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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Luke 9:43–50. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We may observe here, I. The impression which Christ's miracles made upon all that beheld them (Luk 9:43): They were all amazed at the mighty power of God, which they could not but see in all the miracles Christ wrought. Note, The works of God's almighty power are amazing, especially those that are wrought by the hand of the Lord Jesus; for he is the power of God, and his name is Wonderful. Their wonder was universal: they wondered every one. The causes of it were universal: they wondered at all things which Jesus did; all his actions had something uncommon and surprising in them.
II.The notice Christ gave to his disciples of his approaching sufferings:
The Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men, wicked men, men of the worst character; they shall be permitted to abuse him at their pleasure. That is here implied which is expressed by the other evangelists: They shall kill him. But that which is peculiar here is,
1.The connection of this with what goes next before, of the admiration with which the people were struck at beholding Christ's miracles (Luk 9:43): While they all wondered at all things which Jesus did, he said this to his disciples. They had a fond conceit of his temporal kingdom, and that he should reign, and they with him, in secular pomp and power; and now they thought that this mighty power of his would easily effect the thing, and his interest gained by his miracles in the people would contribute to it; and therefore Christ, who knew what was in their hearts, takes this occasion to tell them again, what he had told them before, that he was so far from having men delivered into his hands that he must be delivered into the hands of men, so far from living in honour that he must die in disgrace; and all his miracles, and the interest he has by them gained in the hearts of the people, will not be able to prevent it.
2.The solemn preface with which it is introduced: "Let these sayings sink down into your ears; take special notice of what I say, and mix faith with it; let not the notions you have of the temporal kingdom of the Messiah stop your ears against it, nor make you unwilling to believe it. Admit what I say, and submit to it." Let it sink down into your hearts; so the Syriac and Arabic read it. The word of Christ does us no good, unless we let it sink down into our heads and hearts.
3.The unaccountable stupidity of the disciples, with reference to this prediction of Christ's sufferings. It was said in Mark, They understood not that saying. It was plain enough, but they would not understand it in the literal sense, because it agreed not with their notions; and they could not understand it in any other, and were afraid to ask him lest they should be undeceived and awaked out of their pleasing dream. But it is here added that it was hidden from them, that they perceived it not, through the weakness of faith and the power of prejudice. We cannot think that it was in mercy hidden from them, lest they should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow at the prospect of it; but that it was a paradox, because they made it so to themselves.
III.The rebuke Christ gave to his disciples for their disputing among themselves which should be greatest, Luk 9:46-48.
This passage we had before, and, the more is the pity, we shall meet with the like again. Observe here,
1.Ambition of honour, and strife for superiority and precedency, are sins that most easily beset the disciples of our Lord Jesus, for which they deserve to be severely rebuked; they flow from corruptions which they are highly concerned to subdue and mortify, Luk 9:46. They that expect to be great in this world commonly aim high, and nothing will serve them short of being greatest; this exposes them to a great deal of temptation and trouble, which they are safe from that are content to be little, to be least, to be less than the least.
2.Jesus Christ is perfectly acquainted with the thoughts and intents of our hearts: He perceived their thoughts, Luk 9:47. Thoughts are words to him, and whispers are loud cries. It is a good reason why we should keep up a strict government of our thoughts because Christ takes a strict cognizance of them.
3.Christ will have his disciples to aim at that honour which is to be obtained by a quiet and condescending humility, and not at that which is to be obtained by a restless and aspiring ambition. Christ took a child, and set him by him, Luk 9:47 (for he always expressed a tenderness and kindness for little children), and he proposed this child to them for an example.
(1.)Let them be of the temper of this child, humble and quiet, and easy to itself; let them not affect worldly pomp, or grandeur, or high titles, but be as dead to them as this child; let them bear no more malice to their rivals and competitors than this child did. Let them be willing to be the least, if that would contribute any thing to their usefulness, to stoop to the meanest office whereby they might do good.
(2.)Let them assure themselves that this was the way to preferment; for this would recommend them to the esteem of their brethren: they that loved Christ would therefore receive them in his name, because they did most resemble him, and they would likewise recommend themselves to his favour, for Christ would take the kindnesses done to them as done to himself: Whosoever shall receive one such child, a preacher of the gospel that is of such a disposition as this, he placeth his respect aright, and receiveth me; and whosoever receiveth me, in such a minister, receiveth him that sent me; and what greater honour can any man attain to in this world than to be received by men as a messenger of God and Christ, and to have God and Christ own themselves received and welcomed in him? This honour have all the humble disciples of Jesus Christ, and thus they shall be truly great that are least among them.
IV.The rebuke Christ gave to his disciples for discouraging one that honoured him and served him, but was not of their communion, not only not one of the twelve, nor one of the seventy, but not one of those that ever associated with them, or attended on them, but, upon occasional hearing of Christ, believed in him, and made use of his name with faith and prayer in a serious manner, for the casting out of devils. Now,
1.This man they rebuked and restrained; they would not let him pray and preach, though it was to the honour of Christ, though it did good to men and weakened Satan's kingdom, because he did not follow Christ with them; he separated from their church, was not ordained as they were, paid them no respect, nor gave them the right hand of fellowship. Now, if ever any society of Christians in this world had reason to silence those that were not of their communion, the twelve disciples at this time had; and yet,
2.Jesus Christ chid them for what they did, and warned them not to do the like again, nor any that profess to be successors of the apostles: "Forbid him not (Luk 9:50), but rather encourage him, for he is carrying on the same design that you are, though, for reasons best known to himself, he does not follow with you; and he will meet you in the same end, though he does not accompany you in the same way. You do well to do as you do, but it does not therefore follow that he does ill to do as he does, and that you do well to put him under an interdict, for he that is not against us is for us, and therefore ought to be countenanced by us." We need not lose any of our friends, while we have so few, and so many enemies. Those may be found faithful followers of Christ, and, as such, may be accepted of him, though they do not follow with us. See Mar 9:38, Mar 9:39. O what a great deal of mischief to the church, even from those that boast of relation to Christ, and pretend to envy for his sake, would be prevented, if this passage of story were but duly considered!
Historical interpretation
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While all thus were wondering at the miracles, He foretels His passion. For miracles do not save, but the cross conveys the benefit. Hence he adds, For the Son of man shall he delivered into the hands of men.
(non occ.) Every thing that Jesus did claimed admiration from all men for a peculiar and divine light reflected upon each of His works, according to the Psalms, honour and majesty wilt thou lay upon him. (Ps. 21:5.) Although all indeed marvelled at those things which He did, He however addresses what follows, not to all, but to His disciples; as it is said, But while they wondered every one, &c. He had shown His glory on the mount to His disciples, and after this delivered a man from an evil spirit, but it was necessary for Him to undergo His passion for our salvation. Now His disciples might have been perplexed, saying, "Have we then been deceived in that we thought him to be God?" That they might know then what was to happen to Him, He bids them lay up in their minds as a certain deposit the mystery of His passion, saying, Let these sayings sink down in your hearts. By the word your, He distinguishes them from others. For the multitude were not to know that He was about to suffer, but were rather to be assured that the dead would rise again, destroying death, lest they should be offended.
Now some one perhaps will say, How were the disciples ignorant of the mystery of the cross, seeing that it was touched upon in several places by the shadows of the Law? But as Paul relates, Even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their hearts. (2 Cor. 3:15.) It becomes then those who approach Christ, to say, Open thou my eyes, that I may behold the wonderful things out of thy law. (Ps. 119:18.)
In order that those who were going to teach the whole world might know exactly his mystery, he usefully and necessarily explains it clearly to them beforehand. He says, “Lay these words to your hearts; for the Son of man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” The reason that led Christ to speak this is, I think, a subject both useful and necessary for our consideration. He had then led Peter, James and John up into the mountain. He was transfigured before them, and his countenance shone as the sun. He showed them the glory, with which in due time he will arise upon the world. He will come, not in humiliation such as ours or in the lowliness of the human condition as such, but in the majesty and splendor of the Godhead, and in transcendent glory. Again, when he came down from the mountain, he delivered a man from a wicked and violent spirit. He certainly was ready to bear for our sakes his saving passion and endure the wickedness of the Jews. As the minister of his mysteries, he by the grace of God “tasted death for every man.” When this happened, there is nothing unlikely in supposing that the disciples would be troubled. Perhaps in their secret thoughts even they would say, “How is One so glorious, who raised the dead by his godlike power, rebuked the seas and winds, and by a word crushed Satan, now seized as a prisoner and caught in these murderers’ traps? Were we mistaken in thinking that he is God? Have we fallen from the true opinion regarding him?” Those who did not know the mystery that our Lord Jesus Christ would endure the cross and death would find therein an occasion of stumbling.
The mystery of the passion may be seen also in another instance. According to the Mosaic law, two goats were offered. They were not different in any way from one another, but they were alike in size and appearance. Of these, one was called “the lord,” and the other was called “sent-away.” When the lot was cast for the one called “lord,” it was sacrificed. The other one was sent away from the sacrifice, and therefore had the name of “sent-away.” Who was signified by this? The Word, though he was God, was in our likeness and took the form of us sinners, as far as the nature of the flesh was concerned. The male or female goat was sacrificed for sins. Death was our desert, for we had fallen under the divine curse because of sin. When the Savior of all undertook the responsibility, he transferred to himself what was due to us and laid down his life, that we might be sent away from death and destruction.
This ignorance of the disciples proceeds not so much from slowness of understanding as from affection, for since they were yet carnal and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, they could not believe that He whom they thought to be really God would suffer death. And because they were often accustomed to hear Him speak by figure, they thought that He meant figuratively something else, by what He said of His betrayal.
But they did not understand this saying. This ignorance of the disciples arises not so much from slowness as from love, because they, still being carnal and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, could not believe that he, whom they knew as the true God, could die. And because they were accustomed to hear him frequently speaking in figures, they thought even those things which he spoke concerning his being delivered up referred figuratively to something else.
Now our Lord in condescension to their infirmities and governing them with a kind of economy, did not permit them to understand what was said of the cross; as it follows, But they understood not.
Mark also the reverence of the disciples in what follows, And they feared to ask him of that saying. For fear is the first step to reverence.
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Summary
Luke 9:45 captures the profound spiritual and intellectual struggle of Jesus' disciples to comprehend His repeated prophecy of suffering and death. Despite explicit warnings, their preconceived notions of a conquering Messiah blinded them to the divine truth, leading to a state of ignorance and a reluctance to seek further clarity, highlighting the chasm between human expectation and God's redemptive plan.
Context
Literary Context
This verse immediately follows Jesus' second explicit prediction of His betrayal and crucifixion in Luke 9:44. The declaration, "Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men," was a solemn and direct warning. This prophecy builds upon an earlier, equally clear statement in Luke 9:22, where Jesus first spoke of the Son of Man suffering, being rejected, killed, and raised on the third day. The disciples' consistent failure to grasp these repeated pronouncements underscores their deeply ingrained expectations and the radical nature of Jesus' true mission. Their misunderstanding here also sets the stage for later incidents, such as the dispute over who would be greatest (Luke 9:46), further revealing their earthly mindset.
Historical & Cultural Context
First-century Jewish society, under Roman occupation, was rife with messianic fervor. The prevailing expectation, heavily influenced by Old Testament prophecies like those in Isaiah 9:6-7 and Daniel 7:13-14, was of a political and military Messiah who would liberate Israel from foreign rule and establish an earthly kingdom of unparalleled glory. This vision was deeply ingrained in the disciples' worldview. The concept of a suffering, dying Messiah, particularly one who would be executed as a criminal, was not only foreign but scandalous and contradictory to their understanding of divine power and glory. They simply had no theological framework to accommodate such a notion, leading to a cognitive dissonance that prevented them from truly hearing Jesus' words.
Key Themes
The primary theme highlighted in Luke 9:45 is the disciples' profound misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. Their inability to process the truth about His impending suffering and death reveals a deep-seated spiritual blindness, rooted in their earthly expectations of a conquering Messiah. This theme is pervasive in the Gospels, showing how even those closest to Jesus struggled to align their understanding with God's redemptive plan. Furthermore, the phrase "it was hid from them, that they perceived it not" introduces the theme of divine concealment or timing. While their human limitations were evident, there's an implication that God, in His sovereign wisdom, allowed this truth to remain veiled until the appropriate time, particularly after the resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, when the full meaning would be revealed (John 16:12-13). Finally, their fear to ask about the saying underscores a theme of human apprehension and perhaps a reluctance to confront uncomfortable truths, which prevented them from seeking immediate clarity and prolonged their state of spiritual bewilderment.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "not to know (through lack of information or intelligence); by implication, to ignore (through disinclination)." This word indicates a complete lack of comprehension, suggesting that the disciples did not merely misunderstand but were entirely ignorant of the true implications of Jesus' words. It points to a mental block or an inability to process information that contradicted their deeply held beliefs about the Messiah.
Meaning "to cover alongside, i.e. veil (figuratively)." This term implies an active concealment or veiling. It suggests that the truth was not merely obscure but was deliberately kept from their full grasp, perhaps by divine design, until the appropriate time for its revelation. This points to a deeper, spiritual dimension to their incomprehension beyond mere intellectual deficiency.
Meaning "to frighten, i.e. (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. revere." This word describes their emotional state. Their fear was not necessarily a fear of Jesus Himself, but perhaps a fear of the unsettling implications of His words, a fear of rebuke for their ignorance, or a fear of what further revelation might entail. This apprehension prevented them from seeking the clarity they desperately needed.
Verse Breakdown
"But they understood not this saying"
This initial clause immediately establishes the disciples' profound lack of comprehension regarding Jesus' prophecy of His suffering. The "saying" refers specifically to the declaration in Luke 9:44 about the Son of Man being delivered into the hands of men. Their failure to understand was not a simple intellectual oversight but a deep-seated inability to reconcile Jesus' words with their messianic expectations.
"and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not"
This phrase intensifies the previous statement, indicating that their incomprehension was not solely due to their own limitations. The truth was "hid" or veiled from them, suggesting a divine element in their inability to grasp the meaning. The repetition of the idea of not perceiving ("perceived it not") emphasizes the completeness of their spiritual blindness, preventing them from apprehending the truth even on an intuitive or sensory level.
"and they feared to ask him of that saying"
This final clause reveals the disciples' emotional response and their subsequent inaction. Their fear, perhaps a combination of awe, shame, or apprehension about the unsettling nature of the prophecy, prevented them from seeking clarification from Jesus. This reluctance to inquire kept them in a state of ignorance, highlighting a missed opportunity for deeper understanding and spiritual growth.
Literary Devices
Luke 9:45 powerfully employs Dramatic Irony, as the reader is fully aware of the tragic and redemptive future that awaits Jesus, while the disciples, despite being His closest followers, remain completely oblivious. This creates tension and underscores the profound gap between divine knowledge and human understanding. The verse also utilizes Foreshadowing, hinting at the disciples' continued struggle to comprehend the spiritual realities of Jesus' mission, particularly the necessity of the cross and resurrection, which they would only fully grasp after the events transpired and the Holy Spirit empowered them. Furthermore, there is a subtle Contrast between Jesus' clear and repeated pronouncements and the disciples' consistent and profound incomprehension, highlighting the human tendency to filter divine truth through preconceived notions.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Luke 9:45 serves as a poignant reminder of the pervasive human tendency to resist truths that challenge deeply held beliefs or comfortable expectations. The disciples, despite walking with the Son of God, were so entrenched in their earthly vision of a glorious, conquering Messiah that they could not conceive of a suffering servant. This illustrates a critical theological principle: spiritual understanding often requires a surrender of preconceived notions and a humble openness to God's revelation, even when it seems counterintuitive or uncomfortable. Their inability to understand, coupled with the divine veiling, also points to God's sovereign timing in revealing truth, ensuring that understanding comes when hearts are truly prepared to receive it, often through experience and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Reflection and Application
Luke 9:45 is a profound mirror for our own spiritual journeys. Like the disciples, we often approach God with our own pre-formed ideas about how He should work, what His will entails, or what our lives should look like. This verse challenges us to examine our own biases and expectations, asking whether we are truly open to hearing God's truth, even when it contradicts our comfort zones, desires, or cultural norms. Are there "sayings" from God's Word that we "understand not" because they clash with our preferred narratives? Furthermore, the disciples' fear to ask is a powerful warning against spiritual complacency or pride. Sometimes, we avoid seeking deeper understanding because we fear what the answer might demand of us, or we are ashamed of our ignorance. This passage calls us to cultivate a humble, inquisitive spirit, always willing to ask, to seek, and to knock, trusting that God desires to reveal Himself and His truth to those who earnestly pursue it. Finally, it reminds us to trust in God's perfect timing for revelation; some truths may only become clear through lived experience, the work of the Holy Spirit, or after the full unfolding of God's plan.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why couldn't the disciples understand Jesus' clear prophecies about His suffering and death?
The disciples struggled to understand Jesus' prophecies primarily due to their deeply ingrained cultural and theological expectations of the Messiah. They, like most Jews of their time, anticipated a conquering king who would establish an earthly kingdom and liberate Israel from Roman rule, based on passages like Isaiah 9:6-7. The concept of a suffering and dying Messiah was completely antithetical to this vision and scandalous to their worldview. Their minds were so fixed on a glorious, political deliverer that they simply could not process or reconcile the idea of His humiliation and death.
What does it mean that the saying "was hid from them"? Was God intentionally preventing them from understanding?
The phrase "it was hid from them" (Greek: parakalýptō) suggests more than just their intellectual inability; it implies a divine veiling or purposeful concealment. While their human limitations and preconceived notions certainly played a role, there's a theological implication that God, in His sovereign wisdom, allowed this truth to remain obscure until the appointed time. This was not to maliciously mislead them, but perhaps because they were not yet spiritually mature enough to bear the weight of such knowledge, or because the full meaning of the cross and resurrection could only be truly grasped in retrospect, after the events themselves and the subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit (as seen in John 16:12-13). God often reveals truth progressively, at the right moment for His purposes and for our spiritual capacity.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Luke 9:45, with the disciples' profound incomprehension of Jesus' suffering, powerfully underscores the radical nature of Christ's redemptive work and its fulfillment in the New Covenant. Their blindness to the necessity of the cross foreshadows the world's general inability to grasp that true kingship and salvation would come not through worldly power, but through sacrificial love and death. Jesus, the Son of Man, was indeed "delivered into the hands of men," not as a victim of circumstance, but as the willing Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The "saying" that was "hid from them" was the very heart of God's plan for salvation, a plan that culminated in Jesus' atoning death and glorious resurrection, which ultimately opened the way for all who believe to receive eternal life (Romans 5:8). It was only after Jesus' resurrection, when He "opened their minds to understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45), and after the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), that the disciples truly grasped the profound truth of the suffering Messiah and His victory over sin and death, transforming their fear and confusion into bold proclamation of the Gospel (Acts 4:13).