The tide is turning for Jesus. He must leave the northern part of the country where he had been safe and begin his final trip to Jerusalem and, ultimately, the cross. He had tried before to warn the disciples what would happen, but they would not listen. He had to try again. Jesus needed to leave behind at least some people who would understand what he was doing, even if their grasp was vague.
He chooses to speak to them as they travel away from the pressing crowds. The disciples would have noticed a rise in tension but didn’t seem to understand about the resurrection. Somehow, the disciples did not feel comfortable asking Jesus to explain.
Perhaps the harshness of the message was too much for the disciples to bear. They wanted to be spared the deep details. They loved Jesus dearly, and the thought of anything bad happening
to him might have been too hard. We can be like that sometimes. If we hear our loved one has been in a bad accident, we might just want to be grateful they survived and not want to comprehend the extent of their injuries.
Even in our Christian journey, we sometimes find ourselves editing our scripture intake, choosing easy or light passages and skipping over the difficult-to-understand parts.
Perhaps it is a case in which we hear what we want to hear and stop listening when the conversation becomes uncomfortable.
Pause for a moment and consider how you feel about what Jesus shared with his disciples. Was it awkward, upsetting, or difficult to comprehend as you read it?
Are you able to speak to Jesus about what you understand he has done
for you? Can you ask Jesus about the parts you do not understand?
Are there any other matters in your life that you may not have felt comfortable talking to Jesus about? Could today be a good time to start that conversation?
Reflections by Cherie-Lynn van der Merwe
