The Prophecy of His Death and Resurrection (2)

[Matthew 16:21-23]

Matthew 16:21 says: “From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” This passage is the first time Jesus prophesies that he will suffer, be killed, and rise again on the third day, and it appears two more times later (17:22-23; 20:18-19).

The first prophecy in Mark is recorded as follows: “He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31-32). This prophecy also appears two more times in Mark (9:30-32; 10:32-34).

In Luke, the first prophecy is recorded like this: “He said, ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.’” (Luke 9:22). Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke does not record that Jesus “finally revealed” or “openly declared” this to his disciples. Rather, Luke’s second mention seems almost opposite: “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this statement; it was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.” (Luke 9:44-45).

While Matthew and Mark’s first accounts (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31-32) say that Jesus finally revealed and openly declared that he would suffer, be killed, and rise again after three days, Luke’s second account (Luke 9:44-45) records that Jesus’ disciples did not understand his words because “it was hidden from them so that they did not understand.” At first glance, the accounts in Matthew/Mark and Luke may seem contradictory, but all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and not from human will, but spoken by people inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21), so the Scriptures never truly contradict or oppose each other.

In my view, Luke’s second record (“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you… it was hidden from them so that they did not understand… they were afraid to ask about it” Luke 9:44-45) should be compared not with the first records in Matthew and Mark but rather with their second records.

Consider Matthew’s second record: “While they were gathered together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.’ The disciples were filled with grief.” (Matt 17:22-23).

Consider Mark’s second record: “After leaving that place, Jesus and his disciples went on to Galilee, but Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were. He was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise again.’ But the disciples did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask him about it.” (Mark 9:30-32).

Comparing these three passages, we see that in the second prophecy in Mark and Luke, the common response of the disciples was that they did not understand or grasp Jesus’ words. Therefore, the phrase in Luke about the word being “hidden from them” (Luke 9:45) does not mean that Jesus intentionally concealed the prophecy from the disciples (since he had already spoken it to them in Luke 9:22), but rather that the disciples’ own dullness and slowness of heart (“slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken” - Luke 24:25) caused them not to understand. Thus, Luke records that the prophecy was hidden from the disciples at that time because of their own lack of understanding and faith—not because Jesus deliberately hid it from them.

Jesus clearly spoke about His death “from that time” and said that the place where He would die was “Jerusalem,” because Jerusalem was the place God had appointed for Jesus to die (Matthew 16:21). This place where Jesus was to die, Jerusalem, is:
(1) Mount Moriah, the place where God tested Abraham and commanded him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering (Genesis 22:2, 3, 9; 2 Chronicles 3:1),
(2) the threshing floor of Araunah, where God sent a plague in anger because David’s census was displeasing to Him, and through the prophet Gad instructed David to offer a burnt offering there (2 Samuel 24:16),
and (3) the “Mount Moriah of Jerusalem,” where Solomon built the temple of the Lord (2 Chronicles 3:1).

Jesus not only said that the place where He would die was Jerusalem, but also said that “He must rise again on the third day” (Matthew 16:21). He prophesied that He would rise again three days after His death.

There are many prophecies about Jesus’ resurrection in the Old Testament as well. For example, Hosea 6:2 says, “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” Here, “on the third day” ultimately points to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Consider also Jonah 1:17 and 2:10: “The Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights… Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” The fact that Jonah was in the belly of the great fish “three days and three nights,” and then was vomited onto dry land by God’s command, is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death and resurrection on the third day.

Psalm 16:10 says, “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” This verse is a prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection and was quoted by the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost when he spoke about Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 2:27). Acts 2:27 also says, “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see decay.” The Apostle Paul also quoted this verse from Psalm 16:10: “For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken... Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption’” (Acts 13:35).

Psalm 110:1 says, “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’” Peter quoted this verse in his sermon in Acts 2:34-35: “David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” This passage testifies not only that Jesus resurrected but also that He ascended and is seated at the right hand of God. Paul also testified this way: “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:33-34).

Thus, the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied beforehand the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and according to these prophecies, Jesus died and rose again on the third day.

The prophecy that Jesus would rise again three days after His death also appears in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 it says:
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

The Apostle Paul testified that Jesus died “according to the Scriptures” and also rose again on the third day “according to the Scriptures.” Here, “the Scriptures” refer to the Old Testament. The Old Testament prophesied that Jesus Christ would die “for our sins,” that is, in our place. Look at the Apostles’ Creed:
“…suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; on the third day He rose again from the dead…”

We confess in faith that Jesus died according to the Scriptures and rose again according to the Scriptures.

We must not doubt Jesus’ resurrection but have confidence in it. We should be certain that Jesus died according to the Scriptures and also rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. Jesus is the firstfruits; we too will be resurrected like Him. If we are already dead when Jesus returns, the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16) [See also 1 Corinthians 15:52: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”].

But if we are still alive when Jesus returns, we will be instantly transformed and receive glorified bodies like Jesus’ glorious body. 1 Corinthians 15:51 says:
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

And Philippians 3:21 says:
“He will transform our lowly body so that it will be like His glorious body by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control.”

With this faith in the resurrection, let us pray to be proclaimers of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the gospel of His death according to the Scriptures and His resurrection according to the Scriptures—until the day the Lord calls us or until the very moment Jesus returns.