Luke 18:31-34 Meaning: When the Disciples Missed What the Prophets Saw
31He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.
32For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.
33They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”
34They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.
31Then 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.
32For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
33And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
34And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
31And he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets shall be accomplished unto the Son of man.
32For he shall be delivered up unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shamefully treated, and spit upon:
33and they shall scourge and kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
34And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, and they perceived not the things that were said.
31And having taken the twelve aside, he said unto them, `Lo, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be completed--that have been written through the prophets--to the Son of Man,
32for he shall be delivered up to the nations, and shall be mocked, and insulted, and spit upon,
33and having scourged they shall put him to death, and on the third day he shall rise again.'
34And they none of these things understood, and this saying was hid from them, and they were not knowing the things said.
31And he took the twelve to [him] and said to them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written of the Son of man by the prophets shall be accomplished;
32for he shall be delivered up to the nations, and shall be mocked, and insulted, and spit upon.
33And when they have scourged [him] they will kill him; and on the third day he will rise again.
34And they understood nothing of these things. And this word was hidden from them, and they did not know what was said.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus told His disciples plainly about His suffering and resurrection.
Context
Jesus is walking toward Jerusalem, and He knows what waits there. The chapter has already shown a rich young ruler walking away sad, and Peter declaring they have left everything. Now Jesus pulls the twelve aside, away from the crowd. This is the third time He has told them plainly that He will suffer and die, but something in their hearts cannot hold it. The next scene, the healing of a blind man near Jericho, will show someone who sees clearly. Here, those closest to Jesus cannot see at all.
Key Words
Three Greek words hold the weight of this passage. First, Jesus says everything written by the prophets will be accomplished (telesthēsetai). This word means brought to completion, finished entirely, not partly. The same root appears on the cross: “It is finished.” Jesus is not walking into a disaster; He is walking into a perfectly completed plan.
Second, He will be delivered up (paradothēsetai) to the Gentiles. This is the same word used for betrayal. It means handed over into someone else’s power. Jesus is not taken by force; He is given. The plan includes the handing over.
Third, the saying was hidden (kekrummenon) from them. This is not a word for something unclear. It means deliberately concealed, like treasure buried in a field. The disciples could hear the words but not grasp the meaning. Sometimes understanding is not ours to have yet.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage with the same puzzle: why did the disciples not understand such plain speech? John Wesley noted they could not reconcile Jesus’ words with their hope for a political Messiah. Matthew Henry saw that Jesus himself used the Scriptures to brace for suffering, and meant the disciples to do the same. The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary suggests the hiddenness was intentional, to give greater weight to their later testimony, once they finally saw, their witness would carry more force. Calvin pointed out that a false expectation of glory had closed their eyes. All traditions agree: the disciples’ confusion points to how hard it is to believe in a suffering King.
A common misunderstanding
Some think the disciples did not understand because Jesus spoke in riddles. In fact, the text says Jesus told them plainly. Their failure was not a lack of information but a clash of expectations. They had imagined a conquering Messiah, so suffering sounded like nonsense. The word “hidden” in verse 34 suggests God allowed their blindness for a season, so that after the resurrection their certainty would be unshakable.
Living This Out
This week you may find yourself in a situation that makes no sense. Perhaps a prayer seems unanswered, a path has closed, or a good thing ended badly. The disciples kept walking toward Jerusalem with Jesus even though they did not understand. They did not run away; they stayed. You do not have to have everything figured out to keep following. The plan that looked like confusion to them became the salvation of the world. What looks like confusion to you may be that same kind of hidden plan.
Main takeaway: God’s plan often unfolds in ways we cannot grasp, yet it always fulfills His promises, even when the road goes through suffering.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus told His friends that bad things would happen to Him, but then He would come back to life. They did not understand, but they stayed with Him anyway. You can stay close to Jesus even when you do not understand everything.
For ages 9, 12
The disciples had a picture in their heads of Jesus as a strong king who would defeat their enemies. When Jesus talked about being mocked and killed, it did not fit that picture at all. Sometimes we miss what God is saying because we already have our minds made up about how things should go. The disciples kept walking with Jesus anyway. Later, when He rose from the dead, everything made sense. You do not have to have all the answers to keep trusting Jesus.
Questions People Ask
Does Luke 18:34 mean God deliberately hid the meaning from the disciples?
Yes, the Greek word used here (kekrummenon) means something is hidden or concealed. Many commentators believe God kept the meaning veiled for a time, partly to protect the disciples from despair and partly so that their post-resurrection witness would be more powerful.
Which Old Testament prophets wrote about Jesus’ suffering?
Jesus says “everything written through the prophets” will be fulfilled. Key passages include Isaiah 53 (the suffering servant), Psalm 22 (the cry of dereliction and the mocking), Daniel 9:26 (the Anointed One cut off), and Zechariah 13:7 (striking the shepherd). Jesus saw His whole story in the prophets.
Why did the disciples not understand such a direct statement?
They had grown up expecting the Messiah to be a conquering king who would free Israel from Roman rule. The idea of a suffering, dying Messiah was the opposite of everything they hoped for. As Wesley said, they could not reconcile Jesus’ plain words with their preconceived ideas.
Is there a connection between this passage and the blind man healed right after?
Yes. In the next verses (Luke 18:35-43), a blind man near Jericho cries out to Jesus and receives his sight. The contrast is striking: the disciples, who have eyes, cannot see the truth about the cross, while a blind man sees clearly who Jesus is.
What does it mean that Jesus “took the Twelve aside” to say this?
Jesus often separated the Twelve from the larger crowd for private teaching. This was an intimate moment. He wanted them to hear this hard truth without distraction, but even in private they could not take it in. It shows how deeply their expectations had shaped their hearing.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study