They could not — and did not — preach the Gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, because God had hidden that understanding from them.
Jesus plainly told the twelve that He would die and rise again, but Luke records that they understood none of it. Les Feldick shows that the disciples had no idea Jesus would die, and after His death they had no idea He would rise; therefore, they could not preach what they did not believe.
Luke 18:31-34 — Jesus plainly predicts His death and resurrection, and Scripture records that the twelve understood none of it.
The Bible records that Jesus took the twelve aside just before His final trip to Jerusalem and told them plainly, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again" (Luke 18:31-33). The very next verse records the disciples' response: "And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken" (Luke 18:34). This was not a new pattern. In Luke 9:44-45, Jesus said, "Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men." But "they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying." Even at the resurrection morning, the Scripture says of Peter and John, "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead" (John 20:9). The Bible's own record shows that the men closest to Jesus did not understand the death and resurrection before they happened.
Les Feldick answers the question directly: Jesus and the twelve never preached our gospel as we know it. They did not preach death, burial, and resurrection, and they did not even believe it themselves. As Les puts it, "How could they preach it?" He points to Luke 18:31-34, where Jesus could not have been plainer: He would be delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, scourged, killed, and rise on the third day. Yet the twelve understood none of these things. Les explains that the saying "was hid from them" — God hid it and did not let them understand that Jesus was about to be crucified. Les also uses the empty tomb to prove the point: had Peter and John known the Scripture that He must rise again, they would not have been surprised. Instead, they "knew not the Scripture" (John 20:9). If the disciples had expected a resurrection, they would have been outside the tomb Sunday morning. This is why Peter could not have preached Christ crucified before the crucifixion — as one couple asked Les, "How could they? He hadn't been crucified yet, and they didn't know He was going to be."
Yes. Shortly before the crucifixion, Jesus took the twelve aside and said, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem... For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles... And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again" (Luke 18:31-33). Les Feldick notes that Jesus could not have said it any plainer, yet the next verse says they understood none of these things.
Luke 18:34 supplies the answer: "this saying was hid from them." Les Feldick explains that God hid it from them — it was not that they refused to listen, but that God did not open their eyes to it at that time. The same thing happened in Luke 9:44-45 when Jesus spoke of being delivered into the hands of men.
No. Les answers a listener's question directly: "How could they? He hadn't been crucified yet. And on top of that, they didn't know He was going to be." Since they had no idea He was going to die and no idea He would rise, they did not preach Christ crucified and risen from the dead.
Even at the empty tomb, Peter and John did not understand. John 20:9 says, "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." Les points out that had they known, they would have camped out at the tomb; instead, they all went home thinking it was over.
Jesus' Warning to the Twelve
Les shows from Luke 9:44-45 that even when Jesus warned the twelve that the Son of Man would be delivered into the hands of men, the saying was hidden from them and they feared to ask Him what it meant.
No Indication of Death and Resurrection
Les explains that after three years with Jesus, the disciples had no indication of His death, burial, and resurrection, and therefore did not preach Christ crucified and risen.
Luke 18: The Plainest Prediction
Les reads Jesus' plain prediction in Luke 18:31-32 and highlights that the twelve understood none of these things, proving that plain words were still hidden from them.
How Could They? He Hadn't Been Crucified Yet
Les answers the objection directly: the disciples could not have preached Christ crucified because He had not been crucified yet and they did not know He was going to be.
God Hid It From Them
Les explains that God hid the meaning of Jesus' words from the disciples, which is why they had no idea He would die and no idea He would rise.
Jesus and the Twelve Never Preached Our Gospel
Les stresses that Jesus and the twelve never preached death, burial, and resurrection — they did not believe it themselves — and even Peter and John did not know the Scripture at the empty tomb.
They Would Have Been at the Tomb
Les reasons that if the disciples had understood Jesus would rise, they would have been waiting outside the tomb Sunday morning instead of going home in despair.
Plain as Day, Yet Hidden
Les shows that Jesus' words in Luke 18 were plain as day, but the disciples understood none of them because the saying was hid from them.
Luke 18:31-34: Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
Jesus plainly predicts His death and resurrection, and Scripture immediately notes the twelve understood none of it.
Luke 9:44-45: Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
This earlier prediction also shows the disciples' inability to understand was due to the truth being hidden from them.
John 20:9: For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Even at the empty tomb, Peter and John did not yet understand that Scripture required Jesus to rise.
No. How could they? He hadn't been crucified yet and they didn't know He was going to be. Les Feldick says Jesus and the twelve never preached death, burial, and resurrection — they did not even believe it themselves.
Yes. In Luke 18:31-33 He told them plainly, but Luke 18:34 says they understood none of these things because the saying was hid from them. Les explains that God hid it from them.
They had no idea He would rise. Les says had they understood, they would have been outside the tomb Sunday morning waiting to see it happen. Instead, they all went home thinking it was over.
No. John 20:9 says as yet they knew not the scripture that He must rise again from the dead. Les uses this to show they were surprised by the evidence rather than expecting it.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did the Disciples Not Know Jesus Would Die?