No, the disciples did not understand that Jesus would rise from the dead.
Jesus plainly told the twelve that He would be put to death and rise the third day, but Luke 18:34 says they understood none of these things and the saying was hid from them. Even after His crucifixion they had no expectation of a resurrection — no one was waiting at the tomb. In John 20:9, after seeing the empty tomb, the text says they still did not know the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead.
Luke 18:34 — This verse directly answers the question: after Jesus predicted His resurrection, the twelve understood none of these things and the saying was hid from them.
John 20:9 — This verse shows that even after the resurrection, the disciples still did not know the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead until they saw the evidence.
In Luke 18:31-34, Jesus took the twelve aside and told them everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man would be accomplished. He said He would be delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, spitefully entreated, spitted on, scourged, put to death, and on the third day rise again. The very next verse states, "And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken." In John 20, after Mary Magdalene reported the tomb empty, Peter and John ran to the sepulchre. John arrived first, looked in, then entered and saw the evidence and believed. Yet John 20:9 immediately explains, "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead."
Les Feldick points out that Jesus told the twelve plainly that He would be put to death and rise again the third day, but they comprehended none of it. They had no idea He was going to die, and after He was dead they had no idea He would rise. He shows this is why no one was at the tomb Sunday morning — Mary Magdalene came only to anoint the body with spices. Even Peter and John, who ran to the empty tomb, did not believe until they saw the evidence; John 20:9 says they did not yet know the Scripture. Les also teaches that God deliberately hid these things from them, and that this is why the twelve never preached death, burial, and resurrection before Pentecost — because they did not believe it themselves.
Jesus told the twelve plainly that He would be delivered to the Gentiles, be mocked, scourged, put to death, and rise again the third day (Luke 18:32-33). The very next verse says they understood none of these things and the saying was hid from them. Les Feldick asks, "Well who hid it? God did." He emphasizes that after nearly three years with Jesus, the twelve had no idea He was going to die — and after He died, they had no idea He would be raised.
In John 20, Peter and John ran to the sepulchre after the tomb was reported empty. John entered, saw the evidence, and believed (John 20:8). Yet the writer immediately adds, "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead" (John 20:9). Les points out that even as late as that moment, they still did not understand — they believed only after seeing the proof.
Les says that if the disciples had understood Jesus' prediction, they would have been waiting outside the tomb early Sunday morning. Instead, none of them were there. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb only to anoint the body with spices, and she was shaken when the body was gone. The disciples had all given up and thought it was all over.
Les makes the point that Jesus and the twelve never preached death, burial, and resurrection before the resurrection because they did not believe it themselves. How could they preach it? John 20:9 shows they did not know the Scripture that He must rise again.
Jesus Predicts, But They Understood None
Les shows that after Jesus predicted His death and resurrection, the twelve understood none of these things because the saying was hid from them.
No One Expected the Resurrection
Les notes that no one was at the tomb Sunday morning; Mary Magdalene came only to anoint the body, so they had no idea Jesus would rise.
God Hid These Things From Them
Les says God deliberately kept the disciples from understanding that Jesus was about to be crucified and raised.
John Believed After Seeing Evidence
Les walks through John 20:8-9, showing John believed only after seeing the empty tomb's evidence, and even then they did not know the Scripture.
Even Peter and John Did Not Know
Les points out that Peter and John, having seen the evidence, still did not know the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead until they saw the proof.
They Would Have Camped at the Tomb
Les says had they known, they would have camped at the tomb; instead they went home, proving they never preached death, burial, and resurrection.
Every Disciple Had Given Up
Les emphasizes that not one disciple was at the tomb, because they all thought everything was finished.
They Thought It Was All Over
Les contrasts the disciples' despair with Paul's later gospel — they did not understand the resurrection until Paul spoke after the fact.
Luke 18:33: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
This is the specific prediction the twelve heard but did not understand.
Luke 18:34: And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
This verse directly states the disciples' lack of understanding.
John 20:8: Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
After seeing the tomb's evidence, John believed — but this belief came only after seeing it.
John 20:9: For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Even at the empty tomb, the disciples still did not know the Scripture concerning His resurrection.
No. Luke 18:34 says they understood none of these things, and John 20:9 says they did not yet know the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead.
Les Feldick points out that if they had understood Jesus would rise, they would have been there, but they had no expectation. Mary Magdalene went only to anoint the body with spices, and she was shocked to find it gone.
According to John 20, Peter and John saw the empty tomb and believed after seeing the evidence — but John 20:9 says they still did not know the Scripture until then.
Les Feldick teaches yes — God purposely hid these things from them until His own time, which is why they had no idea He would die or rise again.
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