of the Old Testament, centuries before, had written about the Messiah – the Son of Man – and His suffering, death, and resurrection. Jesus's willingness to go to Jerusalem wasn't a reluctant march towards an unknown fate, but a purposeful step into fulfilling God's predetermined plan.

This understanding helps us see that the suffering and death of Jesus were not an unfortunate accident or a failure of His mission. Instead, they were the central, prophesied events that validated His identity and mission as the Messiah.

Private Truths for Public Mission

Jesus pulls the twelve disciples aside for a crucial conversation. Why share such heavy news with only a few, especially when the stakes are so high?

Jesus doesn't broadcast His impending suffering to the crowds. Instead, He 'taking the twelve' aside. This wasn't about excluding others, but about preparing a core group who would become the witnesses and messengers of His mission.

Preparing the Witnesses

This private instruction served several purposes:

Foresight to prevent shock: By foretelling the events, Jesus aimed to fortify the disciples against the offense of the cross. When the suffering came, it wouldn't be a blindsiding catastrophe but a foreseen part of the plan.
Understanding Divine Purpose: He wanted them to see beyond the shame of the cross to its ultimate purpose – reconciliation and victory over death, as prophesied.

Understand the original words

Original language

Son of Manυἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου

huios tou anthrōpou · Greek Noun Phrase

A title used for Jesus that emphasizes both His humanity and His divine messianic authority as the heavenly figure described in Daniel 7:13-14. It highlights His role as the suffering servant and the future judge of the world.

prophetsπροφῆται

prophētai · Greek Noun

In biblical usage, a prophet is one who speaks on behalf of God, conveying His message, warnings, or predictions to His people, often under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Prophets in the Old Testament provided the foundational revelation regarding the coming Messiah.

delivered overπαραδοθήσεται

paradothēsetai · Greek Verb

The act of being given over to others, often used in the Gospels to refer to Jesus being handed over to His enemies or to authorities for judgment. It carries overtones of divine providence, as Jesus was 'delivered up' according to the predetermined plan of God.

Gentilesἔθνεσιν

Historical context

Written: Around 60-62 AD
Author: Luke, a physician and companion of the Apostle Paul, traditionally understood as the author.
Location: Likely written from Rome, but the events described take place during Jesus' final journey towards Jerusalem.
Genre: Gospel narrative, characterized by detailed historical accounts and a focus on Jesus' compassion.

Historical background

This moment marks a pivotal turning point as Jesus intentionally walks toward his suffering, fully aware of the prophetic Scriptures that foretell his path. His disciples' inability to comprehend this foreshadows the 'offense of the cross' that will challenge their faith.

c. 27-30 AD
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus teaches, heals, and gathers disciples, building a following that contrasts sharply with the religious and political establishment.
c. 30 AD
Journey to Jerusalem Begins
Jesus deliberately heads towards Jerusalem, knowing it will be the site of his final confrontation and fulfillment of prophecy.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus Foretells His Suffering
Jesus takes the twelve aside to explain that his upcoming trip to Jerusalem will result in his betrayal, condemnation, suffering, death, and resurrection, as foretold by the prophets.
c. 30 AD
Disciples' Misunderstanding
Despite Jesus' clear words, the disciples fail to grasp the meaning of his suffering and resurrection, clinging to their expectations of an earthly kingdom.

Key themes

01Prophetic fulfillment assured
02Jesus' willing sacrifice
03Divine plan unfolding
04Disciples' lack of understanding

Cross-references

Isaiah 53:1-12

This chapter is the classic Old Testament prophetic depiction of the suffering servant, directly aligning with Jesus' statement that 'all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished.'

Daniel 9:24-27

This passage foretells a specific period leading to the Messiah's anointing and subsequent suffering, connecting the prophetic word to the 'Son of Man' Jesus identifies Himself with.

Luke 9:22

This earlier statement by Jesus directly foreshadows His rejection, suffering, and resurrection, showing a consistent pattern of revealing His destiny to His disciples.

John 19:28-30

This Gospel account of Jesus' crucifixion shows the fulfillment of prophecy concerning His suffering, demonstrating how 'all things' spoken by the prophets came to pass.

Acts 17:2-3

This passage shows how the early apostles, like Jesus, reasoned from the Scriptures, proving that the Messiah 'had to suffer these things' and was the Christ.

Scholarly commentary

Luke 18:31-34: "Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished."

And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said to them, 18. Lo, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes; and they will condemn him to death. 19. And they will deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to…

calvin

Luke 18:31: "Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished."

By the prophets (διά)Lit., through; the preposition expressing secondary agency.
vincent

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What Luke 18:31-34 means

Original language

Son of Manυἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου

huios tou anthrōpou · Greek Noun Phrase

prophetsπροφῆται

prophētai · Greek Noun

delivered overπαραδοθήσεται

paradothēsetai · Greek Verb

Gentilesἔθνεσιν

Historical context

Written: Around 60-62 AD
Author: Luke, a physician and companion of the Apostle Paul, traditionally understood as the author.
Location: Likely written from Rome, but the events described take place during Jesus' final journey towards Jerusalem.
Genre: Gospel narrative, characterized by detailed historical accounts and a focus on Jesus' compassion.

Historical background

c. 27-30 AD

Jesus' Ministry in Galilee

Jesus teaches, heals, and gathers disciples, building a following that contrasts sharply with the religious and political establishment.

c. 30 AD

Journey to Jerusalem Begins

Jesus deliberately heads towards Jerusalem, knowing it will be the site of his final confrontation and fulfillment of prophecy.

c. 30 AD— this verse

Jesus Foretells His Suffering

Jesus takes the twelve aside to explain that his upcoming trip to Jerusalem will result in his betrayal, condemnation, suffering, death, and resurrection, as foretold by the prophets.