Luke 9:41-45: a reflection

41Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43They were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while all were marveling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44“Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.” 45But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

After Jesus heals a boy that his disciples could not help, the crowds are amazed at the majesty of God on display. But at the very height of this marveling, Jesus turns to his disciples and says something they do not want to hear: Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men. At the moment of glory and wonder, he directs their attention to his coming suffering. And they do not understand; the saying is hidden from them, and they are afraid to ask, unwilling to grasp the hard word amid the glory.

Notice what Jesus does amid the marveling: he points to his coming suffering. The crowd was caught up in wonder at his majesty; but Jesus knew that the path before him ran through betrayal and the cross, and he would not let the disciples rest only in the glory. The Son of Man, he said, would be delivered into human hands. He held together the glory and the coming suffering, directing them past the marveling to the cross. And the disciples resisted the hard word, not understanding, afraid to ask, wanting the glory without the suffering.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can want the glory without the cross, resisting the hard truth amid the wonder. Like the disciples, we can be glad to marvel at Christ's majesty, but slow to grasp that his path, and ours in following him, runs through suffering; we can want the glory without the cross that precedes it. But Jesus directed his disciples past the marveling to his coming suffering. Do not want only the glory of Christ while resisting the truth that his path, and the path of those who follow him, runs through suffering; the Son of Man was delivered into human hands on the way to glory. Let the hard word sink in, as Jesus urged, rather than resisting it in your eagerness for glory alone; hold together, as Jesus did, the glory and the cross, remembering that the path to glory ran through suffering for him, and that following him means taking up the cross as well as sharing his glory.

Lord Jesus, after you healed a boy that your disciples could not help, the crowds were amazed at the majesty of God on display. But at the very height of this marveling, you turned to your disciples and said something they did not want to hear: let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men. At the moment of glory and wonder, you directed their attention to your coming suffering. And they did not understand; the saying was hidden from them, and they were afraid to ask. Show me what you do amid the marveling: you point to your coming suffering. The crowd was caught up in wonder at your majesty; but you knew that the path before you ran through betrayal and the cross, and you would not let the disciples rest only in the glory. You held together the glory and the coming suffering. And the disciples resisted the hard word, wanting the glory without the suffering. Take that to my heart, for I too can want the glory without the cross, resisting the hard truth amid the wonder. Like the disciples, I can be glad to marvel at your majesty, but slow to grasp that your path, and mine in following you, runs through suffering. But you directed your disciples past the marveling to your coming suffering. Keep me from wanting only your glory while resisting the truth that your path runs through suffering. Let the hard word sink in, as you urged, Lord, rather than resisting it in my eagerness for glory alone; help me hold together, as you did, the glory and the cross.