Mark 10:32-34

The Way: Through Death to Life

Mark refocused his theme of the way:

Mark 10:32-34 – Jesus Foretells his Death and Resurrection (3)

³² They were on the way going up to Jerusalem.

Jesus was going ahead of them.

They were in a state of shock.

His followers were fearful.

They were “on the way”, the paradigm of Christian life. For the first time he explicitly named the destination, Jerusalem, though it afforded no surprise. Mark was precise in his description of the journey. Jesus led the way walking ahead of them.

Mark would use the same phrase in relation to the risen Christ going ahead of the disciples to Galilee (16:7). The disciples of Mark’s community were on the same journey. Christian life meant following Jesus, whether to actual Jerusalem or to the “Jerusalem” at the end of every Christian life.

Those who were following were more numerous than simply the twelve. There was some irony in Mark’s use of the word follower. They were indeed following, bringing up the rear, but their discipleship was somewhat apprehensive and reluctant. They were afraid.

Taking the twelve aside

he began to tell them

what was going to happen to him,

³³ “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem.

The Son of Man is going to be handed over

to the chief priests and the scribes.

They will condemn him to death,

and will hand him over to the Gentiles.

³⁴ They in turn will mock him and spit on him,

scourge him and kill him;

and after three days he will rise again.”

Why Jesus took the twelve aside is not clear, nor is it clear what Mark intended by the word began to tell them. This was the third time, though the first time with such detail. He had made the point that the chief priests and scribes would reject him (8:31). Here he explicitly stated that they would be the ones to actually sentence him to death, though not having the power to execute the sentence, they would on their part have to hand him over to the Gentiles. That he would be betrayed (handed over) to the priests was also new. The betrayer(s) was not mentioned, but would seem to have had to be an insider, someone already trusted. The details of the treatment leading up to the execution were also new: mocked, spat upon, scourged. In none of the three predictions of his passion (8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34) had crucifixion actually been mentioned, though, if the basis of his condemnation were to be political, the manner of death would inevitably have had to be crucifixion. Once again the truth of his resurrection was reaffirmed.

Probably Jesus did not know the details of the process. The particulars given in the text may have been clarifications made by the tradition in light of hindsight.

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