The disciples did not understand because God had hidden the meaning of Jesus' prediction from them until the appointed time.
Jesus plainly told the Twelve He would be put to death and rise on the third day, yet Luke 18:34 says they understood none of these things and the saying was hid from them. Les Feldick teaches that God sovereignly kept them ignorant because it was not yet time for them to know. Faith cannot operate until God speaks.
Luke 18:31-34 — Jesus plainly predicts His death and resurrection, and the very next verse says the disciples understood none of it because the saying was hid from them.
In Luke 18:31-34, Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished." He then said He would be delivered unto the Gentiles, mocked, spitefully entreated, spitted on, scourged, put to death, and on the third day He would rise again. The very next verse records, "And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken." The text does not say the disciples were unintelligent or unwilling; it simply states that the saying was hid from them. Scripture itself provides the reason for their lack of understanding — the meaning was concealed from them.
Les Feldick emphasizes that Jesus could not have spoken more plainly. In Luke 18:31-34, Jesus told the Twelve exactly what would happen to Him in Jerusalem — delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, scourged, put to death, and raised on the third day. Yet the next verse says they understood none of these things. Les asks, "Who hid it?" and answers, "God did." It was not yet time for them to know. Les also points out that even after three years with Jesus, the disciples had no expectation of His death and resurrection. If they had understood the resurrection, they would have been outside the tomb on Sunday morning waiting to see it happen. Instead, the only woman who came to the tomb came to anoint Jesus' body, not to witness Him rise. Beyond this specific event, Les draws a broader principle: faith cannot operate until God speaks. God does not expect anyone to believe something He has not yet revealed. The disciples' failure to understand Jesus' prediction was not a personal failure; God had sovereignly kept them ignorant until His appointed time.
In Luke 18:31-34, Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them that all things 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 rise again on the third day. The next verse declares that they understood none of these things and that this saying was hid from them.
Les Feldick repeatedly points out that Jesus' words were plain, the Twelve had been with Him for three years, and they spoke the same language. Yet they understood none of it. The text says the saying was hid from them. Les asks, "Who hid it?" and his answer is clear: God did. God sovereignly kept them ignorant because it was not yet time for them to know.
Les observes that if the disciples had truly understood Jesus' prediction, they would have been waiting outside the tomb on Sunday morning to see the resurrection. Instead, no one from the Twelve was there. The only woman who came to the tomb came to anoint Jesus' body with spices — not to see if He had come out of the tomb. Their absence shows they had no expectation of resurrection.
In John 11, Jesus told Martha her brother would rise again. She responded that he would rise in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life," and asked if she believed. Martha confessed, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." Les notes that her confession said nothing about Jesus' death or resurrection because God had not yet revealed those truths.
Les teaches that God does not expect anyone to believe something He has not yet revealed. Faith is taking God at His word, so faith can only operate after God has spoken. The disciples' lack of understanding was not a matter of stubbornness; God had not yet chosen to make these truths known. Once God reveals something, He expects belief.
Martha's Confession as a Revelation Marker
Les uses Martha's confession — 'I believe thou art the Christ, the Son of God' — to show she did not mention Jesus' death and resurrection, because God had not yet revealed those truths and faith cannot operate until God speaks.
No Expectation of Resurrection
Les points out that even after three years with Jesus, the disciples had no idea He would die and rise. If they had understood the resurrection, they would have been at the tomb that Sunday morning, but no one from the Twelve was there.
Plain Words, Hidden Meaning
Les reads Jesus' prediction in Luke 18 — 'plain as day' — and then reads that the Twelve 'understood none of these things'; he asks why, and the text answers that the saying was hid from them.
God Hid It
Les makes the point explicitly: the saying was hid from them, and God is the one who hid it. It wasn't time for them to know.
God Never Opened Their Eyes
Les says Jesus told them more than once about His crucifixion and resurrection, but God never opened their eyes. If the Eleven had understood, they would all have been outside the tomb on Sunday morning.
God's Sovereign Timing
Les notes the Twelve heard Jesus and listened intently, but the saying was hid from them. He answers 'Who hid it?' with 'God did' — it was not time for them to know.
Sovereign Ignorance
Les says the truth went off the disciples 'like water off a duck's back' because God had sovereignly kept them ignorant of the resurrection. He also reminds us that opening understanding is God's work.
Revelation Precedes Faith
Les teaches that God does not expect anyone to believe something He has not revealed. The disciples could not understand the death and resurrection because God had not yet revealed it to 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.
This is the central passage where Jesus plainly predicts His death and resurrection, yet the disciples are said to have understood none of it because the saying was hid from them.
John 11:25-27: Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Martha's confession identifies Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, without mentioning His death and resurrection, showing that those truths had not yet been revealed to her.
Yes. In Luke 18:31-34, Jesus told the Twelve He would be delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, scourged, put to death, and rise on the third day. Yet the very next verse says they understood none of these things.
Les Feldick teaches that God hid it from them. It was not yet time for them to know; God sovereignly kept them ignorant of Christ's death and resurrection.
Les says they would have been waiting outside the tomb on Sunday morning. Instead, no one from the Twelve came looking for a risen Jesus; the only woman at the tomb came to anoint His body with spices, showing no expectation of resurrection.
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