They Were Afraid To Ask

Jeremiah 45:1-5; Mark 9:30-32 / Psalm 16:1-11

I. The Atonement Isn’t Intuitive

A. The disciples knew that Jesus was the Messiah but they did not genuinely understand what that meant. “And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.” (Mark 8:27-30)

B. Jesus needed some privacy with His friends to help them move from knowing the words to understanding the doctrines He was about to embody. “And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.” (Mark 9:30)

C. Jesus had to make certain His friends had a clear grasp of what would follow in the week of His passion. “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.” (Mark 9:31)

II. The Cross Had Begun To Cast Its Shadow

A. Knowing the words in the formula is not the same as understanding and embracing the truth; when Jesus called Himself the Son of Man, He reached back into the prophets to explain the rejection which would engulf His ministry and lead to the cross. “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 12:2)

B. The title—Son of Man—could refer to a man like Ezekiel who was a faithful servant or it could refer to the figure in Daniel who would establish God’s ultimate kingdom. “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:9-14)

C. Jesus also identified Himself with the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. See Isaiah 52:13-Isaiah 53:12 “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth . He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:3-9)

D. Because holy people were seeking a deliverer like the ones ungodly nations had chosen, Jesus had to teach the disciples the truths which would explain the passion about to take place. “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:19-20)

E. The atonement on the cross and the resurrection introducing the eternal era of righteousness will come to pass only because the redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being the eternal Son of God, became the son of man, and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5) “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.” (Hebrews 7:24)

III. The Disciples Were Too Afraid to Ask

A. Jesus had to seize the teachable moment. “But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.” (Mark 9:32)

B. No one needs to be confused or double minded; God gives understanding to people who seek it from Him. “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:4-8)

C. Life’s answers are available to confident believers for the taking. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)