daily java

Daily Java:

Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” They didn’t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. (Mark 9:30-32)

Jesus scared his apostles half to death. It was not that he was mean to them, or tried to make them afraid, but they were anyway. It was because of his power and the absolute authority he radiated. It was also that he said stuff that confused the daylights out of them.

Jesus walked into any situation totally unafraid. He talked to anyone and was awed by none. He stood up to crowds and groups of people that scared the apostles. He talked easily to huge groups, he did things that were amazing, he healed and even pulled people back from death. He walked large.

He would say things that were plain old baffling. What did it mean? What was he talking about? Some of what he said sounded vaguely accusatory to them, but then he would explain it in another way. They were always off-guard a little around him.

And above all else, he was so good. He never seemed to do anything wrong. He never made missteps, he never got unnecessarily angry, but when he got angry, he was scary. It was almost as if the power of God was flowing through his anger.

On top of all that, he talked about dying and they couldn’t figure out why. Why would he die and leave both them and his work unfinished? It made no sense to them for Jesus to come and do stuff and then just die. He was supposed to be the Messiah, and in their minds (as in the minds of most Jewish people), the Messiah was supposed to lead Israel back to it great power.

Here he does it again. The Son of Man (that was him, wasn’t it? They thought so but were never really very certain) was going to be betrayed (by whom? All his people loved him) and he would be killed (how and why? That seemed counter to all he was doing to be killed). But then the kicker: three days later he would raise from the dead. Great. Another riddle. What did that mean? Why die if he was coming right back?

They didn’t understand him. They were not great complex theologians like the religious leaders were and they just didn’t understand. Of course, they were beginning to realize that the great religious leaders didn’t either.

In fact, they were beginning to understand that the great religious leaders were full of baloney. Every time Jesus got near them, they would attack him and Jesus would make them look stupid. The great religious leaders hated him.

And the more the great religious leaders hated him, the more the crowd loved him.

Jesus baffled his followers.  They hated to keep asking him silly questions for fear he might get irritated with him, but they just didn’t understand him.

And if they asked him what he meant, he might tell them something they didn’t want to hear. So they were caught in a quandary. They decided to keep their mouths shut and just listen.